Florida fishing reports
562 reports for Florida — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Gulf Coast Tarpon Migration in Full Swing with Permit and Kingfish in the Mix
Naples Offshore Fishing Charters reports the tarpon migration is fully underway along Florida's Gulf Coast, with captains intercepting quality fish on morning runs before switching to permit sight-fishing in the afternoons. The offshore mix adds further variety: Naples Offshore notes steady kingfish on plugs and flies, along with cobia and amberjack appearing on the same trips. Captain Rick Murphy (FL Insider) signals the Florida redfish bite is on inshore. Pensacola-area anglers on local forums note turbid, dirty water stretching well offshore on back-to-back June 27-28 trips, a condition worth factoring into bottom-fishing plans at the northern end of the Gulf. With the Full Moon peaking today, tidal exchanges through passes and across Gulf flats are running strong, pushing bait and fish through the system. Target morning windows for tarpon before afternoon sea breezes and convective storms build.
Red snapper stacking in the Gulf as Panhandle anglers run deep
A June 27 offshore run logged by the Pensacola Fishing Forum put red snapper front and center, with one crew reporting a 10-person limit in roughly 15 minutes after finding fish stacked through the entire water column about 70 miles SSW of Pensacola. The group also landed scamp grouper before repositioning to shallower structure. Dirty water conditions and active small sharks were noted throughout the trip. Live cigar minnows were the bait of choice before heading out. No NOAA buoy readings are available this reporting period, so water temperatures remain unconfirmed, but mid-summer Gulf conditions are typical for late June. Sport Fishing Mag notes that red snapper fishing is "a rite of summer" along the Gulf coast, and peak structure action typically holds through July. With a full moon peaking today, stronger tidal movement should concentrate baitfish on hard bottom and ledges offshore. Verify current federal and state red snapper season regulations before making the run.
Snook Season Peaks Pre-Spawn; Redfish Bite Firing Up on FL Atlantic Coast
Trophy-sized snook are stacking along Florida's Treasure Coast in preparation for their annual spawn, and Snook Nook (Stuart) flags June as one of the best months of the year to target a 40-inch-plus fish. The season closed June 1 and will not reopen until September 1, making this strictly catch and release; handle breeder fish with care. The full moon this weekend is driving strong tidal movement through the Indian and St. Lucie Rivers. Captain Rick Murphy (FL Insider) reports the Florida redfish bite is firmly on, with fish showing well in coastal and inshore areas. Gag grouper are also showing up on inshore structure: Coastal Angler Magazine logged a 19-inch fish caught under a dock at Vilano Beach. Meanwhile, CCA Florida reports that a federal court injunction has blocked the South Atlantic red snapper EFP pilot programs, leaving Atlantic coast anglers without a legal snapper season until the situation resolves; check state regs before targeting snapper.
Tarpon, sharks, and reds all active across Sarasota Bay at full moon
Capt. Rick Grassett of CB's Saltwater Outfitters notes that July tarpon are "usually more aggressive" than fish encountered earlier in the season, making this a prime window for anglers working Sarasota's beach travel lanes at first light. With the full moon peaking on June 28, tarpon schools are moving offshore to spawn, a pattern Capt. Grassett highlights as a defining feature of the June-July stretch. Capt. Brandon Naeve is also reporting strong shark action in Sarasota Bay and the nearshore Gulf, with Bull Sharks, Blacktips, and Lemon Sharks all cooperating for anglers targeting them with live bait. On the bay interior, Capt. Chuck Cress found active redfish at an oyster bar in upper Sarasota Bay this week, with mullet jumping and bait concentrated around the structure. No buoy or gauge data is available this week for a precise water temperature reading, but the fishing calendar is running on schedule for late June.
Summer bass retreat to grass edges on Okeechobee and the St. Johns
A Wired 2 Fish reviewer working shallow, vegetation-filled Central Florida lakes reports that during the hottest summer months, bass scatter through eelgrass and similar growth, with bigger fish gravitating to deeper grass edges at 6 to 10 feet. That pattern maps directly onto late-June conditions expected on Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns River: rising water temperatures push largemouth out of open water and into hydrilla mats and lily-pad fields, with fish compressing feeding activity to low-light windows. Tonight's full moon strengthens the dawn and dusk bite; plan your launch for first light. Tactical Bassin notes summer bass become highly predictable, driven by temperature, oxygen, and forage, making structure-oriented and vegetation-edge presentations the season's most consistent approach. No buoy or gauge readings are available this report cycle; check local conditions before launching. Speckled perch and bluegill activity typically slows through summer peak on both systems.
Panhandle redfish bite fully on as midsummer Gulf season peaks
Captain Rick Murphy (FL Insider) is reporting the Florida redfish bite is fully 'on' this week, and the Panhandle's Destin-Pensacola corridor sits squarely in the middle of that run. Salt Strong confirms with a dedicated Florida Panhandle game plan for the June 26-28 window. Late June is textbook time for backwater reds to push onto grass flats and shoreline cover; Salt Strong's summer high-tide redfish article recommends weedless artificial presentations when fish spread into flooded vegetation. Red snapper, described by Sport Fishing Mag as 'a rite of summer' along the Gulf, draws offshore crowds to hard bottom and ledge structure this time of year. Anglers should confirm federal recreational season status before heading out, as Gulf snapper regulations shift annually. Chatter on the Pensacola Fishing Forum mentions Spanish mackerel on gotcha lures at the pass jetty, though no shop or charter source has corroborated that report in this cycle. No buoy or gauge readings were available for this report; verify water conditions locally before departure.
