Snook and Tarpon Stay Locked on the Fall Mullet Run
NOAA CO-OPS readings this afternoon put water temperatures at 86°F at station 8722670 and just under 80°F at station 8720218, confirming the warm, stable water that's kept Florida's fall mullet run rolling along the Atlantic Coast. Snook Nook's October report out of Stuart says snook and tarpon are feeding hard on the migrating mullet schools, with the better action coming from anglers working the St. Lucie Inlet and running the beach with live croakers and threadfins. Salt Strong describes a similar pattern this week: a change in lure presentation on an otherwise quiet, bait-loaded spot turned into what they called a quick inshore slam that included redfish and snook. Snook Nook notes the recent full moon and higher king tides made the bite tougher toward the end of last month, but the shop expects things to keep picking back up as the mullet continue pushing south.
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What's biting
What's next
With both inlet and beach stretches still holding bait, the next few days should keep favoring the same pattern: predators stacking on mullet pods wherever current concentrates them against structure. Tonight's tides at both CO-OPS stations peak in the evening, high water near 7:13 PM at station 8722670 and 7:52 PM at station 8720218, with the southern station also working off a midday low around 1:21 PM. Snook and tarpon feeding on moving bait tend to turn on hardest in that final push to high water and the hour after, so trips timed around those evening highs should find the most active window this weekend.
If the mullet run continues its typical late-season build, expect the snook and tarpon bite Snook Nook described to strengthen through the rest of October, with any lulls tied to the next strong tide cycle rather than a change in fish behavior. The redfish and snook response Salt Strong found this week, switching presentations rather than moving spots, is worth carrying forward: a loaded area that goes quiet on one lure type is still worth working rather than abandoning.
Context
This is squarely peak mullet-run season for Florida's Atlantic Coast, the stretch from September into November when migrating baitfish pull snook, tarpon and other inshore predators into inlets and along the beaches in some of the most reliable livebait action of the year. Water temperatures in the high 70s to mid-80s are typical for early October and support an active bite rather than the seasonal slowdown that sets in once temperatures drop into the upper 60s later in fall. Timing the run has always been tide- and moon-dependent more than calendar-dependent, which tracks with Snook Nook's note that the last full moon and elevated king tides briefly disrupted an otherwise strong month. On balance, the region looks on schedule for this point in the migration.
Synthesized from real-time NOAA buoy data, USGS stream gauges, and current reports across regional fishing blogs, captain updates, and angler forums. Check local regulations before keeping fish. Never trust a single source for a trip decision.
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