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Islamorada Fishing Report: Snook, Yellowtail, and Tarpon Heating Up
Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure bringing you your Islamorada fishing report for Friday, May 2, 2025.
We’re starting the day off with sunrise at 6:41 AM and sunset coming at 7:52 PM, giving us plenty of daylight to hit the water. Today’s weather is classic spring Keys: warm, humid, light southeast breeze, and highs pushing the mid-80s. Expect patchy clouds, but no rain in the forecast. Tides are running favorable, with an early morning incoming pushing bait onto the flats and a solid outgoing this afternoon setting up nicely around the bridges and channels.
Bite has been hot in Florida Bay, with snook taking center stage. Reports from yesterday say they’re stacked up in good numbers—target the mangrove edges and creek mouths for best results. Live pilchards and artificials like jerkbaits or paddle tails in natural colors have been getting slammed[2]. If you’re looking for action offshore, yellowtail snapper are chewing hard in 60 to 90 feet of water. Chum lines are pulling them up, and they’re responding best to cut bait or live shrimp. Get your lighter tackle ready, and don’t be afraid to downsize your leader for the bigger, smarter fish[2][4].
Tarpon fishing has been picking up as water temperatures approach 80 degrees. The evening and early morning outgoing tides at the bridges—especially Channel 2 and Long Key—are your best shot. Doc’s Jigs, live mullet, or crab drifts are all solid choices right now, and some big fish have been reported in the 30-inch range or better. The bite has been hit-and-miss earlier this spring, but word is we’re entering prime time, and things are turning on[1][3].
Permit are still around, especially on the flats, though not in huge numbers. If you spot a pair tailing, crab or shrimp patterns should do the trick. Offshore, sailfish and the occasional king mackerel and tuna have been showing, though these bites have slowed as the season transitions to summer[5].
If you’re looking for hot spots today, hit the mangrove cut banks in Florida Bay for snook or drift a channel edge at Channel 2 Bridge for tarpon. For yellowtail, pick any patch reef north of Alligator Reef Light and settle in with a good chum block.
Best lures and baits today: live pilchards, shrimp, or pinfish for inshore; cut squid and small jigs for yellowtail; crab or mullet for tarpon and permit.
Whether you’re on the flats, the reef, or offshore, Islamorada is serving up solid action right now. Tight lines, and I’ll see you on the water.
We’re starting the day off with sunrise at 6:41 AM and sunset coming at 7:52 PM, giving us plenty of daylight to hit the water. Today’s weather is classic spring Keys: warm, humid, light southeast breeze, and highs pushing the mid-80s. Expect patchy clouds, but no rain in the forecast. Tides are running favorable, with an early morning incoming pushing bait onto the flats and a solid outgoing this afternoon setting up nicely around the bridges and channels.
Bite has been hot in Florida Bay, with snook taking center stage. Reports from yesterday say they’re stacked up in good numbers—target the mangrove edges and creek mouths for best results. Live pilchards and artificials like jerkbaits or paddle tails in natural colors have been getting slammed[2]. If you’re looking for action offshore, yellowtail snapper are chewing hard in 60 to 90 feet of water. Chum lines are pulling them up, and they’re responding best to cut bait or live shrimp. Get your lighter tackle ready, and don’t be afraid to downsize your leader for the bigger, smarter fish[2][4].
Tarpon fishing has been picking up as water temperatures approach 80 degrees. The evening and early morning outgoing tides at the bridges—especially Channel 2 and Long Key—are your best shot. Doc’s Jigs, live mullet, or crab drifts are all solid choices right now, and some big fish have been reported in the 30-inch range or better. The bite has been hit-and-miss earlier this spring, but word is we’re entering prime time, and things are turning on[1][3].
Permit are still around, especially on the flats, though not in huge numbers. If you spot a pair tailing, crab or shrimp patterns should do the trick. Offshore, sailfish and the occasional king mackerel and tuna have been showing, though these bites have slowed as the season transitions to summer[5].
If you’re looking for hot spots today, hit the mangrove cut banks in Florida Bay for snook or drift a channel edge at Channel 2 Bridge for tarpon. For yellowtail, pick any patch reef north of Alligator Reef Light and settle in with a good chum block.
Best lures and baits today: live pilchards, shrimp, or pinfish for inshore; cut squid and small jigs for yellowtail; crab or mullet for tarpon and permit.
Whether you’re on the flats, the reef, or offshore, Islamorada is serving up solid action right now. Tight lines, and I’ll see you on the water.
