This is Artificial Lure with your Islamorada fishing report.

We’ve got classic early summer conditions in the Upper Keys. Light southeast breeze this morning around 5–10 knots, building to 10–15 by midday, with scattered clouds and that humid, hazy sunshine. Air temps pushing upper 80s this afternoon, feeling like low 90s once the sun gets up. Seas inside the reef are pretty tame, about 1–2 feet, 2–3 outside on the reef edge.

First light hit the horizon just after 6, with sunrise right around 6:30 and sunset coming up close to 8:15 this evening, so you’ve got long, fishy low-light windows at both ends of the day. Those dawn and dusk periods have been the best chew, especially for inshore and reef fish.

Tides through Whale Harbor and Islamorada are running a typical summer mix: an early morning incoming pushing up on the flats and shorelines, then an afternoon falling tide flushing bait out of the mangroves and channels. That incoming has been the ticket for tailing bonefish and pushing tarpon on the oceanside flats; the falling water is setting up good ambush feeds around bridge pilings and channel mouths.

Offshore, boats working 10–20 miles out have been finding schoolie and gaffer **mahi** under weedlines and birds, with the occasional **20–30 pounder** mixed in. Tuna on the humps are still active on jigs and small feathers when the current’s right. A few sailfish are hanging on the color change, but they’re more of a bonus bite now.

On the reef, chumming has produced steady **yellowtail** with mixed **mangrove** and **mutton snapper**, plus some **legal grouper** early before the sun gets high. Patch reefs in 20–35 feet are also holding good **hogfish** and smaller muttons for folks soaking shrimp and cut bait.

Inshore, **tarpon** around Channel Two, Channel Five, and the Islamorada bridges have been chewing around the tide changes, especially evenings with a little breeze and cloud cover. Plenty of **mangrove snapper**, **jacks**, and a few **snook** tucked around the mangroves and creek mouths on the bay side. Oceanside flats are giving up good shots at **bonefish** and a few **permit** on the right water.

Best baits right now:

- Live pilchards, threadfins, and ballyhoo for tarpon and reef fish

- Fresh cut mullet or ladyfish chunks around the bridges

- Live shrimp for patch reefs, mangroves, and hogfish

- Small blue runners and pinfish for grouper and big muttons

Best lures:

- 3–5 inch soft plastics on 1/8–1/4 oz jig heads for inshore snook, jacks, and trout in the bay

- Swimming plugs and suspending twitchbaits around the bridges at dawn and dusk for tarpon and big jacks

- Bucktail jigs and vertical metal jigs on the humps for tuna

- Skirted trolling lures and small feathers offshore for mahi and tuna

Couple of hot spots to circle on the chart:

- The **Islamorada Hump** for tuna and the odd billfish when current and birds line up.

- The **patch reefs off Alligator Reef Light**, 15–35 feet, for a mixed bag of snapper, grouper, and hogfish.

- Inside, the **Channel Two and Channel Five bridges** for tarpon, snapper, and jacks on the tide turns.

If you’re heading out, fish that early incoming for bones and tarpon, slide to the reef mid-morning for snapper, and if the weather lets you, push offshore for mahi once the sun’s up enough to spot color and weedlines.

Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This is Artificial Lure checking in with your Islamorada fishing report.

We’ve got classic early-summer conditions in the Upper Keys. Overnight temps sat in the upper 70s, climbing into the mid to upper 80s this afternoon with humidity running high. Winds are light to moderate out of the east-southeast, generally 8 to 15 knots, laying down a bit toward evening. Skies are partly cloudy with the usual chance of a passing shower or thunderhead building over the bay in the afternoon. Sunrise is right around 6:30 a.m., with sunset close to 8:10 p.m., giving you a long, fishy day to work with.

Tide-wise, around Islamorada and Whale Harbor you’re seeing an early morning incoming that tops out late morning, then a falling tide through the afternoon into early evening. That morning push of clean ocean water on the edge of the reef and around the bridges has been key, while the afternoon outgoing has lit up the backcountry creeks and mainland shorelines as that warmer bay water drains.

