Florida fishing reports
562 reports for Florida — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Mutton and yellowtail snappers peak in the Keys as summer bite rolls
ALL IN Key West captain reports the Keys snapper scene has been among the best he's seen in 16 years on the water, with 'huge yellowtails' and 'tons and tons of mutton snappers actively feeding and in large numbers' through May and June and into July. The mutton snapper spawn — historically the hottest bite window of summer in these waters — fired hard around the recent full moon, and with the waning gibbous now tracking overhead, post-spawn fish are still stacked and hungry on the reef. Yellowtails are 'practically jumping in the boat,' per the same crew. Shifting to the Gulf side, ALL IN Key West reports a rich mixed bag: groupers, cobia, barracudas, and kingfish all came aboard on a recent offshore run. Live bait has been the clear edge for king mackerel, tuna, and sailfish along reef edges. No NOAA buoy water-temperature readings are available for this reporting period.
Gulf Coast Summer Peak: Hogfish Plentiful, Tarpon Migration Rolling
Capt. Frank Hutchko, reporting in Coastal Angler Magazine, says hogfish are 'still around and plentiful' on nearshore structure, with keeper fish running 14 inches to the fork — a strong sign the Gulf's nearshore reef bite is holding well into summer. Across Tampa Bay, Capt. Joshua Taylor (Coastal Angler Magazine) calls conditions 'as good as it gets,' with action firing broadly across the bay. Capt. George Hastick (Coastal Angler Magazine) notes that summer heat makes rock piles, reefs, and wrecks the productive play when the open flats slow through midday. Down in Southwest Florida, Naples Offshore Fishing Charters has been running a successful morning-tarpon, afternoon-permit rotation, with the tarpon migration 'fully underway' and fish actively intercepting as they push through. Cobia and amberjacks have been showing up as offshore bonuses. The waning gibbous moon sets up favorable pre-dawn feeding windows through the Fourth of July weekend, making early starts the smart play.
Snook Schools Rebound at Stuart Inlet; Red Snapper Season in Legal Limbo
Snook Nook in Stuart reports a notable uptick in inlet snook action this July after dredging operations at St. Lucie Inlet paused. Anglers running side-scan sonar are marking large schools holding near the detached jetty and the Hole in the Wall, with live Croakers and Pilchards producing consistent action. Keep in mind that snook are closed to harvest through August 31 in Atlantic waters — strictly catch-and-release, but the fishing is productive with fish staging ahead of their annual spawn. Offshore, South Atlantic red snapper access is in limbo: CCA Florida reports that a U.S. District Court issued a preliminary injunction blocking Florida's exempted fishing permit pilot program just hours before the Atlantic season was set to open, leaving anglers without a confirmed harvest window. The Waning Gibbous moon this week moderates tidal swings slightly — a useful factor for timing inlet runs heading into the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Sarasota Seatrout Firing Hot as Tarpon Work July Travel Lanes
Capt. Brandon Naeve of CB's Saltwater Outfitters reports spotted seatrout are 'aggressively biting' across Sarasota Bay right now, with the peak summer bite locked in on inshore grass flats, mangrove shorelines, and local passes. Capt. Rick Grassett's July forecast from the same shop notes that July fish are 'usually more aggressive' — spin anglers are scoring by drifting live baits under floats along beach travel lanes at first light, while fly rodders stake out bar edges for shots at laid-up fish. Capt. Chuck Cress had redfish and bluefish on an upper Sarasota Bay oyster bar this week, and shark action — bull sharks, blacktips, and lemon sharks — remains elevated through fall per Capt. Naeve. In Tampa Bay, Capt. Joshua Taylor (Coastal Angler Magazine) calls current conditions as good as it gets this summer. Capt. Frank Hutchko adds that keeper hogfish are 'plentiful' on nearshore structure for those willing to make the run offshore.
Dog-Day Bass Hunker Into the Grass on Okeechobee and the St. Johns
No buoy readings, USGS gauge data, or dedicated on-water reports arrived in this cycle for Lake Okeechobee or the St. Johns River. MidCurrent's recent coverage of Everglades conservation battles offers a reminder of the land-use pressures bearing on South Florida's freshwater fisheries, but nothing in the current intel feeds addresses what's biting on these specific waters this week. Seasonally, the first week of July places both systems squarely in the dog days: water temperatures on Okeechobee's shallow, expansive basin and along the St. Johns corridor typically run in the low-to-mid 80s°F, afternoon thunderstorms fire almost daily, and largemouth bass compress their feeding windows to first light and dusk. Productive water for bass is found tight to lily pad mats, reeds along Okeechobee's south rim, and shaded bridge pilings and dock structure on the St. Johns. The big lake's open expanse makes afternoon lightning a genuine safety hazard — plan an early exit.
King Mackerel and Mahi Running Strong Off the Panhandle
The Pensacola Fishing Forum reports a landmark tournament result: a local crew won the king mackerel division of the Busch Lite tournament after 35 years of competing, a signal that quality kings are in position offshore. Bottom fishing trips at 170 to 250 feet have been producing vermilion snapper (beeliners) and the occasional blueline tilefish, though deeper 250-foot structure has been inconsistent. FAD fishing is yielding mahi-mahi, consistent with the summer pelagic patterns O-Sea-D Fishing documents for Gulf waters, with wahoo also in the mix at the FADs. Heavy scattered sargassum is frustrating trolling runs but concentrating bait along grass edges. No real-time buoy data was available for this update; anglers should verify current sea state and wind before departing. Per Salt Strong, summer speckled trout are retreating from open water and holding tight to specific structure, a pattern directly applicable to Panhandle inshore flats and grass beds through the heat of July.
