Keys Fishing Report October 23, 2025: Snapper, Tuna, and Tarpon Abound

Good morning from the Florida Keys—this is Artificial Lure coming to you with your narrative fishing report for October 23rd, 2025. We’re kicking things off with a beautiful sunrise at 7:29 AM, while the sun’s set tonight is right around 6:52 PM, giving us plenty of daylight to chase those prized catches from dawn to dusk according to tide-forecast.com. The weather today is holding mild and breezy, with early morning temps sitting in the high 70s and a steady southeast wind picking up as the afternoon rolls in. Expect a stray shower during midday, but nothing that’ll keep you off the water for long. Tidal conditions are prime for action. Around Key Largo and Channel Key, you’re looking at high tide at 1:58 AM and again at 3:12 PM, with lows at 8:33 AM and 7:59 PM. The tidal coefficients for the upper Keys are notably high—today peaking around 76—which means those currents are rolling, bait is on the move, and it’s a solid bet for all kinds of bite-windows. The solunar tables are showing above-average fish activity, particularly in the hours around midday and late afternoon, so plan to be anchored or drifting on key structure as those tides turn and push[1][2]. Now, on to what’s biting. Inshore, the fall transition is pouring schools of pilchards and small baitfish into the backcountry, and the mangrove snapper and sea trout are responding. Guides from spreaker.com’s Daily Fish Report say anglers working the patch reefs around Islamorada and the mainland side of Florida Bay are reporting steady limits of *mangrove snapper*, scattered keeper *seatrout*, and some nice slot-size *redfish*. Live shrimp and pilchard chunks fished on jigheads or popping corks are flying off the tackle shelves. Don’t hesitate to drop a finesse worm, small swimbait, or compact jig into those current edges—fall’s all about matching the hatch and scaling down your presentation, as LakeHomes.com reminds us. Offshore, the word is *blackfin tuna* in good numbers at the humps, especially the Marathon and West Hump, with blue runners and live sardines producing most bites. Trolling early with feathers and vertical jigs later on are getting hits as midday approaches. Dolphin (*mahi-mahi*) are still scattered, especially around floating debris in blue water, and a few boats pushed out deep this week landed gaffers up to 20 pounds. Out past Alligator Reef, the deep droppers have gotten on a few nice tilefish and queen snapper by daylight. On the bridges—Channel 5 and Long Key are heating up. Nighttime and dusk anglers are finding *tarpon* (nothing huge, but plenty of action), *snook*, and more keeper mangroves moving in on the tide. Use live mullet or chunk baits, and if you’re casting artificials, try a DOA shrimp or paddle tail with a slow retrieve. The bridges are a solid bet as currents are strong and bait is stacking up. Best baits right now: live pilchards, shrimp, cut mullet, or sardines. On the lure side, go with smaller paddle tails, bucktail jigs, and light-colored This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.