On the reef line in 60 to 90 feet, the mutton snapper bite has stayed solid with boats picking a half-dozen or more quality fish when they hit the tide right, plus plenty of keeper yellowtail and a mix of mangroves. A few blackfin tuna are still hanging on the deeper humps at first light, though not as thick as spring. Sailfish are mostly a bonus bite now, but an occasional fish is still sliding through if you keep a flat line out.

Live pilchards, cigar minnows, and ballyhoo are the ticket on the edge, but folks are also doing well on cut ballyhoo and squid for yellowtail. For artificials, small white bucktail jigs tipped with shrimp or strip baits and 3- to 4-inch paddletails in pearl or chartreuse on light jigheads are producing on the patch reefs.

Inshore and backcountry, the tarpon bite around the bridges has been good on the late evening outgoing and the pre-dawn incoming. Fish in the 60- to 120-pound class are rolling and free-jumping around Channel 2, Channel 5, and the Long Key bridges. Live mullet and crabs are still king, but big soft-plastic jerkbaits in dark patterns and 1- to 2-ounce flare hawk jigs worked deep are getting eaten too. Make sure you’ve got heavy leader; there are some real bruisers around.

Florida Bay and the Everglades side are seeing steady action on redfish, snook, and sea trout along the shorelines, island edges, and potholes on that afternoon falling water. Anglers poling the shallows are finding tailing reds and laid-up snook where the slightly cooler, cleaner water is moving. Topwater plugs at first light – classic walk-the-dog baits in bone or mullet patterns – have been hot, followed by 1/8- to 1/4-ounce jigheads with shrimp or Gulp tails once the sun gets up. Live shrimp under a popping cork is still a sure thing for trout and mangroves on the edges.

If you’re looking for hot spots today, I’d put time in around:

– The Islamorada and Whale Harbor bridge spans at first light and again late evening for tarpon, snook, and the odd big jack.

– The patch reefs off Alligator Reef and Crocker Reef in 20 to 40 feet for a mixed bag of yellowtail, mangroves, muttons, and the occasional grouper when that tide is moving.

Offshore, when the weeds set up right, mahi are starting to show more consistently as the water warms, with schoolies and a few larger gaffers showing under weedlines and debris. Trolling small skirted ballyhoo, naked ballyhoo, or bright chuggers and dinks in green and blue has produced, and once you find them, cutting the motor and pitching small live baits or chunks keeps the school around.

Best overall bet today: fish early and late around moving water, keep your tackle versatile – a live bait rod, a jig rod, and something ready for a passing cobia or mahi – and watch the sky for those afternoon boomers.

This is Artificial Lure signing off. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Islamorada fishing report.

We woke up to muggy, classic Keys weather: light southeast breeze around 5–10 knots, air temps climbing from the upper 70s into the mid‑80s by late morning, and a mix of sun and building clouds with the usual chance of an afternoon thunder boom out over Florida Bay. Humidity’s high, so plan on a sweat-fest once that sun gets up. Sunrise is right around 6:30 a.m. local time, with sunset close to 8:15 p.m., giving you a long window to work the changing tides.

Around the Islamorada hump and offshore edge, the bite’s been steady. Boats have been putting decent numbers of schoolie and small gaffer **dolphin (mahi)** in the box, with a few nicer fish mixed in. Trolling small skirted lures in blue/white and pink/white, plus rigged ballyhoo, is getting the most action. Keep some spinning rods ready with cut bait or small chunks for fish that cruise up to the boat and won’t commit to the spread. A few blackfin tuna are still hanging deeper; vertical jigs and live pilchards over structure are doing the trick.

