Florida fishing reports
268 reports for Florida — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Tarpon Schools Building Along Sarasota Beaches as Snook Hit Peak Season
Water temps of 81-83°F across the nearshore Gulf (NOAA buoys 42036 and 42013) are priming one of the best fishing weeks of the year for Tampa Bay and Sarasota anglers. Capt. Rick Grassett out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters is calling June the month tarpon fishing peaks: schools are building in size and numbers, with migratory fish moving north and south along the beaches. Today's full moon is a key calendar trigger, as Grassett notes that tarpon head offshore to spawn close to new and full moons, making beach travel lanes at first light this weekend the primary target. Live crabs, baitfish, and DOA Baitbusters are the recommended presentations. Snook are equally dialed in: Capt. Brandon Naeve of CB's reports a 34-pound, 4-ounce boat-record snook from Boca Grande on May 9th, with passes and beaches now holding trophy-grade fish through the spawn window. Capt. Chuck Cress adds that upper-slot redfish and trout are cooperating in the bay, while jack crevalle are schooling actively on topwater in Sarasota Bay per Capt. Naeve.
Full Moon Mutton Spawn Peaks Across the Florida Keys
ALL IN Key West reports mutton snappers 'chewing like crazy' right now, with the full moon triggering the annual spawn push that makes late May one of the top fishing windows of the year. Yellowtail snapper are described as 'practically jumping in the boat' along reef edges. A recent Gulf of America outing by ALL IN Key West produced grouper, cobia, barracuda, and kingfish in a single trip, underscoring how broadly the bite has spread. Coastal Angler Magazine documents a black grouper taken off Marathon and an African pompano landed on a deep wreck off Islamorada. Mahi are active offshore with multiple catches reported out of Key West. NOAA buoys SMKF1 and SANF1 logged light winds around 10 mph and air temperatures in the mid-80s°F at dawn, comfortable and settled conditions for both flats and offshore runs.
Lake Okeechobee largemouth in post-spawn transition as June window opens
A 73.6-pound blue catfish from the Suwannee River, now the certified Florida state record per Outdoor Hub, signals that Florida's freshwater fisheries are producing at a high level this late-spring cycle. For Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns River, the late-May full moon lands at the heart of the post-spawn bass transition, with fish moving off shallow spawning flats and staging on grass edges and isolated structure. USGS gauge 02232000 shows the St. Johns running at near-zero flow with a slight reverse condition, a normal characteristic of this slow, wind-influenced river system. No water temperature was recorded at the gauge, but late-May Central Florida freshwater typically holds in the upper 70s to low 80s°F. Tactical Bassin's current post-spawn breakdowns recommend isolated offshore structure as the key holding zone, with chatterbaits and swimbaits leading during active feeding periods and neko or drop-shot presentations taking over as the bite slows midday. Bluegill are on typical late-May patterns with no specific current reporting to deviate from seasonal norms.
Trophy Snook Staging for Spawn as Fort Lauderdale Offshore Bite Fires Up
Snook Nook's June 2026 report out of Stuart leads the week with one of the year's prime inshore windows: the snook season closes along the Treasure Coast on June 1, but the days ahead offer the best chance at a trophy pre-spawn fish exceeding 40 inches as breeding snook congregate in the Indian and St. Lucie Rivers. Per Snook Nook, handle any oversized breeder fish carefully and confirm state regs before harvesting. Offshore, forum reports from Tidal Fish describe Fort Lauderdale's deep-sea charter fleet running into strong conditions, with warm Gulf Stream waters, floating debris lines, and current edges fueling consistent sailfish action and bottom fishing over natural reefs — a picture partly corroborated by South Florida mahi and grouper catches logged in Coastal Angler Magazine. Meanwhile, a federal court injunction has blocked the South Atlantic red snapper Exempted Fishing Permit program just before Florida's Atlantic season was set to open, per CCA Florida, leaving that fishery in legal limbo as of late May 2026.
Tarpon Migration Peaks Along the FL Gulf Coast as Permit Fire on the Flats
Water temperatures sitting at 82°F per NOAA buoy 42036 are fueling the Gulf Coast's signature late-May double-header. Naples Offshore Fishing Charters reports the tarpon migration is fully underway, with captains actively intercepting quality fish on the move and landing them consistently through the area. Afternoons shift to sight fishing large permit, and the charter calls the combination "as good as it gets for this time of year." Offshore, kingfish have been steady on plugs and flies, with cobia and amberjacks showing up as bonus species alongside a varied offshore spread. Light winds around 4-5 m/s are keeping conditions workable, per NOAA buoys 42036 and 42039. On the conservation side, CCA Florida is monitoring a proposed cruise port development near Rattlesnake Key in South Tampa Bay that would threaten prime seagrass beds and shallow-water game fish habitat, a situation worth tracking for anyone who fishes that section of the bay.
Late-May bass and bream action heats up on Okeechobee and the St. Johns
The USGS gauge 02232000 on the St. Johns clocked 59.9 cfs on the evening of May 26, signaling low, deliberate flow that concentrates fish along channel edges and submerged structure. Bass fishing is firmly in the post-spawn window across Lake Okeechobee and the upper St. Johns. Wired 2 Fish's post-spawn breakdown describes two distinct camps right now: fish gorging aggressively near shad and bream spawns, and shallower, spooky bass still guarding fry. Covering both moods on a single outing is the move this week. Bluegill and bream are peaking on their own beds in late May, creating an easy secondary bite on small poppers, beetle spins, and cricket rigs. Outdoor Hub reported a new Florida state blue catfish record this month, a 73.6-pound fish pulled from the Suwannee River, reflecting the strong catfish season now underway across Florida's freshwater systems. No temperature reading is available from the gauge; anglers should expect surface temps typical of late May in this region, generally in the mid-80s range.
Snook heating up and blackfin tuna flood South Florida Atlantic waters
Snook Nook in Stuart reports late-spring snook fishing "heating up" along the Treasure Coast as fish position ahead of early summer patterns, with excellent action expected in the Indian and St. Lucie Rivers. Tarpon are also in their typical late-May migration window, though no specific local reports have surfaced this cycle. Offshore, Sport Fishing Mag identifies May through July as prime time for blackfin tuna, noting the fish are already "flooding offshore waters from the Keys up to Palm Beach" — a fishery suited for kite fishing, live bait drifts, and trolling over wrecks. One significant development: the anticipated expanded Atlantic red snapper season was halted by a federal court injunction just before opening day, per CCA Florida and Coastal Angler Magazine, with Florida pivoting to state-level rules. Anglers should verify current regs before targeting snapper. NOAA buoys 41008 and 41009 are reading 4.3-foot seas with winds around 12–16 knots. A waxing gibbous moon should support strong feeding windows inshore.
Red Snapper and Grouper Active on Panhandle Reefs as Gulf Season Nears
NOAA buoys 42039 and 42012 posted light 4 m/s (~8 knot) winds and air temperatures near 80°F on May 26, pointing to workable conditions over the northern Gulf off Destin and Pensacola. Anglers on the Pensacola Fishing Forum described an offshore bottom trip the weekend of May 22–23 that produced six keeper red snapper and one large red grouper on a natural reef, though a stormy Friday earlier that weekend had kept crews dockside. Water temperature readings were unavailable from both buoys; historically, this stretch of the northern Gulf climbs into the mid-to-upper 70s°F by late May. The waxing gibbous moon building toward full over the coming days should extend the evening feeding window for bottom-oriented species on structure. King mackerel, cobia, and Spanish mackerel round out the Panhandle's late-spring target list. Federal Gulf red snapper season dates are subject to annual announcement; confirm current regulations before planning a dedicated snapper trip.
Big Snook and Growing Tarpon Schools Signal Tampa Bay's Prime Window
Water temps of 81-82°F at NOAA buoys 42036 and 42013 signal peak conditions across the Tampa Bay and Sarasota inshore fishery. Capt. Rick Grassett, forecasting for June at CB's Saltwater Outfitters (Sarasota), calls this the strongest stretch of the year for tarpon, with schools growing in size and number along the gulf beaches. The snook bite has already delivered a standout result: Capt. Brandon Naeve at CB's Saltwater Outfitters reports a 34-pound, 4-ounce snook landed at Boca Grande on May 9th, a new boat record, confirming that late May is prime time for big fish in the passes. Capt. Chuck Cress adds redfish up to 25 inches alongside trout in his recent Sarasota Bay report. Jack crevalle are schooling near the surface in the bay, per Capt. Naeve, with fast-stripped topwater lures producing well around oyster bars and inlets. Nearshore swells of 4.3 feet at buoy 42036 favor inshore sessions over open-gulf runs.
Mutton Snapper Spawn Peaks as Full Moon Closes In on the Keys
ALL IN Key West reports the mutton snapper spawn is firing with the full moon approaching, calling conditions "chewing like crazy" across Key West reef and wreck grounds — including a productive deep-wreck session in 220-foot water that produced five quality fish. Yellowtail snappers are nearly as prolific, with the same captains describing fish "practically jumping in the boat." A recent Gulf-side run from ALL IN Key West turned up hauls of grouper, cobia, barracuda, and kingfish, confirming the broad offshore bite. Sport Fishing Mag notes blackfin tuna are flooding offshore waters from the Keys northward through Palm Beach in their typical May arrival, a run that holds through July. NOAA buoys SMKF1 and SANF1 recorded sustained winds near 19–22 mph with air temperatures in the low 80s on May 26, pointing to some sea chop for longer offshore runs. On the flats, late May historically puts tarpon and permit at peak season, and conditions this week appear right on schedule.
Post-spawn largemouth scatter across Lake O and the St. Johns
The St. Johns River is running at 118 cfs at USGS gauge 02232000 as of May 26, a moderate, stable flow consistent with the pre-rainy-season low-water window typical of late May. No water temperature was recorded at the gauge, but surface temps across both the St. Johns and Lake Okeechobee typically reach the upper 70s to low 80s°F this time of year. Largemouth bass are firmly in post-spawn territory on both systems. Wired 2 Fish describes the phase as a split: some fish are aggressively feeding along bream beds and shad schools, while others hold shallow and spooky, demanding finesse presentations over heavier cover. The waxing gibbous moon should keep dawn and dusk feeding windows active heading into the Memorial Day weekend. Bluegill and shellcracker beds are winding down from their May peak but remain catchable on shallow hard-bottom pockets through the current moon cycle. No direct charter or shop reports for Lake Okeechobee or the St. Johns were available in this week's intel feeds.
Blackfin Tuna Run Strong as Snook Hit Pre-Spawn Peak
Snook Nook out of Stuart reports late-spring snook fishing is "heating up" as fish begin pre-spawn staging along the Treasure Coast — May is one of the best inshore months on the Indian River and St. Lucie River systems, with quality slot and over-slot fish appearing with increasing regularity. Offshore, Sport Fishing Mag confirms blackfin tuna are flooding Atlantic waters from the Keys north to Palm Beach, making May through July prime season for these hard-fighting fish on live bait, dead bait, and lures. Saltwater Sportsman highlights wahoo opportunities out of Boynton Beach, with Capt. Chris Lemieux noting that full-moon phases drive bigger fish to the surface. One significant development: Coastal Angler Magazine and CCA Florida both report a federal court issued an injunction halting Florida's anticipated 39-day Atlantic red snapper season just one day before its Memorial Day launch, blocking the state-led EFP pilot programs. Anglers planning to target red snapper should verify current regulatory status before heading out.