It’s your local angling pro Artificial Lure reporting in from Islamorada, Florida—the sunrise hit the water at 6:54 AM, and daylight will close out at 7:57 PM, so we’ve got a full window for chasing fish across the flats, reefs, and blue water today.

Weather’s warm and clear, sitting at 86°F already, and you can expect daytime highs around 90°F with a small chance of afternoon thunderstorms that could shake things up around the bridges and the backcountry. Humidity’s up, winds are light out of the east at 6 MPH, and the heat index is pushing 96°F—prime summer in the Keys according to MarineWeather.net.

Tide’s running a low at around 3:16 PM across Whale Harbor Channel and the Plantation Key area, with morning highs tapering off just before midday—so look for peak fish activity on those moving waters early and late. If you’re fishing Snake Creek or Indian Key, high water rolls in before dawn (just after 3 AM) and another bump late afternoon, then dropping through low tide just after 3 PM. Work those current breaks and channel edges when the water’s moving—they’ll be stacked with hungry fish.

Here’s the hot bite rundown: the offshore fleet is downright giddy with **big blackfin tuna** showing up on the humps and ledges this week. Locals have been bringing home sushi-grade ‘fins in the 20-pound range—try vertical jigs, butterfly jigs, and live pilchards for best results, and don’t ignore trolled feathers or small squid skirts just above the thermocline. Ballyhoo also stands out if you’re drifting deeper waters.

**Cobia** are cruising structure and wrecks right now; sight-casting with bucktail jigs in bold contrasting colors and diving plugs imitating baitfish is working best. If you’re more of a live bait angler, pitch a blue crab or lively pinfish—they’ll slam it. According to FishingBooker’s recent guide, Texas-rigged plastic eels and worms are firing off when cobia get finicky and the water clears up.

Reef and channel anglers have been bending rods on **yellowtail snapper** and **mutton snapper**—the dinner bell rings strong with cut bait (sardines and bonita strips), while shrimp and pilchards on light fluorocarbon leaders will pull the picky flag tails off the structure. Grouper bites are steady, especially around Alligator Reef and Crocker Reef, with live pinfish or jumbo ballyhoo doing the heavy lifting.

Backcountry action: reds and sea trout are feeding up on the grass flats north of Snake Creek and into Florida Bay. Early morning or sundown means pushing topwater lures (Zara Spook juniors, Skitterwalks) and soft plastic jerkbaits rigged weedless. Live shrimp drifted under popping corks have also yielded steady catches for our more laid-back anglers. Reports from Addicted to Scales & Tail Charters out of Milton say inshore reds and trout are hammering jigs and flies—expect similar in the Islamorada backcountry on moving tides.

**Bait tips:** Nothing beats a live pilchard or ballyhoo for versatility—chum bag out, drift a free-liner, and the fish will come to you. You’ll want to keep clear water conditions in mind, but Florida Fish and Wildlife confirms there are no fish kills or red tide impacts in Islamorada as of this Friday—so everything’s fair game.

**Local hot spots for today:**
- **Alligator Reef** (GPS MM 80) for snapper and grouper, especially on the late afternoon high tide.
- **The Islamorada Hump** (offshore, about 15 miles out) for blackfin tuna and amberjack early morning.
- **Snake Creek Bridge** and channel edges for redfish, sea trout, and the odd snook at sunrise and sundown.

Pack extra water, be ready to duck a passing squall, and keep an eye on that incoming tide for the best bite windows. Whether you’re casting from the kayak, trolling deep, or soaking baits off the pier, the fishing’s lively and the scenery’s unbeatable.

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