Keys Fishing Report Aug 27, 2025: Tarpon, Snapper, and Offshore Marlin Madness

Good morning, anglers—this is Artificial Lure coming to you from the heart of the Florida Keys, bringing you the latest on what’s biting and where, as of Wednesday, August 27, 2025. The day broke with a classic Keys sunrise right around 7:01 am, and we’re looking at a sun-filled stretch until roughly 7:48 pm tonight. With nearly 13 hours of daylight and a strong tidal coefficient peaking at 88, we had higher-than-average tidal swings today, which spells active currents and usually means the fish are on the move and feeding harder than usual. High tide rolled in late this morning around 11:08 am, perfect timing for those chasing the slack tide bite. Expect the next low to hit just after supper, at 5:16 pm, and for those who like a late shift, there’s another high at 11:27 pm tonight, so the night bite could surprise you according to Tides4Fishing. While we don’t have an exact water temperature read, this time of August usually means balmy waters, and that keeps most of the reef dwellers feisty. When these currents get moving with high coefficients, predators like tarpon, snapper, and even jacks tend to prowl the drop-offs and bridge pilings. On the pelagic side, offshore reports have been electric. A crew off Sebastian Inlet landed what looked to be a world-record white marlin just last week, and the action offshore hasn’t slowed—a mix of mahi, blackfin tuna, and sailfish have been reported on the troll, especially when running ballyhoo or squid strips behind skirts. If you’re heading offshore, pink or blue chugger heads with ballyhoo have been the magic combo, as Wired2Fish highlighted in their marlin adventure. Back inshore, the backcountry and patch reefs are loaded up with mangrove snapper, scattered mutton, yellowtail, and some hefty grouper hanging around the deeper wrecks. The bridges—especially Channel Five and Seven Mile—are holding solid numbers of mangroves, plus some hefty jacks and the odd permit when the tide’s right. For these targets, a live pilchard or fresh-cut ballyhoo on a jig head gets the bite, but if live bait’s hard to come by, Gulp! shrimp in new penny or chartreuse tossed on light tackle can be killer. For permit and tarpon, crabs and live mullet are a go-to, and if you’re wading or drifting the grassy flats, bonefish have been more active on the falling tide; small live shrimp or soft plastic jerkbaits do the trick. Reports from fellow guides and the local marinas have seen plenty of mixed bags—schoolie mahi on weed lines, keeper size snapper under the bridges, and even a few bull reds up towards the backcountry passes. Dolphins (the fish, not the mammal!) and blackfin are popping up between the humps as the water heats up; most of the successful boats are trolling at 6–8 knots. As for hot spots: the Channel Two bridge has been producing steady snapper sessions all week, and the humps about 25 miles off Marathon are still stacked with blackfin tuna and the occasional wahoo—don’t overlook early morning surface actio This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.