Florida fishing reports
562 reports for Florida — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Naples locks into tarpon-to-permit doubleheader through summer
Naples Offshore Fishing Charters has been running the tarpon-to-permit doubleheader that's defined this Gulf Coast season, working the tarpon migration each morning before switching over to sight-fishing large permit in the afternoons, per their most recent report. Kingfish have stayed consistent on plugs and flies, with cobia and amberjack mixing in as bonus species. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this stretch of coast today, so anglers should lean on local forecasts and tide tables before running offshore. With the last quarter moon overhead, expect more moderate tidal swings than around a full or new moon. Statewide, red snapper management stays contentious after a court injunction blocked the 2026 South Atlantic pilot program, per CCA Florida, a fight centered on the Atlantic side but a reminder that Florida's snapper seasons have shifted repeatedly this year. Gulf Coast snook fishing typically holds strong through August as water stays warm.
Treasure Coast snook fire off as red snapper season hits legal limbo
Snook fishing has been running hot along Florida's Treasure Coast, with Snook Nook's August report calling the bite excellent over the past few weeks and noting quality fish, including many in the 40-inch-plus range, around the St. Lucie Inlet and along the beach. Live croakers and threadfins are producing the best action; when the inlet bite slows, anglers are switching to dead threadfin on bottom, though Snook Nook notes that can draw bycatch. Remember Atlantic snook season stays closed to harvest through August per Snook Nook's own reporting, so it's catch-and-release only until the September 1 reopener - always check state regs before keeping fish. Offshore, Snook Nook's charter crew placed first in the small-boat division of the One More Bite Sailfish Challenge, going 7-for-9 on sailfish bites, a good sign the pelagic bite is active too. Meanwhile, CCA Florida reports a federal court injunction has thrown the state's South Atlantic red snapper season pilot program into limbo.
Panhandle bite holds to typical August pattern amid quiet report cycle
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for the Destin-Pensacola area this cycle, and no charter or tackle-shop reports specific to the Panhandle surfaced in this week's feeds either. What we can offer is context: down the Florida coast, O-Sea-D Fishing out of Pompano Beach logged kingfish working live bait and trolled baits behind planers, plus scattered wahoo, patterns typical of the broader Gulf-and-Atlantic summer pelagic push that also runs through Destin and Pensacola waters in August. Inshore, redfish and spotted seatrout remain the reliable summer staples around Panhandle grass flats and passes, typically most active early and late in the day as water warms through midday. Offshore, red snapper stays a headline species for Panhandle boats this time of year, though anglers should check current state and federal season dates before planning a trip, since windows shift year to year. With a Last Quarter moon this week, expect moderate tidal movement rather than the strongest pushes of the month.
Yellowtail and mutton snapper keep the Keys reef bite cooking
Yellowtail snapper are "practically jumping in the boat" and mutton snapper are chewing hard on Key West reefs, according to recent trip reports from ALL IN Key West, which called the May-through-July stretch some of the best fishing the captain has seen in 16 years. Bud n' Mary's in Islamorada backs that up, calling early summer prime time for the full range of Keys gamefish, from tarpon working the bridge shadow lines to mahi mahi showing along Gulf Stream weed lines. ALL IN Key West also logged mixed grouper, cobia, and kingfish action on Gulf-side trips, plus a hot king mackerel and sailfish bite on live bait along the reef edge. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so plan around typical August Keys conditions and check the local forecast before running offshore. Regulatory backdrop is shifting too, with CCA Florida tracking ongoing South Atlantic red snapper season litigation anglers should watch before targeting that species.
Okeechobee and St. Johns bass slide deep as August heat sets in
No buoy or gauge readings came in for Lake Okeechobee or the St. Johns River this cycle, and no shop or captain filed a direct report from either fishery, so this update leans on what's holding true for largemouth bass across hot-weather fisheries right now. Per Tactical Bassin's latest breakdown, bass are pulling off the bank in the heat and setting up on submerged vegetation and offshore cover, with jigs and swimbaits doing the work once the early topwater window closes. That pattern tracks with the typical late-summer shift on Okeechobee and the St. Johns, where fish slide onto deeper grass lines and channel edges as surface temps climb and dawn/dusk topwater windows shrink. Bream and crappie typically tuck tighter to shade and cover in this heat. Treat the species read below as seasonal expectation, not an on-the-water confirmation, until a shop or captain report comes in specifically for these waters.
Sarasota Bay seatrout bite stays hot as tarpon push inshore
Capt. Brandon Naeve out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters in Sarasota landed and released a 27-inch spotted seatrout this past week, and he says the peak summer trout bite is on across Sarasota Bay's grass flats, mangrove shorelines, and passes. Trout are biting aggressively right now, with the best action concentrated around sunrise and sunset feeding windows as water stays warm through midday. Tarpon are still in the mix too — Capt. Rick Grassett's August forecast calls for fish holding in the coastal Gulf early in the month, working well on flies, DOA Baitbusters, and DOA Shrimp in shallow water. As those beach tarpon thin out later in August, expect them to slide into protected water around bridges and deep grass flats, often keying on schools of feeding ladyfish. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through this cycle, so treat temps and tide timing as typical for early August in the region.
