Florida fishing reports
584 reports for Florida — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Tarpon Schools Surge at Full Moon as Tampa Bay and Sarasota Hit Peak Summer
Water temperatures of 83-84°F logged by NOAA buoys 42036 and 42013 overnight confirm that Tampa Bay and Sarasota's nearshore waters are fully in summer mode, and the fish are responding. Capt. Rick Grassett at CB's Saltwater Outfitters (Sarasota) calls June the launch of the area's strongest tarpon push: schools are increasing in size and numbers along beach travel lanes, and tonight's full moon puts anglers squarely in the spawn-adjacent window Grassett flags as prime. Live crabs, baitfish, and DOA Baitbusters at first light in established travel lanes are his recommended approach. Capt. Brandon Naeve out of CB's logged a boat-record 34-pound, 4-ounce snook at Boca Grande Pass in mid-May, and Capt. Chuck Cress reports upper-slot redfish actively feeding inshore alongside trout. Coastal Angler Magazine also noted cobia turning up at Boca Grande Pass as a byproduct of the tarpon run; keep a second rod rigged and ready. Jack crevalle continue to school across Sarasota Bay near oyster bars and seawalls per CB's reports.
Post-spawn bass moving offshore as Florida lands a new catfish state record
Florida's freshwater season is in full post-spawn transition across Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns River corridor. Outdoor Hub reports that angler Justin Hodge broke the Florida blue catfish state record this season with a 73.6-pound fish from the Suwannee River in Dixie County, a benchmark that underscores the potential of Florida's slow, fertile river systems as they shift toward summer. On the bass front, Tactical Bassin's late-spring coverage highlights post-spawn largemouth moving off beds onto isolated offshore structure, with chatterbaits, swimbaits, and finesse rigs including neko and dropshot presentations earning bites as the reaction bite slows. Tonight's full moon should push feeding windows toward dawn and dusk across both systems. The USGS St. Johns gauge (site 02232000) logged a mild flow reversal of -620 cfs Sunday afternoon, typical of this bidirectional river, and anglers should track current direction carefully before committing to a stretch.
Full Moon Mutton Spawn Lights Up the Florida Keys Reefs
Mutton snappers are stacking on spawn aggregations across the Florida Keys, timed perfectly to the full moon. ALL IN Key West captains report the mutton snapper fishing is at an "all-time high" right now, with yellowtail snappers described as "practically jumping in the boat" along reef edges. Conditions could hardly be better overhead: NOAA buoys SMKF1 and SANF1 both clocked winds at just 1.5 m/s this afternoon, setting up near-calm seas for flats and offshore runs alike. On the Gulf side, an ALL IN Key West outing turned up groupers, snappers, cobia, barracudas, and kingfish in a single trip. With late May marking the heart of the Keys snapper spawn season and offshore pelagics building toward their summer peak, this full-moon window is one of the most productive on the Keys fishing calendar.
Gulf Red Snapper Season Fires Up Along the Florida Panhandle
Water at NOAA buoy 42012 has climbed to 81°F offshore of the Panhandle, offering prime late-May conditions for a productive offshore push. Captain Rick Murphy (FL Insider) is covering Florida's Red Snapper Season in his latest Fishing Report episode, a direct signal that the Gulf's marquee bottom fishery is in full swing for Destin and Pensacola anglers. Seas are running a cooperative 2 to 2.3 feet across both nearby buoys with light winds at 4 to 5 meters per second, making runs to offshore ledges and reef structure accessible to most boats. Inshore, Salt Strong notes that redfish are actively working grass flat edges and potholes in patterns consistent with late spring. Spanish mackerel and cobia are classic Panhandle targets for this time of year; no direct local catch reports were available to confirm their current status, though seasonal conditions remain favorable for both. Full Moon tides will drive strong swings through the weekend, so plan your windows accordingly.
Tarpon Schools Building Along Sarasota Beaches as Snook Hit Peak Season
Water temps of 81-83°F across the nearshore Gulf (NOAA buoys 42036 and 42013) are priming one of the best fishing weeks of the year for Tampa Bay and Sarasota anglers. Capt. Rick Grassett out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters is calling June the month tarpon fishing peaks: schools are building in size and numbers, with migratory fish moving north and south along the beaches. Today's full moon is a key calendar trigger, as Grassett notes that tarpon head offshore to spawn close to new and full moons, making beach travel lanes at first light this weekend the primary target. Live crabs, baitfish, and DOA Baitbusters are the recommended presentations. Snook are equally dialed in: Capt. Brandon Naeve of CB's reports a 34-pound, 4-ounce boat-record snook from Boca Grande on May 9th, with passes and beaches now holding trophy-grade fish through the spawn window. Capt. Chuck Cress adds that upper-slot redfish and trout are cooperating in the bay, while jack crevalle are schooling actively on topwater in Sarasota Bay per Capt. Naeve.
Full Moon Mutton Spawn Peaks Across the Florida Keys
ALL IN Key West reports mutton snappers 'chewing like crazy' right now, with the full moon triggering the annual spawn push that makes late May one of the top fishing windows of the year. Yellowtail snapper are described as 'practically jumping in the boat' along reef edges. A recent Gulf of America outing by ALL IN Key West produced grouper, cobia, barracuda, and kingfish in a single trip, underscoring how broadly the bite has spread. Coastal Angler Magazine documents a black grouper taken off Marathon and an African pompano landed on a deep wreck off Islamorada. Mahi are active offshore with multiple catches reported out of Key West. NOAA buoys SMKF1 and SANF1 logged light winds around 10 mph and air temperatures in the mid-80s°F at dawn, comfortable and settled conditions for both flats and offshore runs.
Lake Okeechobee largemouth in post-spawn transition as June window opens
A 73.6-pound blue catfish from the Suwannee River, now the certified Florida state record per Outdoor Hub, signals that Florida's freshwater fisheries are producing at a high level this late-spring cycle. For Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns River, the late-May full moon lands at the heart of the post-spawn bass transition, with fish moving off shallow spawning flats and staging on grass edges and isolated structure. USGS gauge 02232000 shows the St. Johns running at near-zero flow with a slight reverse condition, a normal characteristic of this slow, wind-influenced river system. No water temperature was recorded at the gauge, but late-May Central Florida freshwater typically holds in the upper 70s to low 80s°F. Tactical Bassin's current post-spawn breakdowns recommend isolated offshore structure as the key holding zone, with chatterbaits and swimbaits leading during active feeding periods and neko or drop-shot presentations taking over as the bite slows midday. Bluegill are on typical late-May patterns with no specific current reporting to deviate from seasonal norms.
Trophy Snook Staging for Spawn as Fort Lauderdale Offshore Bite Fires Up
Snook Nook's June 2026 report out of Stuart leads the week with one of the year's prime inshore windows: the snook season closes along the Treasure Coast on June 1, but the days ahead offer the best chance at a trophy pre-spawn fish exceeding 40 inches as breeding snook congregate in the Indian and St. Lucie Rivers. Per Snook Nook, handle any oversized breeder fish carefully and confirm state regs before harvesting. Offshore, forum reports from Tidal Fish describe Fort Lauderdale's deep-sea charter fleet running into strong conditions, with warm Gulf Stream waters, floating debris lines, and current edges fueling consistent sailfish action and bottom fishing over natural reefs — a picture partly corroborated by South Florida mahi and grouper catches logged in Coastal Angler Magazine. Meanwhile, a federal court injunction has blocked the South Atlantic red snapper Exempted Fishing Permit program just before Florida's Atlantic season was set to open, per CCA Florida, leaving that fishery in legal limbo as of late May 2026.
Tarpon Migration Peaks Along the FL Gulf Coast as Permit Fire on the Flats
Water temperatures sitting at 82°F per NOAA buoy 42036 are fueling the Gulf Coast's signature late-May double-header. Naples Offshore Fishing Charters reports the tarpon migration is fully underway, with captains actively intercepting quality fish on the move and landing them consistently through the area. Afternoons shift to sight fishing large permit, and the charter calls the combination "as good as it gets for this time of year." Offshore, kingfish have been steady on plugs and flies, with cobia and amberjacks showing up as bonus species alongside a varied offshore spread. Light winds around 4-5 m/s are keeping conditions workable, per NOAA buoys 42036 and 42039. On the conservation side, CCA Florida is monitoring a proposed cruise port development near Rattlesnake Key in South Tampa Bay that would threaten prime seagrass beds and shallow-water game fish habitat, a situation worth tracking for anyone who fishes that section of the bay.
Late-May bass and bream action heats up on Okeechobee and the St. Johns
The USGS gauge 02232000 on the St. Johns clocked 59.9 cfs on the evening of May 26, signaling low, deliberate flow that concentrates fish along channel edges and submerged structure. Bass fishing is firmly in the post-spawn window across Lake Okeechobee and the upper St. Johns. Wired 2 Fish's post-spawn breakdown describes two distinct camps right now: fish gorging aggressively near shad and bream spawns, and shallower, spooky bass still guarding fry. Covering both moods on a single outing is the move this week. Bluegill and bream are peaking on their own beds in late May, creating an easy secondary bite on small poppers, beetle spins, and cricket rigs. Outdoor Hub reported a new Florida state blue catfish record this month, a 73.6-pound fish pulled from the Suwannee River, reflecting the strong catfish season now underway across Florida's freshwater systems. No temperature reading is available from the gauge; anglers should expect surface temps typical of late May in this region, generally in the mid-80s range.
Snook heating up and blackfin tuna flood South Florida Atlantic waters
Snook Nook in Stuart reports late-spring snook fishing "heating up" along the Treasure Coast as fish position ahead of early summer patterns, with excellent action expected in the Indian and St. Lucie Rivers. Tarpon are also in their typical late-May migration window, though no specific local reports have surfaced this cycle. Offshore, Sport Fishing Mag identifies May through July as prime time for blackfin tuna, noting the fish are already "flooding offshore waters from the Keys up to Palm Beach" — a fishery suited for kite fishing, live bait drifts, and trolling over wrecks. One significant development: the anticipated expanded Atlantic red snapper season was halted by a federal court injunction just before opening day, per CCA Florida and Coastal Angler Magazine, with Florida pivoting to state-level rules. Anglers should verify current regs before targeting snapper. NOAA buoys 41008 and 41009 are reading 4.3-foot seas with winds around 12–16 knots. A waxing gibbous moon should support strong feeding windows inshore.
Red Snapper and Grouper Active on Panhandle Reefs as Gulf Season Nears
NOAA buoys 42039 and 42012 posted light 4 m/s (~8 knot) winds and air temperatures near 80°F on May 26, pointing to workable conditions over the northern Gulf off Destin and Pensacola. Anglers on the Pensacola Fishing Forum described an offshore bottom trip the weekend of May 22–23 that produced six keeper red snapper and one large red grouper on a natural reef, though a stormy Friday earlier that weekend had kept crews dockside. Water temperature readings were unavailable from both buoys; historically, this stretch of the northern Gulf climbs into the mid-to-upper 70s°F by late May. The waxing gibbous moon building toward full over the coming days should extend the evening feeding window for bottom-oriented species on structure. King mackerel, cobia, and Spanish mackerel round out the Panhandle's late-spring target list. Federal Gulf red snapper season dates are subject to annual announcement; confirm current regulations before planning a dedicated snapper trip.