Florida fishing reports
796 reports for Florida — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Snapper, mingo, and triggers keep Panhandle bottom bite going
A Pensacola Fishing Forum angler reported boating a legal red snapper, several vermilion snapper (locally called mingo), and undersized 14.5-inch gray triggerfish across a handful of nearshore structure spots this week — a modest, single-report showing for mid-September, but one that tracks with the Panhandle's usual pattern of bottom species holding tight to structure this time of year. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for this update, so check water temps and swell locally before running offshore. Florida Sea Grant's ongoing Atlantic red snapper tagging project — which pays a $250 reward for reported tagged fish — is a good reminder to review current snapper season dates and reporting rules before targeting them. As the fall transition sets in along the Gulf, expect the usual handoff toward king mackerel and redfish showing up on nearshore structure and beaches in the coming weeks.
Snook still biting Sarasota docks as tarpon start thinning out
Snook fishing remains a bright spot around Sarasota this month, with Capt. Rick Grassett of CB's Saltwater Outfitters reporting fish still holding in the coastal Gulf surf and around ICW docks and bridges near passes, especially as late-summer heat lingers into September. Adult migratory tarpon are thinning out of open Gulf waters per Grassett's monthly forecast, sliding into inside waters to rest over deep grass flats and around bridges ahead of their fall push. Reds are cooperating too — Capt. Chuck Cress of CB's landed several redfish on a popping cork with live shrimp during a rising morning tide this past week. Capt. Brandon Naeve's clients also boated a 27-inch spotted seatrout in Sarasota Bay, one of the state's better speckled-trout grounds, with sunrise and sunset feeding windows still the move. Sport Fishing Mag notes the Gulf-side gag grouper season is short in September and worth targeting before it wraps up.
Second mahi run arrives as Keys snapper bite carries into fall
Sand Key's buoy (SANF1) is logging a stiffer breeze at roughly 10.3 m/s versus a calmer read at Sombrero Key (SMKF1, 4.1 m/s), with air temps still in the mid-to-upper 80s — classic early-fall Keys weather. The bigger story offshore is timing: per Saltwater Sportsman, South Florida's second mahi season typically materializes around mid-September, right on schedule this week, giving offshore trollers a fresh target as the spring push fades into memory. Inshore and on the reef, Bud n' Mary's and ALL IN Key West have both flagged strong yellowtail and mutton snapper action in recent reports, and while those reports skew toward summer, snapper fishing on the reef tends to hold up well into fall. No water temp or wave readings came through on either buoy this cycle, so plan bottom fishing and trolling depth by feel and local knowledge until fresher numbers post.
Panhandle gag grouper window narrows as Gulf water stays warm
Gulf water is holding at 87°F at buoy 42012 off the Panhandle, with light winds — 0 m/s at buoy 42039 and just 4 m/s at 42012 — keeping both nearshore and offshore water comfortable for a boat run. Sport Fishing Mag's trolling breakdown on Gulf gag grouper is directly useful for Destin/Pensacola boats right now: short runs to nearshore rock piles and structure, with multi-line trolling spreads producing quick strikes during this year's short September gag season. With water still sitting near 87°F and winds calm, bait should be holding shallow, which typically keeps king mackerel and Spanish mackerel in range of trolled baits along the beaches and passes this time of year. Redfish should stay active around grass flats and structure as the warm water lingers into the fall transition. We didn't pull a fresh Destin or Pensacola shop report this cycle, so treat the species notes below as seasonal-pattern guidance rather than an on-the-water catch report until local intel updates.
Snook and reds fire up Sarasota passes as tarpon slide inshore
Gulf water is running warm — NOAA buoy 42036 logged 86°F just off Sarasota while buoy 42013 read 88°F further offshore, both under near-calm 1 m/s winds. Inshore, Capt. Rick Grassett's September forecast from CB's Saltwater Outfitters (Sarasota) has snook fishing good right now, with fish holding in the surf along the coastal gulf and stacking in the ICW around docks and bridges near passes as summer heat keeps them close to structure. Tarpon are thinning out of the open gulf and sliding into inside waters, where anglers are finding them around bridges and over deep grass flats on DOA lures or live bait. CB's also reports solid speckled seatrout and redfish action this week, with one angler landing reds on a popping cork and live shrimp during a rising morning tide. Warm water and calm winds favor early starts before midday heat builds.
Bass hold to healthy grass as Okeechobee, St. Johns ease into fall
Fishing the Midwest's latest fall-pattern rundown, 'Find the Green, Find the Fish,' is the seasonal cue worth watching for Okeechobee and St. Johns anglers this week: as remaining grass beds stay green longer into September, bass tend to hold tight to the healthiest vegetation before pushing shallower once truly cooler nights arrive. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings came through for this stretch, so treat today's picture as pattern-based rather than fresh gauge data. Early September on these Florida waters is still very much a summer-to-fall transition — largemouth bass stay catchable on moving baits worked along grass edges and dock pilings, per Tactical Bassin's early-fall dock-fishing notes, while black crappie (specks) remain off their winter pattern until water temperatures drop further. Tonight's new moon could nudge bluegill bedding activity, a lunar-tied behavior typical of Florida bream in warm months.
Snook Bite Heats Up on Florida's Atlantic Coast as Mullet Run Builds
Snook fishing remains excellent along Florida's Atlantic Coast heading into mid-September, per Snook Nook in Stuart, with quality fish in the 40-inch-plus range still coming from the St. Lucie Inlet on live croakers and threadfins. The shop reports the annual mullet run is approaching — larger mullet schools are showing inshore and a few pods are working down the beaches, though the push is running later than usual after a cooler winter, with more expected in the coming weeks. Offshore, Martin County crews are boxing wahoo and other pelagics, according to Coastal Angler Magazine's local report. Saltwater Sportsman notes South Florida's "second" mahi season is kicking in around mid-September and should run into fall. Meanwhile, CCA Florida flags fresh turbulence for South Atlantic red snapper anglers after a federal court injunction blocked this year's state-run pilot season just before it opened — worth checking current regs before targeting that species.
Early fall transition takes hold on Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns
St. Johns River flow is running near 1,010 cfs at USGS gauge 02232000 as of Thursday, a moderate reading for early September that keeps grass edges and current breaks in play for largemouth bass. Direct bite reports for Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns didn't come through in this week's regional feeds, so we're leaning on the seasonal pattern: as Florida eases out of peak summer heat, bass typically start pushing toward dock structure and grass-flat edges chasing baitfish, a shift Tactical Bassin's national fall coverage flags as the driving pattern right now. Bream and black crappie (speckled perch) stay the steadier bet through this stretch, usually holding tight to cover until water cools further into fall. A new moon this week can mean stronger low-light bites at dawn and dusk. Check current Florida freshwater regs before harvesting, and verify conditions before you launch.
Snook Push Toward Winter Haunts as Gulf Grouper Window Opens
Florida's short Gulf gag grouper season is underway, and Sport Fishing Mag reports captains trolling relatively shallow structure to intercept fish before this narrow September window closes. On the snook front, the same source notes fish are beginning their fall shift toward winter holding areas as days shorten, with swimbaits like Mulletron and Diezel MinnowZ producing on aggressive fish. Kingfish remain a dependable player too — captains out of Naples Offshore Fishing Charters have posted steady action on kings worked with plugs and flies near structure in recent reports, a pattern that typically carries into fall on the Gulf side. Regulatory attention stays fixed on red snapper, with CCA Florida flagging a new stock assessment and allocation debate heading into the Gulf Council's review. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so water temps aren't available — check your own thermometer and local tide tables before running.
Fall mahi push arrives as Keys reef bite carries into fall
Saltwater Sportsman notes South Florida's second mahi season typically fires up in mid-September and runs through fall as fish push south along the Gulf Stream — timing that lines up with today's date. In the Keys, ALL IN Key West's captains ran a hot reef bite through the summer, with yellowtail snapper "practically jumping in the boat" and mutton snappers stacking up hard, though that mutton push was tied to the full moon; with tonight's new moon, expect the spawning-aggregation bite to ease before rebuilding at the next full moon. Bud n' Mary's Islamorada crew flagged tarpon on the bridges and mahi offshore as the summer's headline bite, a pattern that typically tapers into early fall as tarpon move off the bridges. No live buoy or gauge readings came through for this update, so treat water temps and sea state as unconfirmed until you check a local source before running offshore.
Panhandle anglers eye fall kingfish push as gag season winds down
Direct on-the-water reports out of Destin and Pensacola were thin this cycle, but the regional trade press is flagging the seasonal turn anglers watch for every September. Coastal Angler Magazine's early note on the fall run — "October is coming. The kings are coming with it" — points to the king mackerel migration that typically builds along the Gulf as water starts to cool, and Panhandle trollers should see more consistent action on planers and live bait over the next few weeks. Sport Fishing Mag's rundown on Gulf gag grouper trolling is a reminder that the short fall grouper window is active on Florida's Gulf side right now, best worked over nearshore structure. Redfish typically move onto grass flats and into passes as temperatures ease this time of year — a normal seasonal pattern rather than anything reported locally this week. Red snapper stays a check-the-regs fish; no Panhandle-specific bite reports came through this cycle, so treat species notes below as seasonal expectation, not confirmed local action.
Tarpon shift inside as Sarasota snook bite turns on
Sarasota's adult migratory tarpon are thinning out of the coastal Gulf this month, per Capt. Rick Grassett's September forecast from CB's Saltwater Outfitters — fish are sliding into inside waters to rest and feed before their fall migration, holding around bridges and over deep grass flats and responding to DOA Baitbusters, Shrimp and TerrorEyz or live bait. Snook fishing should be good through September per the same report, with fish still working the surf in the coastal Gulf and around ICW docks and bridges close to passes. Closer to shore, CB's captains are putting clients on fish too: Capt. Chuck Cress reported redfish eating a popping cork with live shrimp on a rising morning tide, and Capt. Brandon Naeve's trip boated a 27-inch spotted seatrout, a reminder that Sarasota Bay remains one of the region's better trout grounds when anglers target the sunrise and sunset feeding windows.