Mutton snapper spawn peaks on the full moon in the Florida Keys
Mutton snapper are stacking on Keys reefs and offshore humps right on schedule. ALL IN Key West reports the fish are 'chewing like crazy' with the June full moon triggering the species' annual summer spawn aggregations, one of the most reliable windows of the year on this fishery. Yellowtail snappers are equally fired up, described by the same charter as 'practically jumping in the boat.' A recent Gulf-side run by ALL IN Key West returned groupers, snappers, cobia, barracuda, and kingfish in a single outing. Conditions and fish counts are reportedly among the strongest in 16 years of Keys charter fishing, with May and June 2026 delivering back-to-back outstanding months. Live-bait presentations along reef edges have been the consistent producer for yellowtail volume, while the mutton bite extends across structure during the spawn window. With the full moon landing today, the next 48 to 72 hours represent the heart of the summer snapper season.
Gulf Coast tarpon migration peaks with permit and kingfish in the mix
Naples Offshore Fishing Charters reports the tarpon migration is fully underway along the Gulf Coast, with captains intercepting fish throughout the area and describing the bite as steady: jumping and landing quality silver kings in the mornings before pivoting to afternoon permit sessions. That same charter logs consistent sight-fishing on large permit, kingfish responding to plugs and flies offshore, plus cobia and amberjacks rounding out an active offshore mix. Captain Rick Murphy (FL Insider) notes the Florida redfish bite is on across the state as well. Tonight's full moon aligns with peak late-June tidal swings, which typically fires snook activity around Gulf passes and bridges after dark. No NOAA buoy readings were available for this reporting period; anglers should verify local water temps and tidal timing before launching. Check current FWC regulations on snook and tarpon before harvesting, as bag and slot limits apply.
Trophy Snook Stack Up for the Spawn Along FL Atlantic Coast
June is peak season for trophy snook along Florida's Atlantic coast. Snook Nook out of Stuart reports anglers are targeting 40"+ breeder fish as the species prepares for its annual spawn, with exceptional action on the Indian and St. Lucie Rivers. Snook Nook notes the season is closed to harvest in this area through approximately September 1 — handle all fish carefully and release quickly. The most pressing regulatory news this week comes from CCA Florida: a U.S. District Court issued a preliminary injunction blocking the South Atlantic red snapper EFP pilot programs just hours before Florida's Atlantic snapper season was set to open, putting those highly anticipated offshore trips on hold indefinitely. Meanwhile, Captain Rick Murphy reports the Florida redfish bite is on across the state, and Coastal Angler Magazine's Sebastian Inlet to Eau Gallie Cswy. July preview notes improving beach action is expected once persistent summer winds settle. A full moon on June 28 pushes strong spring tides — prime timing for night snook action around lit bridges and inlet passes.
Full Moon Fires Tarpon Season Along Sarasota's Gulf Beaches
Water readings from NOAA buoys 42036 and 42013 put Gulf surface temperatures at 86 to 87°F, confirming full summer conditions across Tampa Bay and Sarasota. The full moon this weekend adds a critical trigger: Capt. Rick Grassett at CB's Saltwater Outfitters forecasts that July tarpon are "usually more aggressive," with schools working beach travel lanes at first light and pushing offshore to spawn around lunar peaks. Spin anglers should drift live baits or DOA Baitbusters under floats while staying ready to sight-cast to fish that appear without warning. Capt. Chuck Cress recently scored a redfish at an upper Sarasota Bay oyster bar loaded with jumping mullet and bait, underscoring that the inshore bite is wide open. Capt. Brandon Naeve at the same shop confirms shark season is running strong now through fall, with bull sharks, blacktips, and lemon sharks active in Sarasota Bay and nearshore Gulf waters right now.
Florida Freshwater Bass Lock Into Summer Pattern on Lake O and the St. Johns
Tactical Bassin's summer-bass breakdown notes that post-spawn largemouth split into two predictable zones once temperatures climb: shallow vegetation edges at first and last light, then deeper structure and submerged grass through the midday heat. No charter, shop, or agency reports specific to Lake Okeechobee or the St. Johns River came through this cycle, so conditions here reflect seasonal norms for late June in South and Central Florida. Okeechobee's hydrilla mats, lily pads, and emergent reed edges are prime early-morning targets; the deeper basin flats and connecting canals hold fish as air temps push into the 90s. On the St. Johns, shaded bank timber and submerged vegetation concentrate bass and black crappie through the summer. The waxing gibbous moon this week extends productive feeding windows into the pre-dawn and post-sunset hours. A June settlement over a proposed Everglades Agricultural Area rock mine, covered by MidCurrent, keeps conservation attention on the broader Okeechobee watershed.
Summer Snapper Bite Fires Up Across the Florida Keys
Yellowtail and mutton snapper fishing in the Florida Keys is delivering some of the strongest action in years. ALL IN Key West reports that May and June have been "as good as I've seen in my 16 years here in Key West," with mutton snappers feeding aggressively in large, actively schooling numbers and yellowtails "practically jumping in the boat." The mutton spawn cycle, which peaks across the spring and early summer full moons, has kept fish stacked on the reef and highly catchable. A recent Gulf-side trip by ALL IN Key West put clients on grouper, cobia, barracuda, and kingfish in the same session. Live bait is the top producer along reef edges for kingfish, blackfin tuna, and sailfish, per ALL IN Key West. With the First Quarter moon on June 24, we're in a steady mid-moon window — past the peak spawn pressure but with snapper still concentrated and cooperative. No NOAA buoy data was available for this report cycle.