Florida Fishing Reports

Mutton snapper are firing across the Florida Keys this June, with ALL IN Key West reporting 'lights out' conditions and yellowtail snappers 'practically jumping in the boat' during the May-through-July spawn window. Gulf-side trips out of Key West have been delivering mixed bags of grouper, cobia, barracuda, and kingfish when the live-bait bite gets going, per ALL IN Key West. Over in Marathon, Coastal Angler Magazine documents mangrove snapper keepers and mahi mahi showing up for anglers willing to make the offshore run. Today's new moon marks a spring-tide window that pushes stronger tidal current across the backcountry flats, creating defined edges for bonefish and permit. No buoy readings are in the system this cycle, so confirm water temps locally, but mid-June in the Keys typically runs in the low-to-mid 80s. Bottom fishing on deep wrecks around 220 feet has produced mutton snapper and occasional rare Caribbean snapper per ALL IN Key West. Summer is fully underway and the fishing reflects it.

15m ago

Per Snook Nook out of Stuart, June is shaping up as one of the best months of the year for snook fishing along Florida's Treasure Coast, with trophy-sized fish — including legitimate shots at 40"+ linesiders — moving inshore as the annual pre-spawn push builds. The June 1st harvest closure means all snook must be released, but the quality of fish on offer makes this one of the most coveted catch-and-release windows on the calendar. The new moon falling today (June 17) sets up strong tidal exchanges that should concentrate snook and tarpon around inlets, passes, and bridge structure during outgoing and incoming flows. Handle all large breeder fish with care and minimize air exposure. Atlantic-side red snapper anglers face a major setback: per CCA Florida, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction blocking the South Atlantic EFP pilot programs just hours before Florida's planned season opener — verify current regulations before targeting snapper. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge data was available for this report.

40m ago

The late-spring tarpon migration is fully underway along Florida's Gulf Coast, with Naples Offshore Fishing Charters reporting steady interceptions as fish push through the Naples area. Captains are running a proven two-session playbook: mornings on tarpon as they migrate through, afternoons switching to permit for sight fishing on the flats, a pairing that has produced jumping and landing quality fish. Large permit have been consistently showing up for sight casters, while kingfish are active offshore on plugs and flies. Cobia and amberjacks are adding variety to what Naples captains describe as a "very dynamic fishery." Meanwhile, Coastal Angler Magazine reports that Mote Marine Laboratory is preparing to release approximately 22,000 juvenile snook into Southwest Florida estuarine habitats this summer, a significant restocking that bodes well for the fishery heading into peak season. The new moon on June 17 sets up favorable low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk for nearshore species.

1h ago

Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota is releasing approximately 22,000 juvenile snook into Southwest Florida estuarine habitats this summer, per Coastal Angler Magazine — a timely population boost as the Gulf-side snook harvest season closes June 1 through late August. While snook remain catch-and-release only, June is the peak month for giant tarpon in both Tampa Bay and Sarasota, with silver kings staging near pass entrances, bridge structure, and grass flat edges. Captain Rick Murphy (FL Insider) has been posting tarpon-handling tips recently, a reliable signal that fish are active and accessible. Salt Strong's Florida Gulf Coast weekend game plan (June 12–14) highlights wake-style mullet imitations producing for the redfish, snook (C&R), and trout mix on grass flat margins. New Moon tides this week will drive strong tidal exchanges through the region's passes — prime windows for tarpon ambushing bait in current seams and redfish working the mangrove edges. Spotted seatrout round out the flat bite.

13h ago

Mid-June on the Florida Panhandle signals one of the Gulf's most productive offshore windows. Salt Strong included the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend among their June 12–14 regional weekend game plans, reflecting active fishing momentum across the area. Offshore, amberjack are the headline target on rigs and wrecks — Sport Fishing Mag spotlights Gulf amberjack hammering topwater plugs worked quickly over deep-water structure as a signature summer technique, with chumming pulling fish up from depth for explosive surface strikes. Red snapper season typically runs through summer on the northern Gulf, making offshore trips doubly productive. Inshore, speckled trout and redfish are following warm-season patterns on grass flats and bay edges. No NOAA buoy readings were available at time of writing, so verify current water temperatures locally before heading out. This week's New Moon produces stronger tidal movement, which tends to sharpen feeding windows on current breaks inshore and offshore structure alike.

20h ago

With no NOAA buoy or USGS gauge data available for this window, conditions on Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns River are best read through seasonal context. Mid-June marks Florida's full transition into summer patterns: post-spawn largemouth bass are settling into hydrilla edges, submerged timber, and deeper structure as daytime heat builds. The new moon this week can compress feeding into short, intense windows at dawn and dusk. Plan to be on the water before sunup. Tactical Bassin's early-summer bass coverage highlights crankbaits and swing-head jigs as a productive one-two punch for largemouth staging just off weedlines, setups that translate directly to Okeechobee's sprawling hydrilla flats and the St. Johns' tannin-stained backwaters. Black crappie (speck) fishing typically quiets heading into the hottest months, while bluegill remain reachable around shallow structure. Florida's rainy season is in full swing; afternoon thunderstorms are a near-daily reality, so prioritize early-morning outings.

