Florida fishing reports
793 reports for Florida — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Fall transition begins on Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns
Late September marks the start of Florida's fall transition on Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns River, as shorter days and cooling overnight air begin loosening summer's grip on both fisheries. The shift is gradual this time of year rather than abrupt, with water levels typically starting to ease as the region moves out of the wet season.
Fall Snook Season Heats Up in Sarasota Bay
Gulf water is sitting at 82°F this week, per NOAA CO-OPS stations 8726520 and 8726724, and that warmth is exactly what's turning on the fall snook bite. Capt. Brandon Naeve at CB's Saltwater Outfitters in Sarasota says fall snook season is officially open, with the warm water keeping fish aggressive along the Gulf Coast. Capt. Kelly Kurtz, fishing out of Siesta Key with the same shop, reports an active inshore bite in Sarasota Bay for snook and redfish this week, with one angler landing a nice redfish before release. Tarpon are in transition: Capt. Rick Grassett's shop forecast notes migratory tarpon thinning out in the coastal Gulf as September closes, pulling into inside waters around bridges and deep grass flats to feed before moving on.
Warm Gulf Waters Persist as Red Snapper Season Drama Continues
Gulf Coast water temperatures held in the low 80s Wednesday morning, with NOAA CO-OPS readings of 83.1°F off Fort Myers and 82°F at Cedar Key, keeping the region locked into late-summer conditions as the calendar turns toward October. The bigger story on the water this week is regulatory, not biological. CCA Florida reports that a federal court issued a preliminary injunction blocking the 2026 South Atlantic red snapper Exempted Fishing Permit pilot programs for Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, a ruling Saltwater Sportsman notes landed with a planned season opener just days away. CCA Florida is also flagging a separate concern specific to Gulf anglers: NOAA Fisheries has dropped durable-goods spending, boats, trailers, electronics, tackle, from its state-level recreational fishing economic estimates, understating the Gulf fishery's footprint just as a new red snapper stock assessment gets underway. On the water, Naples Offshore Fishing Charters describes steady, consistent action through the transition weeks, with sight-fishing conditions holding up well into the season.
Snook season fires up in Sarasota as tarpon push inside
Water temps sit near 83°F in Tampa Bay and Sarasota this week, per NOAA CO-OPS stations 8726520 and 8726724, right in line with the seasonal shift into fall snook season. Capt. Brandon Naeve of CB's Saltwater Outfitters says the Gulf Coast's fall snook season, which opened September 1, has fish at their most active in the warm water. Capt. Rick Grassett's September forecast from the same shop has snook holding strong in the surf and around ICW docks and bridges near passes, with live shrimp and pilchards producing bites. In Sarasota Bay, Capt. Kelly Kurtz reports an active inshore bite that includes snook and redfish, landing a redfish for a client this past week. Tarpon are shifting too: Grassett notes adult migratory tarpon are thinning out in the coastal Gulf as they move into inside waters around bridges and deep grass flats ahead of their fall migration.
Fall Mullet Run Turns On Snook and Tarpon Along Florida's Atlantic Coast
Snook Nook in Stuart reports Snook, Tarpon, Jacks and sharks working bait schools as this fall's mullet run pushes through, per the shop's early-October report, though the full moon and higher king tides made late September tougher fishing. Water stayed summer-warm overnight, reading 85.6°F at NOAA CO-OPS station 8722670 and 81.1°F at station 8720218, both consistent with the tail end of Florida's warm season on the Atlantic side.
Redfish stir in Panhandle backwaters as Gulf holds near 85°F
NOAA CO-OPS stations at Pensacola, Panama City and Apalachicola all read between 84°F and 85°F early this morning, holding the Panhandle in full late-summer warmth heading into October. Coastal Angler Magazine's latest reader roundup carried an early seasonal signal: an 8-year-old angler landed a 22-inch red drum near Coden, just across the Alabama line from Pensacola's Panhandle waters, her first redfish. It's the only redfish report on the board this week, but it lines up with the window that typically opens as inshore water starts its slow fall cool-down.
Redfish stay active as Gulf Coast eases toward fall
Gulf water held in the low-to-mid 80s this morning, with NOAA CO-OPS station 8725520 reading 83.1°F and station 8727520 reading 82.6°F, still solidly summer-like as September closes out. Florida Sea Grant flagged a bloom worth watching for anglers working Charlotte Harbor: researchers recently detected the alga Margalefidinium polykrikoides there, a species that causes rust tide and is rarely seen in Southwest Florida. It's a different organism than the more familiar red tide, but any bloom is worth checking against local advisories before fishing that stretch. On the redfish side, Coastal Angler Magazine's reader photos this week included a solid catch off the Alabama Gulf coast, a sign that redfish continue moving through inshore Gulf waters as the season turns. Tide swings stayed typical for a waning gibbous moon, with highs before 6 AM and lows spread from late morning into early afternoon at both stations today.
Key West captains welcome first signs of fall relief
Water temperatures across the Florida Keys are holding in the mid-80s, 85.5°F at NOAA CO-OPS station 8724580 and 84.4°F at station 8723970, still squarely in late-summer range even as the calendar turns. Charter reports out of Key West back that up: ALL IN Key West notes the heat of summer is finally letting up a little after taking September off for boat upgrades, and trips are ramping back up heading into fall and winter.
Fall Transition Takes Hold on Okeechobee and the St. Johns
Late September marks the seasonal turn for Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns River, as shortening days and easing heat begin the slow slide from summer's patterns toward a cooler, more active fall setup. On Florida's big natural lakes, this stretch typically finds fish starting to relate tighter to structure edges and current breaks as baitfish shift position with the changing light and temperature cues.
Sarasota Bay Snook Bite Heats Up as Tarpon Push Inside
Sarasota Bay is fishing well right now. Capt. Kelly Kurtz of CB's Saltwater Outfitters reports an active inshore bite for snook and redfish this week, with fish holding tight around docks and bay structure. Water at the Tampa Bay entrance is running 82.4°F, still solidly in the warm range Capt. Brandon Naeve credits for fueling the fall snook run, which opened Gulf-wide September 1. Capt. Rick Grassett's September forecast for the area has snook staged around docks, bridges, and passes in the ICW and coastal surf, while migratory tarpon are thinning out of the open Gulf and pushing into inside waters, holding over bridges and deep grass flats before moving on for the season.
Mullet run keeps Stuart snook and tarpon fired up
Water off Florida's Atlantic coast is running warm, with NOAA's Lake Worth tide station reading 85.5°F this week, a clear sign the fall mullet run is in full swing. Snook Nook in Stuart reports snook, tarpon, jacks and sharks all keying on the bait schools moving through, though a full moon and higher king tides made the bite trickier late in the month per their October report. Anglers fishing early mornings and evenings have stayed the most consistent, and the shop expects things to pick back up as more mullet push through in the coming weeks.
Snook Season Kicks Off Strong Across Sarasota Bay
Sarasota Bay's fall snook season is off to an active start, with Capt. Kelly Kurtz of CB's Saltwater Outfitters reporting a strong inshore bite for both snook and redfish this week. Water temperatures are holding at 82-83°F across the two Tampa Bay CO-OPS stations, keeping fish fed and moving as Capt. Brandon Naeve calls this stretch of Gulf Coast among the best sport fishing anywhere right now. Capt. Rick Grassett's outlook notes migratory tarpon are already thinning out of the coastal Gulf, staging around bridges and deep grass flats as they shift toward inside waters ahead of their seasonal push south.