Florida fishing reports
769 reports for Florida — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Keys bite set to turn as summer heat finally breaks
Water is still running summer-warm across the Keys — 86.7°F at Key West and 88.2°F off Vaca Key per NOAA CO-OPS readings taken this morning — but ALL IN Key West says the heat is finally letting up after a scorching September, and the captain is back on the water after taking the month off for boat upgrades. That first crack in the summer pattern is the thing to watch this week more than any single bite report.
Snook settle into docks and bridges across Sarasota Bay
Water temps in Tampa Bay are holding at 82.6°F per NOAA CO-OPS stations 8726520 and 8726724, still warm enough to keep snook working out of the passes toward inshore structure. Capt. Rick Grassett's October forecast from CB's Saltwater Outfitters (Sarasota) has snook staging around docks and bridges in the ICW and on shallow flats as they begin shifting toward wintertime areas, with live shrimp near structure and pilchards on the flats producing. Capt. Kelly Kurtz, fishing out of the same shop on Siesta Key, reports an active inshore bite in Sarasota Bay for snook and redfish this past week. Capt. Brandon Naeve adds that the fall snook season, which opened September 1, is in full swing south toward Fort Myers.
Early fall transition settles over Okeechobee and the St. Johns
Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns River are easing into the early stretch of Florida's fall transition, when shortening days and gradually receding summer heat typically start reshuffling how fish use the water column across Central Florida's freshwater fisheries. Check current state fishing regulations before harvesting, since seasonal rules and limits can shift this time of year.
Cooler Fall Air Lifts the Bite Across the Florida Keys
Water held in the mid-to-upper 80s off the Keys early Tuesday, 85.6°F at NOAA CO-OPS station 8724580 and 86.7°F at station 8723970, as the first real break from summer heat settles in. ALL IN Key West reports the change arrived this week after a September layoff for boat upgrades, calling it "cooler temperatures, hotter fishing" and noting strong interest in fall and winter trip bookings. The captain's post doesn't detail a specific target yet this early in the transition, but the tone matches what the Keys typically see once the heat breaks: more comfortable days on the water and renewed activity after the dog days of summer.
Snook push onto Sarasota docks as fall flats bite builds
NOAA CO-OPS readings from St. Petersburg (station 8726520) and Clearwater Beach (station 8726724) both show gulf water still sitting in the low 80s this morning, holding firm into the fall transition. Capt. Rick Grassett's October forecast for CB's Saltwater Outfitters calls it a good month for snook, with fish moving off the passes and beaches toward docks, bridges, and shallow flats in the ICW as they stage for winter. Capt. Kelly Kurtz reported an active inshore bite in Sarasota Bay this past week, with anglers landing snook and redfish around the same structure. Capt. Brandon Naeve added that the Gulf Coast's fall snook season, open since September 1, is running strong while water stays warm.
Lake Okeechobee, St. Johns ease into fall transition
Early October marks the start of Florida's slow swing from summer's heat-locked patterns into a more comfortable fall rhythm on Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns River. Surface temperatures are only beginning to ease off their late-summer peak, and the shift shows up first in behavior, with more activity pressed into the dawn and dusk windows before it shows up in any single reading. Expect that pattern to deepen gradually over the next few weeks rather than flip overnight.
Florida Keys anglers eye the turning season as heat breaks
NOAA's Key West tide station is reading 85.5°F and the Vaca Key gauge 87.6°F this week, still deep summer water for the first week of October. Per ALL IN Key West, the punishing late-summer heat is finally starting to break, with the captain back on the water after taking September off for boat upgrades, calling the cooler stretch a welcome turn heading into the fall and winter trip season.
Snook move to docks and bridges as fall inshore fishing takes hold
Water is still summer-warm at 83.7°F on NOAA CO-OPS station 8726520 and 82.9°F on station 8726724. Snook are the fish to watch. CB's Saltwater Outfitters (Sarasota) reports an active inshore bite for snook and redfish in Sarasota Bay in Capt. Kelly Kurtz's latest weekly report, and Capt. Rick Grassett's October forecast has snook leaving the passes for the ICW and shallow flats, staging around docks and bridges.
