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Islamorada Fishing Report: Winter Bites, Sailfish Tourney, Reef and Bridge Action
Published 4 months, 3 weeks ago
Description
This is Artificial Lure with your Islamorada fishing report.
We woke up to classic winter-Keys weather: temps hovering in the upper 70s with a light east to southeast breeze and mostly clear skies, according to US Harbors’ Islamorada marine forecast. Winds will bump up just a touch mid‑day but seas stay very manageable offshore. Sunrise was right around 7:30 a.m. and sunset will be about 5:40 p.m., so you’ve got a tight winter window and those crepuscular bites really matter.
NOAA’s Upper Matecumbe Key tide predictions show a modest morning high, falling through late morning, then a building afternoon push. That dropping tide after sun‑up is setting up nicely for the bridges and oceanside edges; the afternoon flood will light up the inside sandbars and mangrove points.
Offshore, the Islamorada Sailfish Tournament is in full swing out of Three Waters Resort, and the fleet’s been seeing steady sailfish in 120–180 feet off Alligator Reef and down toward Pickles Reef. Boats are also reporting decent blackfin tuna on the humps with a few nicer fish late in the day. With this light breeze, naked ballyhoo and kite‑baits are the ticket for sails; smaller live pilchards and sardines on 40‑ to 50‑pound fluoro are getting the blackfins. If you’re fun‑fishing, a pink or blue/white Sea Witch over a ballyhoo will still bend rods on dolphin and the occasional wahoo sliding through the color change.
On the reef edge, the winter pattern is tightening up. Local captains out of Bud N’ Mary’s have been putting together mixed bags of yellowtail, mutton snapper, and a few legal grouper on the 60‑ to 90‑foot patches. Chum hard with oats and blocks, fish small yellowtail jigs tipped with cut ballyhoo or shrimp, and keep one heavier rod down with a live pinfish for that mutton or grouper. Fluorocarbon leaders in the 20–30‑pound range are making a real difference in the clear water.
Backcountry side in Florida Bay, the tides4fishing tables for Channel Two and Flamingo are showing strong solunar activity this stretch, and it’s lining up with what we’re seeing. Snook and redfish have been chewing along the mainland shorelines and creek mouths, especially on the falling water. Live shrimp under a popping cork, or a 3‑inch soft plastic paddle‑tail in pearl or new penny, have been the workhorses. Around the local Islamorada flats, seatrout and ladyfish are thick, with a few surprise pompano when the current picks up.
Around the bridges – Channel 2, Channel 5, and Snake Creek – the falling morning tide is prime. Mutton snapper, mangroves, jacks, and the odd tarpon are hanging on the down‑current sides. A live pilchard or pinfish on a sliding sinker rig, tucked tight to the pilings, is tough to beat. At night, big plugs and swimbaits in natural mullet patterns are getting cracked by snook and resident tarpon.
Best lures and baits today:
- Offshore: live gogs and pilchards, rigged ballyhoo behind Sea Witches, and small vertical jigs on the humps.
- Reef/bridges: live shrimp, cut ballyhoo, pinfish; 1/8–3/8 oz jigheads with shrimp or Gulp in white or chartreuse.
- Backcountry: 3‑ to 4‑inch paddle‑tails and jerk shads in pearl, root beer, or new penny, plus live shrimp under corks.
Couple of hot spots to circle:
- Alligator Reef Light and the nearby edge in 120–180 feet for sails, tuna, and mixed pelagics.
- Channel 2 and Channel 5 bridges for muttons, mangroves, jacks, and night‑time snook and tarpon on the tides.
This is Artificial Lure reminding you to fish the tides, watch the color changes, and don’t sleep on that first and last light bite.
Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe.
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 c
We woke up to classic winter-Keys weather: temps hovering in the upper 70s with a light east to southeast breeze and mostly clear skies, according to US Harbors’ Islamorada marine forecast. Winds will bump up just a touch mid‑day but seas stay very manageable offshore. Sunrise was right around 7:30 a.m. and sunset will be about 5:40 p.m., so you’ve got a tight winter window and those crepuscular bites really matter.
NOAA’s Upper Matecumbe Key tide predictions show a modest morning high, falling through late morning, then a building afternoon push. That dropping tide after sun‑up is setting up nicely for the bridges and oceanside edges; the afternoon flood will light up the inside sandbars and mangrove points.
Offshore, the Islamorada Sailfish Tournament is in full swing out of Three Waters Resort, and the fleet’s been seeing steady sailfish in 120–180 feet off Alligator Reef and down toward Pickles Reef. Boats are also reporting decent blackfin tuna on the humps with a few nicer fish late in the day. With this light breeze, naked ballyhoo and kite‑baits are the ticket for sails; smaller live pilchards and sardines on 40‑ to 50‑pound fluoro are getting the blackfins. If you’re fun‑fishing, a pink or blue/white Sea Witch over a ballyhoo will still bend rods on dolphin and the occasional wahoo sliding through the color change.
On the reef edge, the winter pattern is tightening up. Local captains out of Bud N’ Mary’s have been putting together mixed bags of yellowtail, mutton snapper, and a few legal grouper on the 60‑ to 90‑foot patches. Chum hard with oats and blocks, fish small yellowtail jigs tipped with cut ballyhoo or shrimp, and keep one heavier rod down with a live pinfish for that mutton or grouper. Fluorocarbon leaders in the 20–30‑pound range are making a real difference in the clear water.
Backcountry side in Florida Bay, the tides4fishing tables for Channel Two and Flamingo are showing strong solunar activity this stretch, and it’s lining up with what we’re seeing. Snook and redfish have been chewing along the mainland shorelines and creek mouths, especially on the falling water. Live shrimp under a popping cork, or a 3‑inch soft plastic paddle‑tail in pearl or new penny, have been the workhorses. Around the local Islamorada flats, seatrout and ladyfish are thick, with a few surprise pompano when the current picks up.
Around the bridges – Channel 2, Channel 5, and Snake Creek – the falling morning tide is prime. Mutton snapper, mangroves, jacks, and the odd tarpon are hanging on the down‑current sides. A live pilchard or pinfish on a sliding sinker rig, tucked tight to the pilings, is tough to beat. At night, big plugs and swimbaits in natural mullet patterns are getting cracked by snook and resident tarpon.
Best lures and baits today:
- Offshore: live gogs and pilchards, rigged ballyhoo behind Sea Witches, and small vertical jigs on the humps.
- Reef/bridges: live shrimp, cut ballyhoo, pinfish; 1/8–3/8 oz jigheads with shrimp or Gulp in white or chartreuse.
- Backcountry: 3‑ to 4‑inch paddle‑tails and jerk shads in pearl, root beer, or new penny, plus live shrimp under corks.
Couple of hot spots to circle:
- Alligator Reef Light and the nearby edge in 120–180 feet for sails, tuna, and mixed pelagics.
- Channel 2 and Channel 5 bridges for muttons, mangroves, jacks, and night‑time snook and tarpon on the tides.
This is Artificial Lure reminding you to fish the tides, watch the color changes, and don’t sleep on that first and last light bite.
Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe.
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 c