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Islamorada Fishing Report: Snook, Tarpon, and More on the Bite
Published 7 months, 2 weeks ago
Description
Good morning, Islamorada anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your local fishing report for Wednesday, September 17th, 2025.
We’re kicking off the day with a tide schedule that favors both inshore and backcountry action. First low tide landed at 2:02 AM, first high at 7:45 AM—right around sunrise at 7:09 AM today. Afternoon lows hit at 4:05 PM, and you’ve got one more high at 9:31 PM. Sunset’s at 7:23 PM, so you’ve got plenty of daylight for both early and late runs. Tidal range is modest, with surface currents not running too strong—perfect for a stealthier presentation, especially in the creeks and bays, according to Tide-Forecast.com.
Weather’s been holding steady: expect partly cloudy skies with calm wind windows this morning before a few spotty showers pop up through midday. Don’t let a quick rain squall chase you off; fish are staying active between the fronts, based on recent runs from some of our long-timers like Capt. Rick Stanczyk over at Bud n’ Mary’s Marina.
Let’s talk about the bite. Snook are still a top target on the inside, stacking up early around mangrove creek mouths and deeper holes. Live pinfish and pilchards have worked best, but a well-presented soft plastic paddle-tail or shrimp imitation on a light jig head is matching the hatch and scoring consistent hookups. If artificial’s your game, try a root beer or gold flake color around sunrise.
Tarpon are hanging around in fair numbers. Juveniles are popping up in potholes and channels—great chance if you’re tossing small live baits or drifting a DOA TerrorEyz jig. Captain Rick mentioned a recent trip that went 3-for-3 on “happy” little tarpon while really targeting snook, so don’t hesitate to double up rods while you’re set up in the backcountry.
Mangrove snapper and beeliners are biting well off structure—dock pilings, old bridge rubble, and channel edges. Fresh-cut bait like pilchard, ballyhoo, or shrimp on small hooks is the ticket. Spanish mackerel and schoolie yellowjacks are still hot on the deeper grass flats; flashy spoons and shrimp-tipped jigs are pulling solid numbers, especially as that incoming tide stacks up bait.
If you’re looking for specifics: the patch reefs outside of Alligator Reef Light are holding a fun mix of mangrove snapper, lane snapper, and the odd mutton. Out west, around the Snake Bight and Flamingo edges, topwater plugs at first light have produced surprise snook and trout, and a live shrimp under a popping cork can get the job done.
Hot spot picks:
- The channels near Channel 2 and Channel 5 bridges in the early morning—add a split shot above a live shrimp and drift with the current.
- Out back in the tarpon-infested creeks off Murray and Park Keys in Florida Bay.
- For a mixed bag, fish the grass flats north of Whale Harbor with gulp shrimp or pinfish—trout, jacks, and the occasional redfish are looking up.
Fresh ballyhoo is showing up in the marina, and pilchard pods are still easy to net on the oceanside flats—match your bait or your lure color to what’s flashing around your boat, and you’ll stay ahead of the game.
Thanks for tuning in! Don’t forget to subscribe, and may your drags run smooth and your coolers fill up. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.
We’re kicking off the day with a tide schedule that favors both inshore and backcountry action. First low tide landed at 2:02 AM, first high at 7:45 AM—right around sunrise at 7:09 AM today. Afternoon lows hit at 4:05 PM, and you’ve got one more high at 9:31 PM. Sunset’s at 7:23 PM, so you’ve got plenty of daylight for both early and late runs. Tidal range is modest, with surface currents not running too strong—perfect for a stealthier presentation, especially in the creeks and bays, according to Tide-Forecast.com.
Weather’s been holding steady: expect partly cloudy skies with calm wind windows this morning before a few spotty showers pop up through midday. Don’t let a quick rain squall chase you off; fish are staying active between the fronts, based on recent runs from some of our long-timers like Capt. Rick Stanczyk over at Bud n’ Mary’s Marina.
Let’s talk about the bite. Snook are still a top target on the inside, stacking up early around mangrove creek mouths and deeper holes. Live pinfish and pilchards have worked best, but a well-presented soft plastic paddle-tail or shrimp imitation on a light jig head is matching the hatch and scoring consistent hookups. If artificial’s your game, try a root beer or gold flake color around sunrise.
Tarpon are hanging around in fair numbers. Juveniles are popping up in potholes and channels—great chance if you’re tossing small live baits or drifting a DOA TerrorEyz jig. Captain Rick mentioned a recent trip that went 3-for-3 on “happy” little tarpon while really targeting snook, so don’t hesitate to double up rods while you’re set up in the backcountry.
Mangrove snapper and beeliners are biting well off structure—dock pilings, old bridge rubble, and channel edges. Fresh-cut bait like pilchard, ballyhoo, or shrimp on small hooks is the ticket. Spanish mackerel and schoolie yellowjacks are still hot on the deeper grass flats; flashy spoons and shrimp-tipped jigs are pulling solid numbers, especially as that incoming tide stacks up bait.
If you’re looking for specifics: the patch reefs outside of Alligator Reef Light are holding a fun mix of mangrove snapper, lane snapper, and the odd mutton. Out west, around the Snake Bight and Flamingo edges, topwater plugs at first light have produced surprise snook and trout, and a live shrimp under a popping cork can get the job done.
Hot spot picks:
- The channels near Channel 2 and Channel 5 bridges in the early morning—add a split shot above a live shrimp and drift with the current.
- Out back in the tarpon-infested creeks off Murray and Park Keys in Florida Bay.
- For a mixed bag, fish the grass flats north of Whale Harbor with gulp shrimp or pinfish—trout, jacks, and the occasional redfish are looking up.
Fresh ballyhoo is showing up in the marina, and pilchard pods are still easy to net on the oceanside flats—match your bait or your lure color to what’s flashing around your boat, and you’ll stay ahead of the game.
Thanks for tuning in! Don’t forget to subscribe, and may your drags run smooth and your coolers fill up. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This episode includes AI-generated content.