Keys water stays warm into October as fall fishing settles in
NOAA CO-OPS station 8724580 read 84.7°F at 1:18 PM, which is still summer-warm water for the Keys this week. ALL IN Key West reports the heat is finally easing and it is taking fall bookings again after a September break. Coastal Angler Magazine's October 2026 coverage calls the month prime time on the water and leans on live bait for fall fishing.
Bait runs are pulling redfish to the beach as fall sets in
Gulf water is still summer warm. NOAA's Pensacola station (CO-OPS 8729840) read 81.9°F at 7:30 AM EDT, and the Panama City and Apalachicola stations both read 80.4°F. The clearest angler signal this week is redfish. Coastal Angler Magazine reports a redfish caught off Vilano Beach during a bait run that, in the report's words, "brought a bunch of oversize bulls to the beach." Vilano is on the northeast coast, so read it as how redfish behave when bait moves in, not as a Panhandle report. That makes the bait-run pattern the one to test first.
Summer-warm Gulf water holds the early October window open
Gulf water is still running summer-warm: NOAA CO-OPS station 8725520 read 86°F and station 8727520 read 82.2°F, both at 7:30 a.m. EDT. Coastal Angler Magazine's photo of a snook caught in Naples is the only snook or redfish mention on the Gulf side of this week's intel, so snook is the species to watch. Tide timing sets the plan: station 8727520 peaks at 10:51 a.m. EDT and bottoms at 6:02 p.m. EDT, while station 8725520 peaks at 1:26 p.m. EDT.
Sarasota Bay snook and redfish biting as fall moves fish inshore
NOAA buoy 42036 off West Tampa reads 85°F, and Sarasota Bay is fishing well. Capt. Kelly Kurtz, reporting for CB's Saltwater Outfitters (Sarasota) this past week, describes an active inshore bite for snook and redfish in the bay, and says a client landed a nice redfish on a recent day out of Siesta Key. The shop's October forecast from Capt. Rick Grassett calls it a good month for snook, which should be pulling away from the passes and beaches toward inside water. Per CB's weekly report, fall snook season on the Gulf Coast begins September 1, so check current state regs before keeping any fish.
Fishing in Florida
Florida is the fishing trip everyone else plans all year, available every day. Lake Okeechobee and a thousand smaller lakes make it the trophy largemouth capital of the country. The flats from the Keys to Mosquito Lagoon hold tarpon, bonefish, permit, redfish, and snook, and the offshore game runs from sailfish to grouper. There is no closed season on the state as a whole; something is always eating.
When to fish Florida
Trophy largemouth spawn through late winter and spring, the best window for a double-digit fish. Migratory tarpon begin staging along the coasts and the Keys as the water warms.
The tarpon migration peaks early in the season, snook feed around the passes and beaches, and redfish work the flats. Freshwater bass go early-and-late around the heat, and afternoon storms set the schedule.
The fall mullet run pulls snook, tarpon, and jacks into feeding frenzies along the beaches, while oversized redfish school in the lagoons. Offshore, the fall bite builds for kingfish and sailfish.
Cool fronts stack sailfish along the Atlantic side and push trout and redfish onto shallow, sun-warmed flats where sight fishing shines. Bass fishing stays strong through the mild winter.
Waters to know
Wayfinder builds a plan for your exact water and day from live buoys, gauges, tides, and recent reports. Free, about 30 seconds.
Common questions
Do I need a license to fish in Florida?
Most anglers need a Florida license, with separate freshwater and saltwater licenses sold online through the FWC. Several exemptions exist for residents and shore-based anglers, so check the current FWC rules for your situation.
What fish can I catch in Florida?
Largemouth bass, crappie, and bluegill in freshwater. Inshore salt offers tarpon, snook, redfish, seatrout, bonefish, and permit, while offshore adds grouper, snapper, kingfish, sailfish, mahi, and tuna.
When is the best time to fish Florida?
Every month fishes for something. Winter and spring are prime for trophy bass and sailfish, late spring and summer for the tarpon migration, and fall for the mullet run. Build the trip around the species you want.
Where can I check current Florida fishing conditions?
This page carries our current Florida fishing reports, built daily from NOAA buoys, USGS gauges, tides, and local sources. For a plan built around your exact water and day, try the free Wayfinder trip planner.
Seasons and limits change: verify current regulations with FWC before keeping fish.
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