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Islamorada Fishing Report 9/24/2025: Calm Seas, Promising Bite Across the Board
Published 7 months, 1 week ago
Description
It’s Artificial Lure here with your Islamorada fishing report for Wednesday, September 24, 2025. The sun’s just cracking the horizon at 7:12 this morning, with lines of orange bouncing off slick-calm waters. Expect sunset around 7:17 tonight, giving you over 12 hours to chase whatever’s biting.
Tides in Islamorada are running gentle today, with a low at 9:50 am, then peaking for a moderate high at 3:37 pm before dropping again around 10:06 tonight, according to TidesChart. The tidal swing isn’t huge, so moving water will be limited, but it’ll still concentrate your best bites around those turnarounds. Solunar tables show middling activity midday—so aim to fish the hours bracketing the afternoon high tide for your best shot at action.
Weather-wise, it’s a classic late September Keys day: warm, humid, and not much wind early. Afternoon breezes may freshen a bit out of the east, but storms look unlikely for most of the daylight hours. Keep an eye on the radar if you’re heading offshore, but the backcountry and patch reefs should stay glassy.
Let’s talk catches—recent days have seen pretty steady action across the board. Offshore, boats returning to Robbie’s and Bud N’ Mary’s have been hanging up solid blackfin tuna and mahi-mahi, mostly in the 10-to-20-pound range, with a few schoolies pushing over 25. Look for birds and weedlines in about 300–600 feet on a southeast troll. Ballyhoo skirts are the local standby, but blue and white feather jigs are also scoring well.
On the wrecks and deep reefs, yellowtail snapper continues to impress—plenty of keepers and some flag-size fish. Mutton snapper have been popping up more, mostly on the deeper side (80–120 feet), with live pilchards or frozen ballyhoo getting the job done. Grouper remain catch-and-release until the season opens again, but there are some chunky reds and blacks lurking if you want a photo op.
The flats and backcountry are lively, too. Early risers did best hunting bonefish and permit on the oceanside flats on last week’s incoming tides, with smaller live crab and shrimp under a light fluorocarbon leader doing the trick. You’ll find tarpon rolling at first light at Channel 2 and 5 bridges—best shot is still live mullet drifted mid-water, but big soft swimbaits will also trigger bites if bait’s scarce.
Mangrove snapper and snook are active in the mangroves just after sunup, especially where current brushes up against deeper cuts. Bridges and creek mouths like Snake Creek and Tavernier Creek have been reliable, especially drifting live pilchard or freelined shrimp. Don’t be afraid to toss soft plastic jerkbaits in white or root beer—fish are keyed in on mullet-sized shapes right now.
For best luck today, bring live shrimp, pilchard, or mullet if you can cast-net them yourself. For artificials, nothing’s beating gold spoons, greenback paddletails, and 1/8 to 1/4-ounce jigheads dressed with Gulp! or Z-Man baits. Offshore, stick with pink or blue skirts over ballyhoo, or try Williamson trolling feathers.
Hit spots like Alligator Reef for yellowtail snapper or move out to the Islamorada Hump for your shot at tuna. Backcountry fans, Snake Bight still holds a pile of hungry snook and redfish.
Tournaments are heating up as fall comes—don’t miss the kids’ derby at the Lorelei on September 28, hosted by the Islamorada Charter Boat Association.
Thanks for tuning in to today’s report—tight lines, and don’t forget to subscribe to get daily updates, gear tips, and locals-only hotspots.
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.
Tides in Islamorada are running gentle today, with a low at 9:50 am, then peaking for a moderate high at 3:37 pm before dropping again around 10:06 tonight, according to TidesChart. The tidal swing isn’t huge, so moving water will be limited, but it’ll still concentrate your best bites around those turnarounds. Solunar tables show middling activity midday—so aim to fish the hours bracketing the afternoon high tide for your best shot at action.
Weather-wise, it’s a classic late September Keys day: warm, humid, and not much wind early. Afternoon breezes may freshen a bit out of the east, but storms look unlikely for most of the daylight hours. Keep an eye on the radar if you’re heading offshore, but the backcountry and patch reefs should stay glassy.
Let’s talk catches—recent days have seen pretty steady action across the board. Offshore, boats returning to Robbie’s and Bud N’ Mary’s have been hanging up solid blackfin tuna and mahi-mahi, mostly in the 10-to-20-pound range, with a few schoolies pushing over 25. Look for birds and weedlines in about 300–600 feet on a southeast troll. Ballyhoo skirts are the local standby, but blue and white feather jigs are also scoring well.
On the wrecks and deep reefs, yellowtail snapper continues to impress—plenty of keepers and some flag-size fish. Mutton snapper have been popping up more, mostly on the deeper side (80–120 feet), with live pilchards or frozen ballyhoo getting the job done. Grouper remain catch-and-release until the season opens again, but there are some chunky reds and blacks lurking if you want a photo op.
The flats and backcountry are lively, too. Early risers did best hunting bonefish and permit on the oceanside flats on last week’s incoming tides, with smaller live crab and shrimp under a light fluorocarbon leader doing the trick. You’ll find tarpon rolling at first light at Channel 2 and 5 bridges—best shot is still live mullet drifted mid-water, but big soft swimbaits will also trigger bites if bait’s scarce.
Mangrove snapper and snook are active in the mangroves just after sunup, especially where current brushes up against deeper cuts. Bridges and creek mouths like Snake Creek and Tavernier Creek have been reliable, especially drifting live pilchard or freelined shrimp. Don’t be afraid to toss soft plastic jerkbaits in white or root beer—fish are keyed in on mullet-sized shapes right now.
For best luck today, bring live shrimp, pilchard, or mullet if you can cast-net them yourself. For artificials, nothing’s beating gold spoons, greenback paddletails, and 1/8 to 1/4-ounce jigheads dressed with Gulp! or Z-Man baits. Offshore, stick with pink or blue skirts over ballyhoo, or try Williamson trolling feathers.
Hit spots like Alligator Reef for yellowtail snapper or move out to the Islamorada Hump for your shot at tuna. Backcountry fans, Snake Bight still holds a pile of hungry snook and redfish.
Tournaments are heating up as fall comes—don’t miss the kids’ derby at the Lorelei on September 28, hosted by the Islamorada Charter Boat Association.
Thanks for tuning in to today’s report—tight lines, and don’t forget to subscribe to get daily updates, gear tips, and locals-only hotspots.
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.