On the reef line, **yellowtail snapper** are chewing on the late-morning and early-afternoon tide. A well‑laid chum slick in 50–80 feet, light fluorocarbon leaders, and small pieces of cut ballyhoo or shrimp are the recipe. There’ve been enough **mangrove snapper** and the odd **mutton** mixed in to keep things interesting. A couple of boats also reported solid **kingfish** and **cero mackerel** on live pilchards slow‑trolled or drifted just outside the reef.

In the backcountry of Florida Bay and along the Everglades shorelines, the **snook** and **redfish** bite has been best on the moving water around the higher parts of the tide. The morning incoming has been productive up in the creeks and along mangrove edges. Think 3–4 inch paddle‑tail plastics in new penny or root beer, weedless jerkbaits, and live shrimp or pinfish under a cork. Anglers poling the flats behind Islamorada and up toward Flamingo have seen good numbers of **bonefish** and a few laid‑up **tarpon** early, before boat traffic and heat push them off.

Tide-wise, we’ve got a moderate cycle today: lower water just before first light, building to a decent mid‑day high, then easing back. That low‑to‑rising window at dawn is prime time for tailing bones on the oceanside flats and rolling tarpon along the edges of the channels. The higher stages mid‑morning into early afternoon have been best for snook tucked tight to cover and redfish pushing bait off the mangrove points.

As for hot spots, two stand out right now:

- The **Islamorada Hump**: still producing mahi and blackfin. Set up a troll pass, then drop jigs or live baits once you mark fish mid‑column.

- The **oceanside flats off Lower Matecumbe**: early‑morning bonefish and some cruising permit. Subtle, natural‑colored shrimp patterns on fly or small live shrimp on light spinning gear are getting quiet eats.

Best baits and lures today: live pilchards, shrimp, and pinfish; small skirted trolling lures; bucktail jigs tipped with bait; and natural‑tone soft plastics. Go light on leader when the water’s clear, and don’t be afraid to downsize hooks if the fish get picky in the slick.

That’s the word from Islamorada. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in from Islamorada.

We’ve got a classic early-summer pattern setting up in the Upper Keys. Light southeast breeze this morning, building to a modest 10–15 knots by mid‑day, with temps climbing into the high 80s and plenty of humidity. Skies are partly cloudy with a decent chance of a mid‑afternoon shower or two, the kind that cools things off but can push fish around. Sunrise is right around 6:30 a.m., sunset just after 8:10 p.m., giving us a long window to work both ends of the day.

Tides are running a typical Keys cycle: a good incoming pushing through the bridges early, then easing to slack late morning, followed by an afternoon fall. On the Atlantic side, that morning push is stacking bait and current around Channel 2 and Channel 5 bridges, and along the edges of the reef line. In Florida Bay, the moving water around the banks and creek mouths is the ticket; when the tide slows, so does the bite.

Offshore, the dolphin bite has stayed steady in 500–900 feet, with schoolies and a few gaffers showing under weedlines and frigate birds. Most boats have been putting 10–20 mahi in the box on a decent day, with the better fish coming on small skirted ballyhoo and flashy trolling feathers in blue‑white or pink‑white. Keep a spinning rod rigged with a chunk of cut bait or a pilchard for fish that slide up behind the boat.

On the reef edge in 60–120 feet, yellowtail and mangrove snapper have been cooperating. The boats chumming hard are seeing limits of tails, with plenty of keepers in the 14–18 inch range, plus a few muttons and the odd black grouper mixed in. Best bet is a steady chum slick, 12–20 pound fluorocarbon leaders, and small J hooks with pieces of ballyhoo or squid. When the sun gets high and the water clears, dropping down to lighter leader and smaller hooks has been the difference.

Inshore around the bridges and backcountry, tarpon are still around, especially on the stronger parts of the tide. A few fish in the 60–100 pound class have been jumped at the Islamorada bridges at first light and again near sunset. Live mullet, crabs, and big pinfish are prime, but after dark, slow‑rolled soft plastics and black‑purple swimbaits will get eaten. Snook and redfish are chewing in the mangrove edges and creek mouths on the bay side, with plenty of slot snook and upper‑slot reds for those working the shorelines quietly. Shrimp‑tipped jigs, paddle‑tails in new penny or gold, and small pinfish under a cork are producing.