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By Quiet. PleaseGood morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure bringing you your Islamorada fishing report for Friday, May 2, 2025.
We’re starting the day off with sunrise at 6:41 AM and sunset coming at 7:52 PM, giving us plenty of daylight to hit the water. Today’s weather is classic spring Keys: warm, humid, light southeast breeze, and highs pushing the mid-80s. Expect patchy clouds, but no rain in the forecast. Tides are running favorable, with an early morning incoming pushing bait onto the flats and a solid outgoing this afternoon setting up nicely around the bridges and channels.
Bite has been hot in Florida Bay, with snook taking center stage. Reports from yesterday say they’re stacked up in good numbers—target the mangrove edges and creek mouths for best results. Live pilchards and artificials like jerkbaits or paddle tails in natural colors have been getting slammed[2]. If you’re looking for action offshore, yellowtail snapper are chewing hard in 60 to 90 feet of water. Chum lines are pulling them up, and they’re responding best to cut bait or live shrimp. Get your lighter tackle ready, and don’t be afraid to downsize your leader for the bigger, smarter fish[2][4].
Tarpon fishing has been picking up as water temperatures approach 80 degrees. The evening and early morning outgoing tides at the bridges—especially Channel 2 and Long Key—are your best shot. Doc’s Jigs, live mullet, or crab drifts are all solid choices right now, and some big fish have been reported in the 30-inch range or better. The bite has been hit-and-miss earlier this spring, but word is we’re entering prime time, and things are turning on[1][3].
Permit are still around, especially on the flats, though not in huge numbers. If you spot a pair tailing, crab or shrimp patterns should do the trick. Offshore, sailfish and the occasional king mackerel and tuna have been showing, though these bites have slowed as the season transitions to summer[5].
If you’re looking for hot spots today, hit the mangrove cut banks in Florida Bay for snook or drift a channel edge at Channel 2 Bridge for tarpon. For yellowtail, pick any patch reef north of Alligator Reef Light and settle in with a good chum block.
Best lures and baits today: live pilchards, shrimp, or pinfish for inshore; cut squid and small jigs for yellowtail; crab or mullet for tarpon and permit.
Whether you’re on the flats, the reef, or offshore, Islamorada is serving up solid action right now. Tight lines, and I’ll see you on the water.
We’re starting the day off with sunrise at 6:41 AM and sunset coming at 7:52 PM, giving us plenty of daylight to hit the water. Today’s weather is classic spring Keys: warm, humid, light southeast breeze, and highs pushing the mid-80s. Expect patchy clouds, but no rain in the forecast. Tides are running favorable, with an early morning incoming pushing bait onto the flats and a solid outgoing this afternoon setting up nicely around the bridges and channels.
Bite has been hot in Florida Bay, with snook taking center stage. Reports from yesterday say they’re stacked up in good numbers—target the mangrove edges and creek mouths for best results. Live pilchards and artificials like jerkbaits or paddle tails in natural colors have been getting slammed[2]. If you’re looking for action offshore, yellowtail snapper are chewing hard in 60 to 90 feet of water. Chum lines are pulling them up, and they’re responding best to cut bait or live shrimp. Get your lighter tackle ready, and don’t be afraid to downsize your leader for the bigger, smarter fish[2][4].
Tarpon fishing has been picking up as water temperatures approach 80 degrees. The evening and early morning outgoing tides at the bridges—especially Channel 2 and Long Key—are your best shot. Doc’s Jigs, live mullet, or crab drifts are all solid choices right now, and some big fish have been reported in the 30-inch range or better. The bite has been hit-and-miss earlier this spring, but word is we’re entering prime time, and things are turning on[1][3].
Permit are still around, especially on the flats, though not in huge numbers. If you spot a pair tailing, crab or shrimp patterns should do the trick. Offshore, sailfish and the occasional king mackerel and tuna have been showing, though these bites have slowed as the season transitions to summer[5].
If you’re looking for hot spots today, hit the mangrove cut banks in Florida Bay for snook or drift a channel edge at Channel 2 Bridge for tarpon. For yellowtail, pick any patch reef north of Alligator Reef Light and settle in with a good chum block.
Best lures and baits today: live pilchards, shrimp, or pinfish for inshore; cut squid and small jigs for yellowtail; crab or mullet for tarpon and permit.
Whether you’re on the flats, the reef, or offshore, Islamorada is serving up solid action right now. Tight lines, and I’ll see you on the water.