1d ago

ALL IN Key West reports mutton snappers 'chewing like crazy' following the recent full moon, with yellowtail snapper so active they're 'practically jumping in the boat' on reef and wreck drifts. Gulf-side trips are stacking up groupers, cobia, barracuda, and kingfish alongside the snapper action. Offshore in Marathon, anglers are connecting with mahi-mahi on trolling runs, per Coastal Angler Magazine — a recent trip put even a 4-year-old on his first dolphin while trolling offshore. Mangrove snapper are also biting well around nearshore structure in the Marathon area. ALL IN Key West flags May through July as peak season for this full-menu bite, with live bait the clear edge for kings, tuna, and sailfish working the reef line. Today's new moon on June 15 brings strong tidal movement — prime conditions for daytime snapper and reef fishing before lunar pressure builds again toward the next full moon.

1d ago

Capt. Rick Grassett's June 2026 monthly forecast at CB's Saltwater Outfitters confirms peak tarpon time around Tampa Bay and Sarasota: schools are growing in size and numbers, with fish pushing offshore to spawn near new and full moons, timing that aligns squarely with today's New Moon. Grassett recommends beach travel lanes at first light, presenting live crabs, live baitfish, or DOA Baitbusters on tackle heavy enough to land fish quickly, and giving neighboring anglers several hundred yards of space as fish may move both north and south. Inshore, Capt. Chuck Cress (CB's Saltwater Outfitters) worked Sarasota Bay oyster bars this past week and landed upper-slot Redfish and Trout, with solid bait throughout. Capt. Brandon Naeve's Sarasota reports add Bull Sharks, Blacktip Sharks, and Lemon Sharks to the mix, active in the bay and nearshore Gulf waters from late spring through fall. Salt Strong's Florida Gulf Coast game plan also notes Snook stacking in surf troughs at dawn, making the beach a productive secondary session alongside the tarpon run.

1d ago

Trophy snook are stacking up at inlet passes and river mouths along the Treasure Coast, with Snook Nook's June 2026 report out of Stuart calling this the best window of the year to target 40-plus-inch fish as they prepare for their annual spawn. The Atlantic coast snook harvest season closed June 1, making this strictly catch-and-release fishing, but the bite itself is as strong as it gets. Per Snook Nook, quality fish are holding throughout the Indian and St. Lucie Rivers. Offshore, the regulatory picture is unsettled: CCA Florida reports that a federal district court issued a preliminary injunction blocking Florida's South Atlantic red snapper Exempted Fishing Permit season just hours before it was set to open. Verify current status with FWC before targeting snapper offshore. Coastal Angler Magazine reports mahi-mahi action off the Florida coast and a flounder landed at Port Canaveral, rounding out a solid early-summer variety bite.

1d ago

Naples Offshore Fishing Charters reports the tarpon migration is fully underway along Florida's Gulf Coast, with boats intercepting quality fish as they push through the region. Morning sessions have been dedicated to jumping and grabbing tarpon, while afternoons shift to sight fishing large permit on the flats — a combination producing exceptional days on the water. Offshore, king mackerel have been steady with plugs and flies, and cobia along with amberjacks are rounding out the mix, per the same charter operation. Gulf amberjack in particular are hammering topwater lures worked aggressively over deep-water wrecks, according to Sport Fishing Mag. Inshore, Salt Strong highlights redfish, snook, and trout as active targets on surface lures like the Wake Mullet near structure and in the surf. No buoy water temperature data was available for this update; conditions appear typical for mid-June with warm, active Gulf waters and peak migratory species fully in play.

1d ago

Mutton snappers are 'chewing like crazy' off Key West right now, per ALL IN Key West, with yellowtail snapper described as practically jumping into the boat. The same crew puts May through July in the same 'lights out' category across the full offshore menu — grouper, cobia, barracuda, and kingfish all showed on a recent Gulf-side run, with live bait doing the heavy lifting for kings, tuna, and sailfish near the reef edge. Over in Marathon, Coastal Angler Magazine documented a mahi caught while trolling offshore and a keeper mangrove snapper in inshore waters, confirming the bite is broad across the Keys chain. With today's new moon setting up favorable low-light tidal movement and stronger current pulses through passes and reef structure in the coming days, the window for active structure fishing and offshore trolling looks productive heading into the week.

1d ago

Capt. Rick Grassett's June 2026 forecast from CB's Saltwater Outfitters calls for the strongest tarpon fishing of the year along Sarasota's beaches, with schools building in size as fish stage offshore to spawn around lunar cycles. Today's new moon puts anglers in that prime window right now. Grassett advises setting up in travel lanes along the beach at first light and casting live crabs, baitfish, or DOA Baitbusters, with heavy enough tackle to land fish quickly and ample courtesy space between boats. Inshore, CB's Saltwater Outfitters captains are posting solid action across multiple species. Capt. Chuck Cress reported catching and releasing upper-slot redfish, 20 to 25 inches, along Sarasota Bay oyster bars, with trout and bluefish also in the mix. On the shark front, Capt. Brandon Naeve reports Bull Sharks, Blacktips, and Lemon Sharks active throughout Sarasota Bay and the nearshore Gulf off Siesta Key, a pattern that typically peaks from late spring through fall.

1d ago