For bonefish and permit, look to the oceanside flats on the higher stages of the tide when the water has a little movement. Live shrimp, small crabs, or tan‑olive skimmer jigs are your best bet. The early morning incoming has been especially good for tailing bones in skinny water.

A couple of hot spots to circle on your chart:

– The **Islamorada Hump** offshore for blackfin tuna and the occasional bigger mahi and billfish working the bait schools. Vertical jigs and live pilchards are deadly there.

– **Channel 2 and Channel 5 bridges**, where the tide funnels bait and draws in tarpon, snook, and mangrove snapper, especially around dawn, dusk, and into the night.

In general, live bait is king here: pilchards, pinfish, mullet, and shrimp. But don’t leave the dock without small bucktail jigs, paddle‑tail swimbaits, and a selection of bright trolling skirts for offshore. Early and late are your prime windows; once the sun is high, think deeper, slower, and lighter leaders.

Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for more on‑the‑water intel from Islamorada.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Name’s Artificial Lure coming to you from Islamorada, the Sportfishing Capital of the World, with your morning fishing report.

We’ve got a classic early‑June setup in the Keys: warm, muggy, and fishy. Expect light to moderate southeast breeze, building a bit in the afternoon, with air temps pushing upper 80s and water temps in the low 80s. Skies run partly cloudy with the usual chance of a pop‑up shower later in the day. Sunrise comes in just after 6 a.m., with sunset a little after 8 p.m., giving you a long window to work both the early bite and the late evening cool‑down.

Tides around Islamorada are on the softer side today, with a higher stage mid‑morning and again around dusk, and more water moving on the oceanside than deep in the backcountry. Plan your inshore game around those tide changes: bonefish and permit will tail better on a rising tide over the oceanside flats, while the outgoing tide will push bait off the banks and light up the channels.

Offshore, the last few days have seen solid dolphin (mahi) action along weedlines and scattered debris in 400–800 feet, with a few slammers mixed in but plenty of schoolies to keep rods bent. A handful of blackfin tuna are still hanging around the humps, especially early, and there’s always a shot at a sail if you keep a live bait ready. Best offerings out deep are small live pilchards and cigar minnows, or ballyhoo on skirted trolling rigs in blue‑and‑white or pink. Don’t forget a couple of lighter spinning rods rigged with small jigs or bucktails for picky schoolie dolphin.

On the reef edge, from about 60 to 120 feet, yellowtail snapper have been chewing well in a steady chum slick, with some muttons and the odd black grouper in the mix for folks working baits back on the bottom. Silversides, fresh ballyhoo strips, and small chunks of cut pilchard have been the ticket. Light fluorocarbon leaders and small circle hooks are key when the sun gets high and the water turns gin‑clear.

Inshore and backcountry, the summer pattern is settling in. Around the bridges and local channels, evening outgoing tides have produced good numbers of mangrove snapper and a few snook, with tarpon still rolling and feeding around the shadow lines at night. Live shrimp, pinfish, and mullet are all producing. For artificials, go with soft‑plastic paddletails in natural baitfish colors and slow‑rolled swimbaits around the pilings.

On the flats, bonefish have been running in small schools, with some nice fish sliding up on the oceanside during the cooler hours. A well‑placed live shrimp, small crab, or a light skimmer jig in sand or olive has been getting the eats. Permit are roaming the edges and wrecks; they’re still suckers for a live crab, but a well‑presented crab‑pattern jig can get it done when they’re spooky.

Couple of hotspots to circle today:

– The Islamorada Hump for that early blackfin and mahi combination; be there at first light with live bait ready.

– The reef line off Alligator Reef Light for steady yellowtail and a mixed bag on the bottom when the current is right.

