Spring Fishing Heats Up in Florida's Gulf

This is Artificial Lure with your April 23, 2025 Gulf of Mexico Florida fishing report. We’re right in the thick of spring action, and the bite is heating up both inshore and offshore. Early mornings still start off a bit crisp, in the 50s or low 60s, but by mid-morning we’re in the mid 70s and sometimes pushing higher by late afternoon. Winds have been moderate, trending out of the southeast, which can kick up the surf a little but also brings good water movement. Skies are mostly clear today with sunrise at 6:58am and sunset at 7:51pm, giving us a long window to wet a line. Tides today are moderate—mid-morning high around 9:45am and a low this evening just before sunset. That incoming tide through late morning is prime for active fish near the passes and along the beaches. The best action lately has been off the Panhandle jetties and along stretches of natural bottom. Destin’s jetties are hot for pompano right now, with limits coming on sand flea Fishbites and fresh peeled shrimp. Folks are also picking up whiting and slot redfish in the wash with the same baits. As we move toward late April, Spanish mackerel are showing up in better numbers—try a silver spoon or a Got-Cha plug for fast hookups near the sandbar breaks and pier ends. Out deeper, the natural bottom offshore is giving up plenty of grouper, vermillion and mangrove snapper, and triggerfish. Big baits like frozen squid, cigar minnows, and cut sardines are the ticket for these bottom dwellers. Inshore, the bays are alive with trout, redfish, and the occasional flounder. Focus on oyster bars, grass flats, and drop-offs. MirrOlure suspending twitchbaits and Gulp shrimp under a popping cork have both been steady producers. If you want numbers, try live shrimp or mud minnows on a Carolina rig. Pier anglers are reporting decent runs of king and Spanish mackerel, with cobia still making spotty appearances. Big jigs tipped with curly tails and live pinfish are the best bets for cobia cruising the outer sandbars. For hotspots, try the Destin East Pass jetties for pompano and redfish, or the area around Cape San Blas for bay trout and flounder. Offshore, look for the 60-90 foot reefs south of Panama City for snapper and grouper. Best baits for today: sand fleas and Fishbites for pompano, live shrimp for almost everything inshore, and cut bait or squid offshore. For artificials, silver spoons and Got-Chas for mackerel, and Gulp shrimp on a light jighead for bay trout. That wraps up today’s report. Tight lines, and I’ll see you on the water! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.