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Winter Fishing in the Florida Keys - Steady Action Offshore, Inshore, and Backcountry
This is Artificial Lure coming to you from the Florida Keys with your fishing report.
We’re sitting on a nice winter pattern now: cool, breezy mornings, highs pushing into the mid‑70s with that typical Keys mix of sun, scattered clouds, and a light east to southeast breeze around 10–15 knots. Nearshore water is a little bumped up but very fishable, and the backcountry is laying down nicely behind the islands.
According to FishingReminder’s Islamorada forecast, sunrise is right around 7:00 a.m. and sunset about 5:35 p.m., with major feeding windows 7:05–9:05 a.m. and 7:30–9:30 p.m. The tide at Islamorada comes up to a modest high around 3:30 a.m., drops to a low just after lunch near 12:50 p.m., then builds again into an evening high around 6:15 p.m. That falling late‑morning tide and the first of the afternoon flood are the key plays today.
Islamorada and Key Largo guides are reporting steady winter action: sails and blackfin tuna offshore, with schoolie mahi still popping up on the better temperature breaks, plus solid yellowtail and mangrove snapper on the reefs. Inshore and backcountry, snook, redfish, sea trout, and mangrove snapper are chewing along the mainland edges and bay-side flats, with a few juvenile tarpon and plenty of jacks and ladyfish to keep rods bent.
For lures, think **natural and subtle** on the flats:
- 3–4 inch paddle‑tail or jerk shads in **white, pearl, and greenback** on light jigheads for snook, reds, and trout.
- Small **shrimp imitations** under a popping cork for the bay grass edges.
On the patch reefs and shallow wrecks:
- 1–2 oz **bucktail jigs** tipped with cut bait for muttons and grouper.
- Small metal jigs or heavy soft plastics dropped to the bottom for mackerel and snapper.
Best natural baits right now are **live pilchards, shrimp, and pinfish** inshore, with **ballyhoo and cigar minnows** offshore. Chum hard on the reef and you’ll stack up yellowtail and mangroves behind the boat.
A couple local hot spots to key on:
- **Alligator Reef and Alligator Light** off Islamorada for mixed bag reef action and a shot at sails and tuna if you push just past the edge.
- **Channel bridges between Islamorada and Lower Matecumbe**—especially around the high‑flow cuts—for mackerel, snapper, jacks, and the occasional snook when that tide really starts moving.
Fish that morning major around sunrise with a moving tide on the flats or bridges, then slide to the patch reefs as the sun gets up. Save the evening for that second major period—perfect for bridge fishing or drifting live baits just off the edge.
That’s your Keys fishing rundown for today 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 content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
We’re sitting on a nice winter pattern now: cool, breezy mornings, highs pushing into the mid‑70s with that typical Keys mix of sun, scattered clouds, and a light east to southeast breeze around 10–15 knots. Nearshore water is a little bumped up but very fishable, and the backcountry is laying down nicely behind the islands.
According to FishingReminder’s Islamorada forecast, sunrise is right around 7:00 a.m. and sunset about 5:35 p.m., with major feeding windows 7:05–9:05 a.m. and 7:30–9:30 p.m. The tide at Islamorada comes up to a modest high around 3:30 a.m., drops to a low just after lunch near 12:50 p.m., then builds again into an evening high around 6:15 p.m. That falling late‑morning tide and the first of the afternoon flood are the key plays today.
Islamorada and Key Largo guides are reporting steady winter action: sails and blackfin tuna offshore, with schoolie mahi still popping up on the better temperature breaks, plus solid yellowtail and mangrove snapper on the reefs. Inshore and backcountry, snook, redfish, sea trout, and mangrove snapper are chewing along the mainland edges and bay-side flats, with a few juvenile tarpon and plenty of jacks and ladyfish to keep rods bent.
For lures, think **natural and subtle** on the flats:
- 3–4 inch paddle‑tail or jerk shads in **white, pearl, and greenback** on light jigheads for snook, reds, and trout.
- Small **shrimp imitations** under a popping cork for the bay grass edges.
On the patch reefs and shallow wrecks:
- 1–2 oz **bucktail jigs** tipped with cut bait for muttons and grouper.
- Small metal jigs or heavy soft plastics dropped to the bottom for mackerel and snapper.
Best natural baits right now are **live pilchards, shrimp, and pinfish** inshore, with **ballyhoo and cigar minnows** offshore. Chum hard on the reef and you’ll stack up yellowtail and mangroves behind the boat.
A couple local hot spots to key on:
- **Alligator Reef and Alligator Light** off Islamorada for mixed bag reef action and a shot at sails and tuna if you push just past the edge.
- **Channel bridges between Islamorada and Lower Matecumbe**—especially around the high‑flow cuts—for mackerel, snapper, jacks, and the occasional snook when that tide really starts moving.
Fish that morning major around sunrise with a moving tide on the flats or bridges, then slide to the patch reefs as the sun gets up. Save the evening for that second major period—perfect for bridge fishing or drifting live baits just off the edge.
