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Islamorada Fishing Report Aug 17, 2025: Backcountry Trout, Offshore Tuna, and Permit at the Bridges
This is Artificial Lure bringing you your boots-on-the-deck Islamorada fishing report for Sunday, August 17, 2025. Sunrise cracked at 6:56 AM, and we’ll see sunset right at 7:56 PM. The weather’s hot and humid this morning, with a light easterly breeze building as the day rolls on. Skies are mostly clear with just a touch of that classic salt haze—perfect conditions for sight-fishing and smooth water, inshore and offshore.
Tides today run classic Keys: First high tide came in the pre-dawn dark, low tide bottoms out at 11:18 AM, then we see another high at 4:29 PM and a final low at 10:35 PM. Water movement peaks mid-afternoon, so time your runs to match the current—especially if you’re chasing tailing fish on the flats or hunting structure-bound species when the water’s moving best. Jewfish Creek and Alligator Reef are showing strong flows, so keep an eye on those windows.
Fish activity is up this weekend. Reports from the Islamorada docks say the backcountry is producing plenty of spotted sea trout—those are taking live shrimp and pinfish, but bonefish jigs and soft plastics will work in clear water. Offshore crews running to the Islamorada Hump are into blackfin tuna and mahi again, with several boats bringing back dolphin and yellowtail snapper. If you like numbers, the weekends have seen snapper catches averaging a dozen per boat, with some standouts hauling in up to two dozen on a good drift.
Permit and tarpon are thick near the Channel Two and Channel Five Bridges, especially on the afternoon incoming tide, while patch reefs and shallow structure around Lower Matecumbe are hosting mangrove snapper and the occasional surprise Cubera, as reported yesterday by local charter captains.
No red tide in the area—Florida Fish and Wildlife reports water’s healthy, clear, and fish are on the bite. Offshore, it’s all about fresh ballyhoo and squid for trolling mahi, while patch reef and inshore action is still best with live shrimp, pilchards, and pinfish. For artificials, bonefish jigs and bucktail jigs tipped with shrimp are hot. The bonefish are doing their thing especially at first light, so toss a topwater spook near the sand and let it walk for those aggressive hits.
Gear tip: With water this clear, do yourself a favor and run 20-pound fluorocarbon leaders. The flats fish are extra spooky, and a lighter leader means more hookups. Make sure your hooks match the bait—not too big, not too small.
A couple of hot spots for Sunday: hit Alligator Reef for the classic mix—snapper, grouper, yellowtail—and check out Channel Two or Channel Five Bridges for permit and tarpon action when the water turns. Offshore folks, the Islamorada Hump remains the spot for blackfin and dolphin if you’re running out for some pelagics.
That’s your insider’s Islamorada fishing report for August 17, 2025. I’m Artificial Lure—thanks for tuning in, and tight lines to all. Don’t forget to subscribe for your daily local update!
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
Tides today run classic Keys: First high tide came in the pre-dawn dark, low tide bottoms out at 11:18 AM, then we see another high at 4:29 PM and a final low at 10:35 PM. Water movement peaks mid-afternoon, so time your runs to match the current—especially if you’re chasing tailing fish on the flats or hunting structure-bound species when the water’s moving best. Jewfish Creek and Alligator Reef are showing strong flows, so keep an eye on those windows.
Fish activity is up this weekend. Reports from the Islamorada docks say the backcountry is producing plenty of spotted sea trout—those are taking live shrimp and pinfish, but bonefish jigs and soft plastics will work in clear water. Offshore crews running to the Islamorada Hump are into blackfin tuna and mahi again, with several boats bringing back dolphin and yellowtail snapper. If you like numbers, the weekends have seen snapper catches averaging a dozen per boat, with some standouts hauling in up to two dozen on a good drift.
Permit and tarpon are thick near the Channel Two and Channel Five Bridges, especially on the afternoon incoming tide, while patch reefs and shallow structure around Lower Matecumbe are hosting mangrove snapper and the occasional surprise Cubera, as reported yesterday by local charter captains.
No red tide in the area—Florida Fish and Wildlife reports water’s healthy, clear, and fish are on the bite. Offshore, it’s all about fresh ballyhoo and squid for trolling mahi, while patch reef and inshore action is still best with live shrimp, pilchards, and pinfish. For artificials, bonefish jigs and bucktail jigs tipped with shrimp are hot. The bonefish are doing their thing especially at first light, so toss a topwater spook near the sand and let it walk for those aggressive hits.
Gear tip: With water this clear, do yourself a favor and run 20-pound fluorocarbon leaders. The flats fish are extra spooky, and a lighter leader means more hookups. Make sure your hooks match the bait—not too big, not too small.
A couple of hot spots for Sunday: hit Alligator Reef for the classic mix—snapper, grouper, yellowtail—and check out Channel Two or Channel Five Bridges for permit and tarpon action when the water turns. Offshore folks, the Islamorada Hump remains the spot for blackfin and dolphin if you’re running out for some pelagics.
That’s your insider’s Islamorada fishing report for August 17, 2025. I’m Artificial Lure—thanks for tuning in, and tight lines to all. Don’t forget to subscribe for your daily local update!