Permit and kingfish keep Naples anglers busy this summer
Sight-fishing large permit and steady kingfish action on plugs and flies have been the story out of Southwest Florida, per Naples Offshore Fishing Charters, who've been pairing the two species through the recent season alongside cobia, amberjack, and a rotating mix of offshore visitors. Tarpon push through the area on their annual migration, with mornings spent jumping and hooking quality fish before captains switch over to permit in the afternoons. No fresh NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for this update, so treat water temperature as seasonal-typical Gulf Coast August warmth rather than a measured number. Snook harvest stays closed through August under Florida rules, so catch-and-release is the play there. Inshore, the shift from shrimp to live pilchards that Naples captains flagged as water warms opens up more options as summer holds. Check state regs before harvesting anything today, and expect afternoon thunderstorm risk typical of a Gulf Coast August.
St. Lucie Inlet Snook Stay Red-Hot Amid Red Snapper Season Limbo
Snook fishing remains excellent around Stuart's St. Lucie Inlet, per Snook Nook's August report, with anglers putting up steady numbers of quality fish including many in the 40-inch-plus range. Live croakers and threadfins fished around the inlet and beach have been the ticket; when the bite slows, a dead threadfin bottom-fished can still produce, though expect some bycatch. Remember Florida's snook season is closed to harvest through August (per Snook Nook), so it's catch-and-release only until the September 1 reopener. Offshore, Team Snook Nook's first-place finish in the small boat division of the One More Bite Sailfish Challenge (7 of 9 bites) signals solid sailfish action along the Treasure Coast. Red snapper anglers should hold off: CCA Florida reports a federal court granted a preliminary injunction blocking the 2026 South Atlantic red snapper exempted fishing permit pilot programs just before Florida's Atlantic season was set to open, so confirm current legal status before targeting or keeping fish.
Panhandle bite holds steady as late-summer patterns set up
Salt Strong's Insider Weekend Game Plan for August 7-9 lists the Florida Panhandle & Big Bend as one of its live regional trend updates this week, a sign that guides and shops are still tracking steady late-summer activity along the Destin-Pensacola corridor. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this stretch of Gulf coast this cycle, so treat water conditions as an estimate until updated instrumentation is back online. Typical for early August in the Panhandle, the pattern centers on nearshore and inshore structure: redfish and speckled trout working grass flats and pass mouths in the early and late light, while king and Spanish mackerel run bait schools along the beaches and nearshore reefs. Gulf red snapper season is a live consideration for private anglers right now, so confirm current state and federal season dates before targeting them. Expect the pattern to hold through the weekend with the usual afternoon thunderstorm risk that comes with peak Gulf summer.
Snapper bite stays red-hot on the Keys reef as summer rolls on
Yellowtail and mutton snapper are still chewing hard on the reef, with ALL IN Key West reporting "huge yellow tails, tons and tons of mutton snappers" and some of the best action the captain has seen in 16 years fishing out of Key West. Live bait has been the go-to producer on those trips, with king mackerel, tuna and sailfish mixed in as well. Up the chain in Islamorada, Bud n' Mary's describes the June-to-early-July stretch as prime time across the board — tarpon holding on the bridges, mahi showing offshore in the Gulf Stream, and yellowtail stacked up on the reef. One regulatory note for bottom anglers: CCA Florida reports a federal court injunction has blocked the 2026 South Atlantic red snapper pilot program right as Florida's Atlantic season was set to open, so confirm current rules before targeting snapper on the Atlantic side. Expect the flats-to-reef pattern that's carried the summer to hold into August with the usual seasonal caveats around moon phase and pressure.
Okeechobee and St. Johns bass push deep as August heat sets in
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came back for Lake Okeechobee or the St. Johns River this cycle, and none of today's angler-intel feeds carry a direct Florida freshwater report, so this update leans on seasonal pattern rather than a specific local catch report. Wired 2 Fish's August lure roundup notes that bass nationwide are "full-blown post-spawn" by now and pushed "as deep as they'll get all year," a pattern that tracks for Okeechobee's largemouth as summer heat peaks. Tactical Bassin's recent August videos back that up, pointing anglers toward offshore cover, submerged vegetation edges, and early/late timing to beat the heat rather than working the bank. Expect largemouth to be tougher and more structure-oriented right now, with panfish and catfish staying the more dependable bite. Check the latest Florida FWC regulations and local reports before heading out, since we don't have a same-day Okeechobee or St. Johns source to confirm current bite specifics.
Sarasota seatrout bite runs hot as tarpon linger along the coast
Sarasota Bay's speckled trout bite remains locked in — CB's Saltwater Outfitters reports Capt. Brandon Naeve's clients landing fish up to 27 inches this past week, including a released spotted seatrout boated with a father-son group. The shop notes trout are aggressively biting the inshore grass flats, mangrove shorelines, and local passes, with the peak summer bite in full swing; best success comes working the sunrise and sunset feeding windows before the day heats up. Along the coastal Gulf, Capt. Rick Grassett's August forecast (via CB's Saltwater Outfitters) has tarpon still present early in the month, taking flies, DOA Baitbusters, and DOA Shrimp worked in shallow water. As those tarpon thin out along the beaches later in August, Grassett expects them to push into inside waters, holding around bridges and rolling on deep grass flats, with juvenile tarpon showing up in schools of feeding ladyfish. Typical late-summer heat and afternoon thunderstorms favor an early start on the water.