If you’re staying closer to town, work the bridges around Channel 2 and Channel 5 on the evening tide for tarpon, snook, and mangroves. Keep your leaders fresh and your drags smooth.

That’s your Islamorada fishing rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Islamorada fishing report, coming to you like a local on the radio.

We’ve got classic early-summer conditions in the Upper Keys. Light to moderate southeast breeze, generally 8–15 knots, warm and humid with daytime highs pushing the upper 80s and plenty of sun between scattered clouds. Expect the usual midday heat and a chance of a passing shower, so plan your serious fishing for early and late. Sunrise is right around 6:30 in the morning, sunset just after 8:00 in the evening, giving you a long, bright window to work the edges.

Tides today run with a decent push. Around Islamorada, look for an early incoming tide at dawn on the ocean side, then a falling tide mid-morning into early afternoon, with another weaker push later in the day. That first light incoming is prime time on the flats, channels, and around the bridges; the start of the outgoing gets the bait flushing and turns on the snapper and tarpon.

Fish activity has been strong all week. Offshore, boats running 8–20 miles out have been finding good numbers of schoolie and gaffer **dolphin (mahi)**, with a few bigger slammers mixed in. Weedlines and scattered birds have been the key; trolling small skirted ballyhoo, chuggers, and bright dolphin-colored lures has been producing steady action. Blackfin tuna are hanging on the humps; live pilchards and small jigs worked deep are getting bites.

On the reef edge, the **yellowtail snapper** bite has been consistent, with some nicer fish in the 16–18 inch range. Chumming over 50–80 feet and drifting small pieces of cut bait back on light leaders is the ticket. Mixed in have been **mangrove snapper**, the odd **mutton**, plus a few **cero mackerel** when the current is moving.

Inshore and backcountry, the early morning bite has been the play. The bridges and nearby channels are still holding **tarpon**, especially around dawn and the first hour of incoming tide. Anglers have been jumping multiple fish a tide using live mullet, crabs, and big swimbaits. Around the mangroves and shorelines, **snook** and **redfish** are chewing on high water, with **sea trout** and **jacks** on the open flats and potholes. Bonefish sightings have picked up on the ocean side flats on that clean incoming water.

Best lures and baits right now:

- For tarpon: live mullet, crabs, and big soft-plastic paddle tails in dark or pearl; also big suspending plugs fished around bridge shadow lines at night.

- For snook and reds: 3–4 inch soft plastics on light jigheads, gold spoons, and live shrimp or pilchards.

- For reef snapper: cut ballyhoo, squid strips, and small live baits like pilchards or cigar minnows.

- For mahi: rigged ballyhoo, small lures in pink, green, and blue, plus chunk baits once you’ve got them behind the boat.

A couple of hot spots to put on your list:

- **Channel 2 and Channel 5 bridges**: excellent for tarpon at dawn and dusk, and for snapper and grouper down deep on the right tide.

- **The Islamorada Hump** offshore: still a solid bet for blackfin tuna and the occasional larger pelagic; work vertical jigs and live bait when you mark fish.

Overall, it’s a fishy pattern: early and late for comfort and best action, work the moving water, and match your bait to what’s naturally in the area. Islamorada is doing what it does best.

Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Islamorada fishing report from the heart of the Upper Keys.

We’ve got classic early-summer conditions in the islands right now: light to moderate southeast breeze, warm humid air, and clear, hot days. Skies are mostly fair with a chance of a passing shower or two riding in off the Atlantic. Wind has been running in that 8–12 knot range, enough ripple to keep things comfortable but not enough to blow you off the water. Expect that sticky midday heat, so plan to fish dawn and dusk hard.

Sunrise is right around six-thirty in the morning, with sunset just after eight in the evening, giving you a long window to work those low-light bites along the edges of the flats and around structure. Those first two hours of daylight and last two before dark have been the money shots this week.

