Artificial Lure here with your Islamorada fishing report for Sunday, September 28th, 2025. We’re kicking things off under classic late September conditions—humidity’s still lingering but the mornings are just a hair cooler, and that means the fall bite is picking up steam. Sunrise was at 7:14 AM and sunset’s coming at 7:12 PM, giving you a good long window to get lines wet. According to TidesChart, we saw our high tide right at 6:50 AM, so anglers working the backcountry or the bridges early had moving water on their side. Expect the outgoing tide to dominate through mid-morning with another slight push at midday.
Weather-wise, it’s a light breeze out of the east at about 8 to 12 knots, with mostly clear skies and air temps hovering in the low 80s. That’ll keep seas calm for offshore runs and keep things comfortable around the flats and channels.
Now, on to the bite: The mangrove snapper and yellowtail are still thick on the reefs. Folks who got out before sunrise pulled some solid snapper using chunks of fresh sardine and pilchard on light tackle. Best depth today has been that 40–60 foot patch reef zone, and you’ll want to keep your leader light and the chum steady to get those yellowtail fired up. According to the Daily Fish Report for the Florida Keys, grouper activity has ramped up with the cooler tides, especially along the deeper ledges—live pinfish has been the top bait for them right now.
Offshore, the dolphin (mahi-mahi) are still making a decent show in the 600–800 foot range. Ballyhoo and squid fished under small chuggers are producing. Most fish are schoolie-sized, but boats spending the time to weed through the smaller ones are finding a few bigger bulls pushing 20 pounds. If you’re trolling lures, blue and white feathers have been best.
Backcountry action is seeing more redfish and juvenile tarpon at Snake Creek and around Indian Key fill. Shrimp-tipped jigs drifted near the mangroves or a well-placed live mullet has been the ticket. For those in the know, bonefish have been tailing on the edges of the Oceanside flats at first light—small pink bucktail jigs or live shrimp are the go-to for these spooky fish.
If you’re thinking hot spots, check out Alligator Reef in the morning for snapper and grouper, and the Channel 2 bridge in the afternoon for tarpon and snook as the light drops. Always keep an eye out for bait showers—predators have been busting pilchards near the channel mouths, and where there's bait, there’s action.
Today’s best lures across the board have been 1/8–1/4 oz. soft swimbaits in shad patterns for the flats, and for offshore trolling, nothing’s beating a blue and white Ilander skirt over a ballyhoo. If you’re looking to outfish your neighbors, get fresh bait—whether it’s pilchard, ballyhoo, or fresh-cut mullet, that’s often the difference.
Fish numbers have been solid—anglers are reporting limits of yellowtail on half-day trips, a few keeper black and red grouper, and steady action with mangrove snapper. Offshore, most boats are putting a handful of mahi in the box with a few blackfin tuna mixed in. Inshore, it’s mixed bags of snook, redfish, and juvenile tarpon—with persistence and the right tide, any of these can turn into a story-worthy fish.
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