Muttons and Yellowtails on Fire as Keys Summer Snapper Bite Peaks
ALL IN Key West reports the summer snapper fishing has been as good as the captain has seen in 16 years on the water, with mutton and yellowtail snappers stacking on reef structure in large, actively feeding schools. The mutton snapper spawn peaks during summer full moon cycles, and with a waning gibbous moon now overhead following the July full moon, that aggressive post-spawn feeding window remains open. Per ALL IN Key West, the bite features 'huge yellowtails [and] tons and tons of mutton snappers' actively working the reef, while a recent Gulf of America trip returned groupers, cobia, barracudas, and solid kingfish. Live bait is the dominant presentation, with reef edges also producing on cut bait and chum. Mahi-mahi and sailfish round out the offshore menu for anglers looking to mix species. No NOAA buoy readings or USGS gauge data are available for this report cycle, so verify current conditions and tide windows through local marina postings before heading out.
Hogfish running strong on Gulf nearshore as summer structure bite builds
Nearshore Gulf Coast waters are sitting at a warm 86°F (NOAA buoy 42036), and captains are steering anglers toward hard bottom. Capt. Frank Hutchko, in Coastal Angler Magazine's current nearshore report, calls it directly: hogfish are "still around and plentiful," with good numbers of keepers at 14 inches to the fork on nearshore reefs. Capt. George Hastick (Coastal Angler Magazine) adds that summer heat in Tampa Bay is the cue to leave the flats and work rock piles, reefs, and wrecks for variety. Capt. Joshua Taylor's Tampa Bay dispatch calls this an ideal week to get on the water, while Capt. Bill Rutherford out of New Port Richey promises July will deliver "fireworks" on par with the holiday. Out of Naples, charter captains logged tarpon running hard through the spring migration and permit cooperating on the flats; both species typically remain active on the Gulf into August. Light winds of 2–3 m/s at both offshore buoys favor a comfortable run to structure. Verify snapper regulations before heading out, as federal management remains in flux.
Stuart Inlet Snook Surge as Dredging Halts; Red Snapper Season Derailed
Snook fishing in Stuart's St. Lucie Inlet has rebounded sharply this July, per Snook Nook, after the inlet dredging project paused. Anglers running side scan are marking large schools around the detached jetty and the area known as Hole in the Wall, with live croakers and pilchards producing the most consistent action. Note that snook season on Florida's Atlantic coast is closed for harvest through September 1; all fish must be handled carefully and released. Meanwhile, South Atlantic reef anglers absorbed a significant setback: CCA Florida reports that a U.S. district court issued a preliminary injunction blocking the state-led EFP pilot programs for red snapper, halting what was expected to be a 39-day recreational season just before it was set to open. Offshore, typical early-July conditions put mahi-mahi and kingfish within striking distance of the Gulf Stream, though no specific charter reports were available at publication.
Sarasota Bay Seatrout Peak as July Tarpon Turn Aggressive
Spotted seatrout are delivering the definitive peak summer bite across Sarasota Bay right now, with Capt. Brandon Naeve of CB's Saltwater Outfitters reporting aggressive action on inshore grass flats, mangrove shorelines, and local passes — confirmed by a recent charter that put a quality speckled trout in the hands of young angler Brody fishing the warm bay waters. Tarpon fishing is also at full stride: Capt. Rick Grassett's July 2026 forecast from CB's Saltwater Outfitters calls July fish "usually more aggressive," advising spin anglers to set up in travel lanes and drift live baits under floats while staying ready for sight-cast opportunities. Redfish are holding at oyster bars — Capt. Chuck Cress (CB's Saltwater Outfitters) released a red out of upper Sarasota Bay this past week. Nearshore, Coastal Angler Magazine reports keeper hogfish remain plentiful on structure. Shark activity is also peaking seasonally through Sarasota Bay and the nearshore Gulf.
July Heat Shifts Bass to Deep Cover on Okeechobee and St. Johns
Tactical Bassin's July bass breakdown confirms what Florida anglers already know: summer is peak metabolism season for largemouth, but the fish have moved since spring. With no gauge or buoy readings available for this cycle and no local charter or shop reports for Lake Okeechobee or the St. Johns River in the current feed, this update relies on seasonal patterns and general freshwater guidance. Post-spawn largemouth on both systems have pulled off the spawning flats and tucked into hydrilla mats, kissimmee grass edges, and submerged weed lines — predictable summer haunts once the heat locks in. Early morning topwater on Okeechobee's lily pad flats and late evening soft-plastic work near weed edges remain the reliable summer playbook. The St. Johns' slow current and layered vegetation concentrate fish in shaded ambush lanes. Verify current lake levels and any seasonal regulations before heading out.
Offshore snapper peaks as Panhandle inshore bite demands patience mid-summer
Salt Strong's Florida Panhandle regional game plan highlighted this stretch of Gulf Coast as a focal zone heading into the early-July window. Their summer redfish piece reinforces what the season demands: once water temperatures climb, reds abandon open flats and move tight to shoreline cover and structure rather than roaming pinch points. That pattern appears to be playing out locally; one Pensacola Fishing Forum angler reports working Big Lagoon's well-known spots including RedFish Point, Langley Point, and Spanish Point across multiple baits and tide stages without consistent results. No buoy readings are available to confirm current water temps, but typical early-July Gulf surface temperatures in the Panhandle range through the mid-to-upper 80s, which tends to push speckled trout off the flats and into deeper, cooler water. Offshore, this is traditionally peak red snapper season in the federal Gulf. Confirm the federal season status and bag limits before making the run.