Tides around Islamorada are in that moderate summer pattern: a decent incoming pushing up onto the oceanside flats mid-morning, then a falling tide through the afternoon. On the bay side, it’s running a little later. That incoming has been key for bones and permit on the oceanside flats, and the first of the outgoing has fired up the tarpon and snook around the bridges and deeper edges.

Offshore, the humps have been alive. Boats running out to the Islamorada Hump and nearby structure have been finding good numbers of schoolie mahi with a few gaffers mixed in, plus blackfin tuna deeper in the column. Anglers have been boxing solid mahi limits on trolled feathers, small chuggers, and ballyhoo, with some nicer fish on live pilchards and cigar minnows. A few sails are still popping up in the spread when you hit cleaner edges.

On the reef, the yellowtail bite has been steady in 60–90 feet. A light chum slick, 12–20 pound fluoro leaders, and small hooks have been the ticket. Cut ballyhoo and squid chunks are producing steady flags with some mangrove and mutton snapper mixed in. Grouper are still hanging around the ledges and patch reefs early, hitting live pinfish and big plugs bounced tight to the bottom.

Inshore, the backcountry has been classic Islamorada. Snook and redfish are holding along mangrove shorelines and creek mouths on the bay side, especially where the current pushes bait across points. Live shrimp, pilchards, or soft plastics like paddletails in natural hues have all been getting eaten. Tarpon are still around the bridges and channels; dusk and after dark have been best. Drift live mullet or crabs along the shadow lines and hang on.

On the flats, bonefish and the occasional permit have been showing on that incoming water when the sun gets high enough to see. Small shrimp-pattern jigs, light fluorocarbon, and a quiet approach are key. Fly anglers have done well with small, tan or olive shrimp flies.

Best lures right now:

Soft plastic paddletails and jerkbaits in pearl, new penny, and olive for snook and reds. Topwater walkers and small poppers at first light around shorelines and points. Bucktail jigs tipped with shrimp or strip baits around the bridges and channels. Offshore, small trolling feathers, skirted ballyhoo, and diving plugs are all putting mahi and tuna in the box.

Bait-wise, live pilchards, pinfish, mullet, shrimp, and crabs are king. If you can black out the well with pilchards, you can chum your way into a serious snapper, tuna, or mahi bite.

A couple of hot spots to circle:

– The Islamorada Hump for mahi and blackfin, especially working the edges with live bait.

– The channels and bridges around Channel 2 and Channel 5 for tarpon, snook, and mixed snapper on moving water.

That’s your Islamorada rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Islamorada fishing report.

We’ve got a classic early-summer pattern setting up in the Upper Keys. Light southeast breeze this morning, building into a 10–15 knot trade-wind by mid‑day, then easing again toward evening. Humid, warm, and mostly clear with a chance of a brief shower moving off the Atlantic. Seas are running about 1–2 feet on the reef, a bit choppier further offshore. According to the National Weather Service marine forecasts, it’s a very fishable day end to end.

Sunrise came early and crisp over the Alligator Reef line, and sunset will slide in behind the Everglades this evening, giving us a nice low‑light bite on both sides of the day. Morning incoming tide through late morning, then a falling tide this afternoon on the bayside. That swing is lining up nicely with the bridges and channels.

On the **offshore side**, boats working 600–1,000 feet south of Islamorada humps have been picking at **schoolie to gaffer dolphin (mahi)** with a few larger fish mixed in. Recent catch reports from local charter docks in Islamorada mention decent numbers of fish in the 5–15 pound range, with some blackfin tuna around the humps. Best producers have been **small ballyhoo strips**, **chugger heads**, and **bright skirted lures** in blue/white and pink/white, plus live pilchards on fluorocarbon leaders when the tuna show up.

On the **reef**, yellowtail snapper have been steady on the edge in 60–90 feet. Local captains are talking about solid flags in the 14–18 inch class, with a few mutton snapper and mangroves mixed in. The key is a **light chum slick**, 12–20 lb fluorocarbon, and tiny jigs tipped with cut ballyhoo or squid. Late afternoon on the falling tide should turn those tails on. Keep a flatline out for a stray kingfish or cero mackerel.