That’s your Keys fishing rundown for today 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 content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
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By Inception Point AiThis is Artificial Lure coming to you from the Florida Keys with your fishing report.
We’re sitting on a nice winter pattern now: cool, breezy mornings, highs pushing into the mid‑70s with that typical Keys mix of sun, scattered clouds, and a light east to southeast breeze around 10–15 knots. Nearshore water is a little bumped up but very fishable, and the backcountry is laying down nicely behind the islands.
According to FishingReminder’s Islamorada forecast, sunrise is right around 7:00 a.m. and sunset about 5:35 p.m., with major feeding windows 7:05–9:05 a.m. and 7:30–9:30 p.m. The tide at Islamorada comes up to a modest high around 3:30 a.m., drops to a low just after lunch near 12:50 p.m., then builds again into an evening high around 6:15 p.m. That falling late‑morning tide and the first of the afternoon flood are the key plays today.
Islamorada and Key Largo guides are reporting steady winter action: sails and blackfin tuna offshore, with schoolie mahi still popping up on the better temperature breaks, plus solid yellowtail and mangrove snapper on the reefs. Inshore and backcountry, snook, redfish, sea trout, and mangrove snapper are chewing along the mainland edges and bay-side flats, with a few juvenile tarpon and plenty of jacks and ladyfish to keep rods bent.
For lures, think **natural and subtle** on the flats:
- 3–4 inch paddle‑tail or jerk shads in **white, pearl, and greenback** on light jigheads for snook, reds, and trout.
- Small **shrimp imitations** under a popping cork for the bay grass edges.
On the patch reefs and shallow wrecks:
- 1–2 oz **bucktail jigs** tipped with cut bait for muttons and grouper.
- Small metal jigs or heavy soft plastics dropped to the bottom for mackerel and snapper.
Best natural baits right now are **live pilchards, shrimp, and pinfish** inshore, with **ballyhoo and cigar minnows** offshore. Chum hard on the reef and you’ll stack up yellowtail and mangroves behind the boat.
A couple local hot spots to key on:
- **Alligator Reef and Alligator Light** off Islamorada for mixed bag reef action and a shot at sails and tuna if you push just past the edge.
- **Channel bridges between Islamorada and Lower Matecumbe**—especially around the high‑flow cuts—for mackerel, snapper, jacks, and the occasional snook when that tide really starts moving.
Fish that morning major around sunrise with a moving tide on the flats or bridges, then slide to the patch reefs as the sun gets up. Save the evening for that second major period—perfect for bridge fishing or drifting live baits just off the edge.
That’s your Keys fishing rundown for today 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 content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
We’re sitting on a nice winter pattern now: cool, breezy mornings, highs pushing into the mid‑70s with that typical Keys mix of sun, scattered clouds, and a light east to southeast breeze around 10–15 knots. Nearshore water is a little bumped up but very fishable, and the backcountry is laying down nicely behind the islands.
According to FishingReminder’s Islamorada forecast, sunrise is right around 7:00 a.m. and sunset about 5:35 p.m., with major feeding windows 7:05–9:05 a.m. and 7:30–9:30 p.m. The tide at Islamorada comes up to a modest high around 3:30 a.m., drops to a low just after lunch near 12:50 p.m., then builds again into an evening high around 6:15 p.m. That falling late‑morning tide and the first of the afternoon flood are the key plays today.
Islamorada and Key Largo guides are reporting steady winter action: sails and blackfin tuna offshore, with schoolie mahi still popping up on the better temperature breaks, plus solid yellowtail and mangrove snapper on the reefs. Inshore and backcountry, snook, redfish, sea trout, and mangrove snapper are chewing along the mainland edges and bay-side flats, with a few juvenile tarpon and plenty of jacks and ladyfish to keep rods bent.
For lures, think **natural and subtle** on the flats:
- 3–4 inch paddle‑tail or jerk shads in **white, pearl, and greenback** on light jigheads for snook, reds, and trout.
- Small **shrimp imitations** under a popping cork for the bay grass edges.
On the patch reefs and shallow wrecks:
- 1–2 oz **bucktail jigs** tipped with cut bait for muttons and grouper.
- Small metal jigs or heavy soft plastics dropped to the bottom for mackerel and snapper.
Best natural baits right now are **live pilchards, shrimp, and pinfish** inshore, with **ballyhoo and cigar minnows** offshore. Chum hard on the reef and you’ll stack up yellowtail and mangroves behind the boat.
A couple local hot spots to key on:
- **Alligator Reef and Alligator Light** off Islamorada for mixed bag reef action and a shot at sails and tuna if you push just past the edge.
- **Channel bridges between Islamorada and Lower Matecumbe**—especially around the high‑flow cuts—for mackerel, snapper, jacks, and the occasional snook when that tide really starts moving.
Fish that morning major around sunrise with a moving tide on the flats or bridges, then slide to the patch reefs as the sun gets up. Save the evening for that second major period—perfect for bridge fishing or drifting live baits just off the edge.
That’s your Keys fishing rundown for today 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 content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI