Florida Fishing Reports

Water temps holding at 78°F (NOAA buoy 42036) have lit up one of the most productive stretches the Southwest Gulf Coast produces each year. Naples Offshore Fishing Charters reports the tarpon migration is "fully underway," with captains spending mornings intercepting and jumping quality fish as they push through the area. Afternoons pivot to sight fishing large permit on the flats — pairing what the captain calls "two spectacular species in one day." Captain Rick Murphy's Florida Insider Fishing Report independently confirms "Big Tarpon Action Across Florida" heading into mid-May. The offshore supporting cast is equally strong: Naples Offshore logs steady kingfish on plugs and flies, plus cobia and amberjacks making for what they describe as "a very dynamic fishery right now." Winds are light at 1–3 m/s across both Gulf buoys, and tonight's new moon sets up powerful tidal swings that push feeding windows hard at first and last light.

May 17

Water temperatures of 77–79°F across Gulf approaches to Tampa Bay and Sarasota — confirmed by NOAA buoys 42036 and 42013 — have set the table for one of the year's best inshore runs. Capt. Brandon Naeve out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters logged a new boat-record Snook on May 9: a 34-pound, 4-ounce fish taken on a Boca Grande charter, with CB's calling May "prime time for Snook fishing in Boca Grande" as the species stages toward pass structure pre-spawn. Alongside the Snook push, Capt. Chuck Cress (also CB's) is reporting multiple upper-slot Redfish releases — 20 to 25 inches — alongside solid Trout action on Sarasota-area flats. Jack Crevalle have also joined the party: per CB's Naeve, they're schooling near the surface in Sarasota Bay around oyster bars, seawalls, and inlets, with early-morning topwater producing the best shots. Conditions look strong heading into the heart of the May run.

May 13

Mutton snappers are in full spawn mode across the Florida Keys. ALL IN Key West charter reports the bite at an "all-time high," with muttons "chewing like crazy" and yellowtails nearly jumping into the boat — driven by the full moon now transitioning into the waning crescent phase. A recent Gulf-side run by the same charter produced groupers, snappers, cobia, barracudas, and kingfish in a single trip. Live bait is the hot setup for king mackerel, tuna, and sailfish on the reef edges. Light winds from NOAA buoys SMKF1 (2.1 m/s) and SANF1 (3.1 m/s) signal calm nearshore conditions as of early May 13, and air temperatures near 82°F make for comfortable days offshore. Water temperatures were logged at 78°F by buoy 41114 in late April — and with current light winds and warm air, flats and offshore conditions alike look favorable heading into the coming days.

May 13

Shellcrackers are moving into the shallows and this is one of the best redear bream bites of the year, according to Wired 2 Fish, which reports these thick, meaty fish spawning along warm freshwater flats and presenting easy pickings through May. Simultaneously, Tactical Bassin confirms the bluegill spawn is in full swing — and big largemouth bass are capitalizing, moving into heavy shallow cover and responding aggressively to topwater frogs and surface presentations. On the St. Johns River, USGS gauge 02232000 recorded a slightly negative flow of -46.8 cfs as of late May 12 evening, consistent with the river's characteristic tidal reversal during low-gradient conditions. No water temperature reading was available from the gauge. The waning crescent moon this week should favor daytime feeding windows over nocturnal activity. Post-spawn bass are mid-transition across both the Lake Okeechobee basin and the St. Johns drainage — some fish still shadowing shallow bream beds, others pushing toward adjacent points and open-water forage as early-summer patterns take hold.

May 13

Snook Nook's May 2026 report from Stuart declares this historically one of the best inshore months on the Treasure Coast, and the on-water evidence agrees. Per Snook Nook, snook are heating up throughout the Indian and St. Lucie Rivers as fish begin pre-spawn staging, with slot-sized and over-slot fish making regular appearances. Captain Rick Murphy (FL Insider) confirms the spotted seatrout bite is also on fire across Florida. The month's biggest offshore news: per CCA Florida, Coastal Angler Magazine, and Saltwater Sportsman, NOAA has approved Exempted Fishing Permits giving Florida's Atlantic coast a 39-day red snapper season running May 22 through June 20 — the longest since 2010 — plus three-day weekend openers in October, with a one-fish daily bag limit; check current state regulations before harvesting. NOAA buoys 41009 and 41008 recorded moderate winds of 8–10 m/s and air temps in the low-to-mid 70s°F; no water temperature readings were transmitted from either station.

May 13

Naples Offshore Fishing Charters is reporting spring conditions 'as good as it gets' off Florida's Gulf Coast, with anglers consistently sight-fishing large permit alongside steady king mackerel action on plugs and flies. Water temperatures are holding at 78°F as of May 13 (NOAA buoys 42036 and 42039) — squarely in the productive late-spring zone that draws a dynamic offshore mix including cobia and amberjacks. Inshore, Captain Rick Murphy (FL Insider) is calling the spotted seatrout bite 'ON across Florida,' a clear signal that trout have fully shifted into their warm-season feeding pattern on Gulf grass flats. Saltwater Sportsman highlights Tampa Bay's quietly growing hogfish fishery, where rod-and-reel techniques on Gulf reef structure are gaining traction among inshore anglers. Light overnight winds are keeping offshore windows open. CCA Florida has flagged a proposed cruise port development near Rattlesnake Key in South Tampa Bay that would impact pristine seagrass beds and shallow-water game fish habitat — worth monitoring for anyone who fishes that area.

May 13

NOAA buoy 42039 clocks Gulf water at 79°F on May 12 — well into the sweet spot for the Panhandle's spring pattern. Captain Rick Murphy (FL Insider) confirms the trout bite is 'on across Florida,' and speckled trout on Panhandle grass flats between Pensacola and Destin are likely responding. Wave heights of 3.6 feet at buoy 42039 with light to moderate winds near shore mean nearshore and mid-range offshore runs are feasible, though conditions should be confirmed before heading out. Mid-May is historically peak cobia season along this stretch of coast, with fish moving nearshore on structure and following cownose rays — no source in today's feeds confirms current cobia activity specifically, but the temperature and calendar align squarely with that run. Angler chatter is circulating around yellowfin tuna at offshore rigs, though sea state will be the deciding factor for longer runs. The waning crescent moon supports early-morning low-light windows for inshore action.

May 12

Water temps of 77–79°F (NOAA buoys 42036 and 42013) are fueling a textbook May transition along Florida's Gulf Coast. Capt. Brandon Naeve out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters (Sarasota) landed a 34-pound, 4-ounce snook at Boca Grande on May 9th — a new boat record — as fish move from back bays to beaches and passes ahead of the spawn. May is prime time for this migration, with slot-and-over-slot fish increasingly active at the passes. Jack crevalle are schooling hard in Sarasota Bay right now per CB's Outfitters, feeding on baitfish near oyster bars, seawalls, and inlets; early-morning topwater on poppers and fast-retrieved jigs is the play. Capt. Chuck Cress (CB's) is also reporting upper-slot redfish and trout action, with clients catching and releasing multiple fish per session. Captain Rick Murphy's Florida Insider confirms the trout bite is on across Florida.

May 12

ALL IN Key West reports mutton snapper are 'chewing like crazy' as the species hits peak spawning-aggregation mode in the days following the full moon, with yellowtail 'practically jumping in the boat.' NOAA buoys SMKF1 and SANF1 logged light winds of 4–5 knots and air temps near 84°F on May 12, pointing to favorable offshore conditions. On the Gulf of America side, ALL IN Key West recently tallied a mixed-bag charter loaded with grouper, cobia, barracuda, and kingfish. The most recent offshore water-temperature reading — 78°F at buoy 41114 on April 26 — likely understates current temps, with mid-May typically pushing Keys surface water into the low 80s. Mahi-mahi, sailfish, and kingfish are all in the rotation per ALL IN Key West, with live bait doing the heavy lifting on reef edges and offshore structure. Conditions across both the flats and the offshore grounds are as good as they get.

May 12

Wired 2 Fish declares May the best bream bite of the year, with redear sunfish — shellcrackers — pushing into the shallows to spawn across southern freshwater systems. That pattern holds true for both Lake Okeechobee's vast vegetated flats and the St. Johns River backwaters, where USGS gauge 02232000 logged a stable 60.4 cfs this morning — clean, low-flow conditions that tend to concentrate fish along grass edges and hard structure. Largemouth bass are deep in the post-spawn transition: Tactical Bassin reports fish schooling up after spawning, with topwater, frogs over heavy cover, and swimbaits all in play as the early-summer shift takes hold. The waning crescent moon this week reduces ambient nightlight, which can push the most reliable shallow bite windows into midday. Florida Sea Grant's active invasive species monitoring across South Florida canals and Everglades-adjacent water is a timely reminder for Okeechobee fringe anglers — report unusual catches to help protect the fishery.

May 12

Water temps of 77–78°F logged by NOAA buoys 42036 and 42039 have the Florida Gulf Coast spring fishery firing on all cylinders. Naples Offshore Fishing Charters reports consistently sight fishing large permit right now, alongside steady kingfish action on plugs and flies, with cobia and amberjacks rounding out an offshore mix the captain describes as "very dynamic." Inshore, Captain Rick Murphy (FL Insider) flags the trout bite as on across Florida — giving anglers a viable shallower option on windier days. The waning crescent moon this week limits overnight feeding activity, making dawn low-light windows the priority timing for both permit flats and trout patterns. CCA Florida is also raising an alert about a proposed cruise port development near Rattlesnake Key in South Tampa Bay that would require dredging through seagrass and mangrove habitat currently holding game fish — a situation worth monitoring for anyone who fishes that stretch of the bay.

May 12

NOAA buoy 42039 logged 78°F Gulf surface temps this morning — right in the sweet spot for Panhandle late-spring action. Captain Rick Murphy (FL Insider) confirms the statewide signal this week: the trout bite is on across Florida, and Panhandle grass flats and nearshore ledges are well-positioned to deliver on that pattern. Wind readings are split: buoy 42039 recorded near-calm 1 m/s conditions while buoy 42012 showed 8 m/s, a reminder that Gulf sea state can vary sharply by departure point. Today's waning crescent moon favors low-light feeding windows — first light and the final hour before dark are your best bets inshore. Beyond trout, May traditionally brings the tail end of cobia's spring beach migration and Spanish mackerel working through inlets and nearshore structure. No Gulf red snapper season update was included in this reporting cycle's intel; verify current federal regs before targeting reef species offshore.

May 12