Islamorada locals call it the Sportfishing Capital of the World for good reason—this Friday, September 26th, 2025, proved why once again. Sunrise crept over the horizon at 7:13 AM and delivered a muggy start hovering in the low 80s, with light southeast winds around 8 knots, and scattered clouds, making for perfect sight casting conditions out on the flats.
Tidewise, anglers caught a falling tide after a modest early morning high around 5:11 AM, bottoming out near 10:50 AM, then back up with an afternoon push peaking around 4 PM. With lower tidal coefficients this week in Florida Bay, moving water was subtle but steady, so the best bite lined up right at first light and again late afternoon, especially where current funneled through pinch points and channels.
On the reef and patch edges, plenty of boats reported solid catches of yellowtail and mangrove snapper—most keepers running 14–18 inches, with a few pushing two pounds mixed in. The best bite came on cut ballyhoo and pilchards drifted back in the chum slick. If you get into the ballyhoo showers, don't miss the chance to toss small bucktail jigs or pilchard-patterned plugs for cero mackerel as they blitz through. Reports from the local headboats say limits of snapper came easy by 10 a.m.
Inshore, things heat up in the backcountry. Guides out of World Wide Sportsman put folks on slot redfish and a surprising early push of juvenile tarpon from Snake Creek back to the edge of Everglades waters. Tarpon to 30 lbs were rolling just after sunrise, with live pilchards and Z-Man soft plastics both drawing action. Topwater plugs like the Rapala Skitter Walk in bone or mullet colors tempted a few explosive snook strikes near shoreline mangroves just before the clouds rolled in.
For those chasing bonefish, the ocean side flats around Lower Matecumbe and Windley Key continue to deliver. Quiet waders casting live shrimp or Gulp! swimming mullet found singles and pairs tailing hard on the last hour of falling water, averaging 3–5 pounds.
Word at the dock is live shrimp are still king for bonefish and snapper, but soft plastics in new penny or glow have been working when finicky fish turn their noses at bait. When conditions slick off, fly anglers have done well with tan or olive toad flies. For artificials chasers in the backcountry, gold spoons and paddle-tail swimbaits in the 3–4" range are producing solid redfish and trout action.
A couple hotspots to hit this weekend:
- **Whale Harbor Channel**: Consistent action for snapper, jacks, and the chance at a big 'cuda or tarpon when the current’s moving.
- **Snake Creek Bridges**: Early-morning topwater for snook and tarpon, plus mixed bag opportunities as bait schools pile up on the outgoing.
Overall, fish activity is peaking at dawn and dusk, so plan to be on your spot during those windows. The late-September heat means fish will hunker down by midday, so target shaded structure or focus on deeper channels as the sun rises.
Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe for the latest and best from the water. 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
