Good morning from the Florida Keys This is Artificial Lure with your local angler’s report for Sunday April 20th 2025 and let me tell you conditions are shaping up for a solid day on the water

We’re sitting right in the middle of spring prime time and that means tarpon fever is running hot across the islands The morning tide started just before sunrise at 654 am and sunset will be at 754 pm With a waxing moon and moderate tides today you’ll see good current especially around the bridges and backcountry channels That’s got the silver kings on the move and April is absolutely peak season for tarpon in the Keys They’re migrating in huge numbers this month especially through the upper Keys around Key Largo and Islamorada and working their way south toward Key West as April presses on Expect rolling fish at dawn and dusk and feeding action to light up whenever the current’s moving

Weather is typical for late April with mornings starting in the low 70s and highs topping out near 80 Light easterly winds today so the flats should be manageable and conditions offshore look safe for most boats

Recent catch reports have been strong Tarpon have been hooked every trip out in Islamorada and Key West with anglers working for their bites but some real quality fish are coming in Backcountry guides report 10 different species landed most days with mangrove snapper yellowtail and some muttons in the mix There’s also been a solid showing of mahi offshore as the bigger spring fish push in so be ready to run out if you want some bluewater action

Best baits for tarpon right now are still live mullet small pinfish crabs or large shrimp Drift them in channels or anchor up at one of the bridge shadow lines as the sun sets For the artificial crowd big swimbaits or soft plastics on heavy jigs are drawing strikes especially early and late For snapper and mutton it’s hard to beat fresh cut ballyhoo or pilchards on a light leader for the wary ones

Hot spots for today Try the Seven Mile Bridge at first light for tarpon and spill into the adjacent flats as the tides change If you’re nearer the Upper Keys check channels off Islamorada and the bridges near Long Key for tarpon action For reef fishing the patches off Marathon and around Tennessee Reef have put up good numbers of yellowtail and mutton this past week

In short It’s springtime in the Keys Tarpon are here snappers are chewing and the mahi are rolling in as the water warms Get out early take advantage of those moving tides and don’t forget your live bait If you need a backup plan reef and patch action has been lights out

Tight lines and see you on the water this is Artificial Lure signing off