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
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By Quiet. PleaseThis is Artificial Lure bringing you your boots-on-the-deck Islamorada fishing report for Sunday, August 17, 2025. Sunrise cracked at 6:56 AM, and we’ll see sunset right at 7:56 PM. The weather’s hot and humid this morning, with a light easterly breeze building as the day rolls on. Skies are mostly clear with just a touch of that classic salt haze—perfect conditions for sight-fishing and smooth water, inshore and offshore.
Tides today run classic Keys: First high tide came in the pre-dawn dark, low tide bottoms out at 11:18 AM, then we see another high at 4:29 PM and a final low at 10:35 PM. Water movement peaks mid-afternoon, so time your runs to match the current—especially if you’re chasing tailing fish on the flats or hunting structure-bound species when the water’s moving best. Jewfish Creek and Alligator Reef are showing strong flows, so keep an eye on those windows.
Fish activity is up this weekend. Reports from the Islamorada docks say the backcountry is producing plenty of spotted sea trout—those are taking live shrimp and pinfish, but bonefish jigs and soft plastics will work in clear water. Offshore crews running to the Islamorada Hump are into blackfin tuna and mahi again, with several boats bringing back dolphin and yellowtail snapper. If you like numbers, the weekends have seen snapper catches averaging a dozen per boat, with some standouts hauling in up to two dozen on a good drift.
Permit and tarpon are thick near the Channel Two and Channel Five Bridges, especially on the afternoon incoming tide, while patch reefs and shallow structure around Lower Matecumbe are hosting mangrove snapper and the occasional surprise Cubera, as reported yesterday by local charter captains.
No red tide in the area—Florida Fish and Wildlife reports water’s healthy, clear, and fish are on the bite. Offshore, it’s all about fresh ballyhoo and squid for trolling mahi, while patch reef and inshore action is still best with live shrimp, pilchards, and pinfish. For artificials, bonefish jigs and bucktail jigs tipped with shrimp are hot. The bonefish are doing their thing especially at first light, so toss a topwater spook near the sand and let it walk for those aggressive hits.
Gear tip: With water this clear, do yourself a favor and run 20-pound fluorocarbon leaders. The flats fish are extra spooky, and a lighter leader means more hookups. Make sure your hooks match the bait—not too big, not too small.
A couple of hot spots for Sunday: hit Alligator Reef for the classic mix—snapper, grouper, yellowtail—and check out Channel Two or Channel Five Bridges for permit and tarpon action when the water turns. Offshore folks, the Islamorada Hump remains the spot for blackfin and dolphin if you’re running out for some pelagics.
That’s your insider’s Islamorada fishing report for August 17, 2025. I’m Artificial Lure—thanks for tuning in, and tight lines to all. Don’t forget to subscribe for your daily local update!
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
Tides today run classic Keys: First high tide came in the pre-dawn dark, low tide bottoms out at 11:18 AM, then we see another high at 4:29 PM and a final low at 10:35 PM. Water movement peaks mid-afternoon, so time your runs to match the current—especially if you’re chasing tailing fish on the flats or hunting structure-bound species when the water’s moving best. Jewfish Creek and Alligator Reef are showing strong flows, so keep an eye on those windows.
Fish activity is up this weekend. Reports from the Islamorada docks say the backcountry is producing plenty of spotted sea trout—those are taking live shrimp and pinfish, but bonefish jigs and soft plastics will work in clear water. Offshore crews running to the Islamorada Hump are into blackfin tuna and mahi again, with several boats bringing back dolphin and yellowtail snapper. If you like numbers, the weekends have seen snapper catches averaging a dozen per boat, with some standouts hauling in up to two dozen on a good drift.
Permit and tarpon are thick near the Channel Two and Channel Five Bridges, especially on the afternoon incoming tide, while patch reefs and shallow structure around Lower Matecumbe are hosting mangrove snapper and the occasional surprise Cubera, as reported yesterday by local charter captains.
No red tide in the area—Florida Fish and Wildlife reports water’s healthy, clear, and fish are on the bite. Offshore, it’s all about fresh ballyhoo and squid for trolling mahi, while patch reef and inshore action is still best with live shrimp, pilchards, and pinfish. For artificials, bonefish jigs and bucktail jigs tipped with shrimp are hot. The bonefish are doing their thing especially at first light, so toss a topwater spook near the sand and let it walk for those aggressive hits.
Gear tip: With water this clear, do yourself a favor and run 20-pound fluorocarbon leaders. The flats fish are extra spooky, and a lighter leader means more hookups. Make sure your hooks match the bait—not too big, not too small.
A couple of hot spots for Sunday: hit Alligator Reef for the classic mix—snapper, grouper, yellowtail—and check out Channel Two or Channel Five Bridges for permit and tarpon action when the water turns. Offshore folks, the Islamorada Hump remains the spot for blackfin and dolphin if you’re running out for some pelagics.
That’s your insider’s Islamorada fishing report for August 17, 2025. I’m Artificial Lure—thanks for tuning in, and tight lines to all. Don’t forget to subscribe for your daily local update!
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn