Florida fishing reports
269 reports for Florida — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Red snapper opener heats up the Panhandle as blue water pushes in
Water temperatures are holding at 79°F per NOAA buoy 42012 off the Panhandle coast, and the Gulf red snapper season is officially underway. A Pensacola Fishing Forum report from opening Friday documents anglers heading out before sunrise to beat the bait-boat line, finding brilliant blue water offshore with scattered grass before dropping down on a proven bottom spot and posting a snapper limit. Light winds running 8-10 knots across both buoy stations are keeping seas comfortable for the offshore run from Destin and Pensacola. The blue water push at the snapper grounds is a classic late-May Gulf signal that typically accompanies king mackerel and mahi-mahi. First Quarter moon is setting up solid dawn and dusk feeding windows through Memorial Day weekend. Boat traffic at known snapper ledges will be heavy; consider secondary structure or pushing to the edge for less pressure.
Snook prime time peaks at Boca Grande as Sarasota Bay turns on
Water temps have locked in at 81°F across the region — confirmed by NOAA buoys 42036 and 42013 — and the inshore bite is matching the heat. CB's Saltwater Outfitters (Sarasota) reports that May is producing some of the best snook fishing of the year out of Boca Grande, with Captain Brandon Naeve landing a new boat-record snook of 34 pounds 4 ounces on May 9th as fish move toward pre-spawn staging. CB's Captain Chuck Cress is also reporting solid upper-slot redfish alongside trout in the back bays. Meanwhile, jack crevalle are actively schooling in Sarasota Bay through May, per CB's weekly report, feeding near oyster bars, seawalls, and inlets — early morning topwater with poppers or fast-retrieved jigs is producing the most consistent action. Snook Nook (FL) corroborates the statewide trend, calling late spring historically one of the best inshore windows of the year as fish become more active in warming water and bait grows increasingly abundant.
Keys mutton snapper spawn peaks as offshore bite heats up
Mutton snappers are in full spawn mode across Key West and the Lower Keys, with the first quarter moon pointing toward a peak bite around the approaching full moon. ALL IN Key West charters report mutton and yellowtail snappers "practically jumping in the boat" on recent trips, calling May through July "absolutely lights out" for snappers, groupers, mahi-mahi, sharks, and more. Grouper season reopened May 1, per Coastal Angler Magazine, with anglers hitting reefs and wrecks for black grouper, red grouper, and gag grouper on heavy tackle. Offshore, Sport Fishing Mag confirms blackfin tuna are flooding South Florida and Keys waters May through July, with live bait, trolling, and kite-fishing all producing. Gulf-side trips out of Key West continue to yield cobia, barracuda, and kingfish in the same outing. NOAA buoys SMKF1 and SANF1 show winds running 14-15 knots with air temps near 83°F — warm summer conditions now firmly in place.
Okeechobee & St. Johns Post-Spawn: Bass Shifting Deep as Bluegill Peak
USGS gauge 02232000 recorded a modest 117 cfs on the St. Johns River as of May 23 — consistent with the late-spring dry period before Florida's rainy season arrives. No direct water temperature reading was available from the gauge, but typical late-May conditions for this region place surface temps in the low 80s°F, signaling full exit from the bass spawn window. Largemouth bass across both Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns are moving through the post-spawn transition: males that held near beds are abandoning them, and larger females have retreated toward offshore grass edges and deeper structure. Florida Sea Grant's recent coverage of the Southwest Florida Invasive Fish Roundup serves as a seasonal reminder that anglers working Okeechobee's southern and eastern rim canals may encounter exotic species — oscars, clown knifefish, and others — alongside native gamefish. The clearest opportunity this week belongs to panfish: bluegill and shellcracker (redear sunfish) are at or near peak spawn on both waters in late May, with beds forming on shallow, hard-bottom flats near vegetation edges. Verify current Florida regulations before harvesting.
Snook Peak Season Arrives on FL Atlantic as Blackfins Swarm Offshore
Snook Nook's May 2026 Stuart report calls this "the best time of the year for Snook fishing" as fish ramp up for the spawn, with consistent quality slot and over-slot fish showing across the Indian and St. Lucie Rivers. Offshore, Sport Fishing Mag reports blackfin tuna flooding South Florida Atlantic waters from the Keys to Palm Beach throughout May — one of the season's premier pelagic windows. Charter trips out of Fort Lauderdale, per Tidal Fish, have been delivering sailfish action along with wahoo on natural reefs and offshore structure. NOAA buoys 41009 and 41008 registered air temps of 78–82°F with light-to-moderate winds, though neither buoy returned water temperature or wave-height data. One major regulatory note: a federal court preliminary injunction halted Florida's expanded 39-day Atlantic red snapper season under the state EFP program just hours before it was set to open, per CCA Florida and Coastal Angler Magazine. Verify current snapper regulations before heading out.
Tarpon Migration Peaks as Permit and Kingfish Stack Up Off Naples
Water temperatures have climbed to 81°F at NOAA buoy 42036, and Naples Offshore Fishing Charters reports the tarpon migration is fully underway along the Gulf Coast. Captains are intercepting fish as they push through the area, jumping and landing quality tarpon during morning sessions before switching to afternoon permit. Sight fishing for large permit has been steady, and kingfish are responding well to plugs and flies thrown offshore. Cobia and amberjacks have also entered the mix, according to Naples Offshore Fishing Charters, making this one of the most species-diverse windows of the year. Light winds of 2–3 m/s (per buoys 42036 and 42039) are keeping surface conditions favorable for flat-water sight fishing. Coastal Angler Magazine notes grouper season reopened May 1st for Keys and Gulf anglers, adding reef and wreck options to an already loaded menu. Late May is delivering exactly what Gulf Coast regulars expect: a premium multi-species window before summer heat fully sets in.
Gags, Scamps, and Trophy Trout Prime the Panhandle for May
NOAA buoy 42012 is reading 76°F in the Gulf off the Panhandle, with 2–3 foot seas and light winds — near-ideal conditions for inshore and nearshore runs. Coastal Angler Magazine makes the case that May is 'one of the most underrated windows of the year' for trophy speckled trout, with big fish remaining active before summer heat sets in. The same source spotlights gag grouper and scamp as the month's offshore headliners: find cigar minnows or sardines stacked on ledges, wrecks, or rock outcrops, and a live sardine or cigar minnow will last 'under ten seconds around any kind of fish.' Salt Strong includes the Florida Panhandle among its active mid-May inshore game plan regions, signaling that the flats bite is on. The waxing crescent moon is building tidal exchange, and the current sea state makes structure-fishing runs feasible for most boats heading offshore this week.
Late-May Snook Prime Time Delivers Along Boca Grande and Sarasota Bay
Capt. Brandon Naeve's crew out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters set a new boat record on May 9th — a 34-pound, 4-ounce snook boated on a Boca Grande charter — and that fish captures exactly where the calendar stands. Water temperatures are reading 80°F across both NOAA buoys 42036 and 42013, with light-to-moderate Gulf swells keeping conditions fishable across the region. Capt. Chuck Cress (CB's Saltwater Outfitters) is reporting upper-slot redfish and solid speckled trout action on the Sarasota flats. Jack crevalle are schooling aggressively in Sarasota Bay through early morning, per CB's latest report, hitting fast-retrieved topwater lures and poppers near oyster bars, seawalls, and inlets. Coastal Angler Magazine calls May an often-overlooked window for trophy speckled trout — fish that haven't fully shifted to summer patterns yet — and local captain reports support that read. Multiple target species are active and cooperative right now, with the snook pre-spawn push setting the headline bite.
Mutton Spawn and Blackfin Tuna Make May a Banner Month in the Keys
ALL IN Key West charters reports mutton snappers 'chewing like crazy' during May's full moon spawn window, with yellowtail snapper running nearly as hot — described as 'practically jumping in the boat.' May is delivering across the board: a recent Gulf-side run logged grouper, cobia, barracuda, and kingfish in a single session per ALL IN Key West. Sport Fishing Mag notes that May through July is prime blackfin tuna season, with fish flooding offshore from the Keys north to Palm Beach — making this a genuine multi-species window. Wind readings at NOAA buoys SMKF1 and SANF1 show 13–16 knots easterly with air temperatures near 81°F. The waxing crescent moon is building toward the next lunar peak, which should keep snapper stacked on traditional reef structure. Coastal Angler Magazine adds that gag and scamp grouper are also prime this month when cigar minnows and sardines are schooling on ledges and wrecks. Plan offshore runs early to beat afternoon sea breezes.
Bass Locked on Bluegill Beds as Post-Spawn Peaks on Okeechobee & St. Johns
Tactical Bassin (blog) reports the bluegill spawn is in full swing, and largemouth bass across Florida's freshwater systems are capitalizing — frogs and topwater presentations over heavy cover have been producing aggressive strikes with fish stacked shallow. On the St. Johns, USGS gauge 02232000 logged 119 cfs as of Tuesday evening, a moderate and stable flow that keeps backwater access open along much of the corridor. Water temperature data is unavailable from current gauge readings; mid-May surface temps in both Okeechobee and the St. Johns system typically run upper 70s to low 80s°F. Catfish anglers have extra motivation: Field & Stream recently highlighted a new Florida state-record blue catfish, 73.6 pounds, caught on live bream — a reminder that Okeechobee's deeper basin holds trophy-class fish. The waxing crescent moon sets up solid pre-dawn and dusk feeding windows, prime timing to work frog gear over pad edges before the mid-morning sun pushes fish to deeper structure.
Snook Pre-Spawn and Blackfin Tuna Mark Peak May Action on FL's Atlantic Coast
Per Snook Nook out of Stuart, May is historically one of the best inshore months on the Treasure Coast — and the 2026 pre-spawn push is delivering. Slot-sized and over-slot snook are appearing with increasing frequency along the Indian and St. Lucie Rivers as fish stage ahead of the June spawn. Offshore, Sport Fishing Mag reports that blackfin tuna have flooded South Florida Atlantic waters from the Keys up to Palm Beach — their annual May arrival kicking off a multi-month run for these hard-fighting fish. Fort Lauderdale charters reporting through Tidal Fish found active sailfish action and productive natural-reef bottom fishing under 2–3 foot seas. Adding to the excitement, federally approved state Exempted Fishing Permits — tracked by CCA Florida and covered by Sport Fishing Mag — will give Florida's Atlantic-coast anglers a significantly expanded red snapper season in 2026. Winds are running 9–13 mph with 3-foot offshore swells per NOAA buoys 41009 and 41008.
Tarpon Migration Peaks as Permit and Grouper Round Out Gulf Coast Bite
Water temps at 80°F (NOAA buoy 42036) signal peak late-spring conditions on Florida's Gulf Coast. Naples Offshore Fishing Charters confirms the tarpon migration is fully underway, with boats intercepting silver kings as they push through the Naples area — mornings devoted to sight-casting and jumping quality fish before afternoons pivot to permit, which have been responding to sight-fishing presentations consistently. The same captain also reports cobia, kingfish, and amberjacks rounding out a highly varied offshore spread. Inshore, Coastal Angler Magazine highlights May as an underrated window for trophy speckled trout, while the same source flags gag and scamp grouper stacked on ledges, wrecks, and rocky structure wherever cigar minnows and sardines are concentrated. Light winds of 7–9 mph and 2–3 foot seas across both Gulf buoys (42036 and 42039) make for comfortable running, and the waxing crescent moon sets up productive tidal transitions on the flats.