The **bridges and channels** are a good bet right now. According to local anglers around the Snake Creek and Channel 2 bridges, **mangrove snapper**, **jack crevalle**, and a few **tarpon** are still cruising. Best baits: live shrimp, pinfish, and pilchards drifted back in the shadow lines on the tide change. For artificials, work **soft plastics on 1/4 oz jigheads**, and for tarpon, big **swimbaits** and **hard plugs** in bone or mullet patterns during low light.

In the **backcountry**, the bayside flats and island edges west of Islamorada are giving up **seatrout**, **snook**, small **redfish**, and plenty of **sharks**. Guides running into Florida Bay report good trout numbers on popping corks with shrimp or Gulp-style plastics. Snook are tight to the mangroves on high water; throw **weedless soft plastics**, **topwater walking baits**, or live pilchards.

A couple of **hot spots** to key on today:

- **Alligator Reef Light / reef edge** in 60–90 feet for yellowtail and muttons, plus a shot at a sail or king on the edge.

- **Channel 5 and Channel 2 bridges** for mangroves, jacks, and tarpon at dawn and dusk on the tide shifts.

Best all‑around baits right now: **live pilchards**, **shrimp**, and **pinfish**. Best artificials: **bucktail jigs tipped with bait**, small **swim jigs**, and **topwater plugs** at sunrise and sunset.

That’s your Islamorada fishing rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This is Artificial Lure checking in with your Islamorada fishing report.

We’re sitting on a light southeast breeze this morning, around 5–10 knots, building a bit in the afternoon with a typical early summer pattern: warm, humid, and a good chance of a mid‑afternoon thunder boom or two. Skies are partly cloudy, with enough sun to get that water shining. Sunrise hit right around 6:30 a.m., with sunset pushing about 8:10 p.m., giving you a long window to work the tides.

Around the Islamorada area, the tide on the ocean side is running a morning incoming pushing toward mid‑day, then turning to an afternoon outgoing. On the bay side, figure the switch roughly an hour later. That morning incoming has been the money tide for both reef and inshore action, with the falling water this evening setting up nicely for bridge and channel fishing.

Offshore, boats running 10–20 miles out have been finding decent dolphin scattered along weedlines and color changes, mostly schoolies with a few gaffers mixed in. Trolled ballyhoo and small skirted lures in blue/white or pink have been getting the bites, with some fish also coming off chunks once a school is found. A few blackfin tuna are still hanging around the humps, especially early and late; live pilchards and small jigs have been the ticket there.

On the reef edge in 60–120 feet, the snapper bite has been steady. Yellowtail are chewing on the cleaner water of the incoming tide, especially when the current isn’t ripping. Light fluorocarbon, small hooks, and a steady chum line are key. Cut baits — squid strips, ballyhoo, and small chunks of pilchard — have all been working. Expect a mix of yellowtail, mangroves, and the odd mutton for those putting a live bait or bigger chunk on the bottom.

Inshore and around the bridges, the tarpon game is still very much alive, especially at dusk and into the night around Channel Two, Channel Five, and the Snake Creek Bridge. Crabs and big mullet are still prime baits, but soft‑plastic paddletails in natural colors will get crushed when the fish are rolling and laid up along the shadow lines. You’ll also find plenty of mangrove snapper and the occasional snook hugging those same bridge pilings on the outgoing tide.

On the flats and in the backcountry, early morning has been producing bonefish on the oceanside flats on a good incoming tide. Small shrimp, live or very lightly weighted, have been best for bait anglers. For artificials, think small, tan or olive shrimp‑style jigs. The bay side is giving up redfish and snook along the mangrove shorelines, especially where there’s moving water and a little shade. Topwater plugs at first light — walk‑the‑dog style in bone or mullet patterns — then switching to soft plastics or bucktail jigs once the sun gets higher is a solid game plan.

