Sunrise Fishing Report - Mahi, Tuna, Snapper & Tarpon Bite Hot in Florida Keys

Good morning from the Florida Keys—it’s Artificial Lure here with your sunrise fishing report for Saturday, September 6, 2025. First light hit the water at 7:10 AM and we've got a gorgeous day lining up across the Islands. Tidal swings will be strong today—Key West is seeing a low tide at 2:38 AM, high around 9:30 AM at 2.3 feet, another low at 3:49 PM, and a final high as the sun goes down at 10:21 PM. These healthy tides mean strong currents, so expect fish to be moving and feeding, especially around peak times, according to Tide-Forecast.com. Sunset tonight is 7:40 PM, with the moon on the rise just after 7. Weather’s classic late Keys summer—air temp starting in the upper 70s rising to high 80s, with light southeast breezes, mostly sunny, and only a slim chance of passing showers. Water clarity out on the reef is solid, with that green-blue snap you want for both offshore and inshore action. The offshore bite is still red hot. According to The Inside Scoop with Boat Buyers Beware, boats out of Islamorada and Marathon reported solid dolphin (mahi-mahi) action in the 400–800 ft. range, with scattered big blackfin tuna showing just outside the deep edge. Trolled rigged ballyhoo and small pink or blue skirted lures worked best, especially early before the sun gets too high. Deep droppers off the ledge in 1,200–1,600 feet have also scored some swordfish for determined crews—never a guarantee, but the reward is always worth trying. The daytime swordfishing tech pioneered by Bud N' Mary’s crew is the benchmark out here, and there are still a handful of broadbill catches being logged most weeks. On the reefs and patch coral, the mangrove snapper bite is excellent right now. Channel edges and rock piles in 25–70 feet are giving up limits to folks using live pinfish, pilchards, or fresh-cut baits. A 1/2 oz jighead with a live shrimp is getting smoked by yellowtails and the occasional grouper. If you’re aiming for fun and a fight, sharks and the odd cobia have been shadowing these schools—toss out a livie or a big chunk bait under a float and hold on. Backcountry and bridge fishing is outstanding at dawn and dusk. The Islamorada Daily Fishing Report notes strong tides pushing bait with tarpon and snook hunting the shadow lines of Channel 5 and Channel 2 bridges—drifting live mullet, pinfish, or crabs is putting big silver kings in the air and snook in the net. Bonefish and permit are tailing on hard sand flats during the incoming tide mid-morning; rig up with a light spinning rod or fly, small pink or natural jigs, or a live shrimp for best results. If you’re looking for a spot to start, head to Alligator Reef Light for consistent snapper and the occasional pelagic passing by, or hit the channels around Lower Matecumbe for bridge tarpon and mixed-bag snappers on the turn of the tide. Up north, Key Largo patch reefs are holding good numbers of lane snapper and grunts, with some rooster-sized yellowtail on the deeper patches. For bait, it's hard to This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.