Best all‑around lures this week have been:

- 3–5 inch paddletail plastics on 1/8–1/4 ounce jig heads in natural baitfish colors for snook, reds, and trout.

- Bone or chrome topwaters at dawn around points, channels, and oceanside flats.

- Small bucktail or feather jigs tipped with bait for the humps and deeper channels.

Best baits:

- Live pilchards, mullet, and shrimp inshore.

- Crabs and big mullet for tarpon.

- Ballyhoo, squid, and cut pilchard on the reef and offshore.

A couple of hot spots to keep on your list: the Islamorada Hump for tuna and the chance at a bigger dolphin nearby, and the Channel Two/Channel Five bridge complex for tarpon, mangroves, and mixed action on a moving tide. For inshore folks, the oceanside flats just east of Upper Matecumbe have been quietly producing bonefish for those willing to stalk slow and cast light.

That’s your Islamorada rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This is Artificial Lure with your Islamorada fishing report.

Overnight we’ve had light southeast breeze around 8–12 knots, warm and muggy, with a mix of clouds and passing showers sliding up from the Straits. Air temps are sitting in the upper 70s at first light, pushing into the high 80s to near 90 by mid‑afternoon, with that classic Keys humidity and a chance of a brief squall rolling through.

Sunrise is right about 6:35 a.m. with sunset near 8:10 p.m., giving you a nice long window to work the tides. We’re on a weaker moon phase, so tides aren’t ripping, but there’s still enough water moving to spark a bite around the morning and late‑day changes. Think slower current on the flats and channels, a little more push along the bridges and oceanside edges.

Inshore, the backcountry has been steady. Anglers poling the bayside flats and creek mouths have been picking off schoolie snook, slot reds, and some healthy sea trout. A few tarpon have been rolling early in the channels, but they’re a bit picky with the lighter tide. Low light has been key: that first couple hours after sunrise and the last hour before dark.

For lures, this is a **soft‑plastic and topwater** morning. Walk‑the‑dog plugs in bone or mullet pattern are pulling explosive strikes from snook and small tarpon around the mangrove edges. Once the sun gets up, switch to 3–4 inch paddle tails in new penny or natural baitfish colors on an 1/8–1/4 ounce jig head, bounced along channel edges and potholes.

Live bait is still king. Live shrimp under a popping cork is putting trout and mangrove snapper in the box on the bayside. Pilchards and small pinfish freelined around structure are turning snook and the occasional juvenile tarpon. Cut mullet or ladyfish laid on the bottom in the channels will get you shark action and the odd big red.

Offshore, the Islamorada humps and nearby bluewater have been giving up scattered mahi‑mahi, more schoolies than slammers, with a few gaffers mixed in when lines of weed and birds show. Trolling small skirted ballyhoo, naked ballyhoo, or pilchards on light leaders has been productive. A couple boats reported blackfin tuna around the humps early, especially for those jigging vertical metals and drifting live baits down deep.

On the reefs, yellowtail snapper fishing has been solid. Chum slicks set up in 60–90 feet are drawing good flags, plus mutton snapper and the occasional grouper tight to the bottom. Smaller hooks, light fluorocarbon, and chunks of ballyhoo, squid, or cut threadfin are the ticket. Keep your drifts natural; the water’s been clear and the fish line‑shy.

A few hotspots to circle on your chart:

– **Channel Two and Channel Five bridges** for snapper, tarpon shots at dawn, and snook around the pilings with live mullet or big shrimp.

– **Florida Bay banks northwest of Islamorada**, where the deeper potholes along the flats are holding reds, trout, and snook on soft plastics and shrimp under corks when the tide starts moving.

Overall fish activity is best at dawn, dusk, and right on the tide changes. Midday can still produce if you slide deeper or fish shade and structure, but scale down your leaders and slow your presentations.

That’s your Islamorada report from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a tide change.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn