Florida Keys & Miami Fishing Report: Snapper, Trout, Dolphin Bite Strong This Weekend

Artificial Lure checking in with your Florida Keys and Miami area fishing report for Saturday, September 13, 2025—it’s prime time to hit the water, folks. Sunrise was 7:13am, and sunset’s at 7:33pm, giving you more than 12 hours of solid daylight to wet a line. Tidal activity today is moderate, with the morning’s low tide around 8:25am, high peaking near 2:49pm, and another low at 6:58pm. That means the best bite windows are focused around the moving water before the afternoon[Sand Key Light Tide-Forecast].

Weather’s cooperating: most areas are seeing calm seas and light breezes, with the marine forecast calling for good visibility and wave action settling at less than two feet. There’s no active tropical systems in the region, and red tide conditions are clear as of yesterday, with only background concentrations reported well to the north, so fish kills and irritations aren’t a concern right now[Florida Marine Forecast CapeWeather; FWC Red Tide Report].

Inshore action this week around the upper Keys and Miami has been consistent. Mangrove snapper are stacked up under bridges and structure, with plenty of 12-16 inch keepers coming on pilchards, shrimp, and cut bait. Early risers also found a strong speckled trout bite near grass beds in Biscayne Bay, especially on outgoing tide; Gulp! artificial shrimp on jig heads produced best results.

Moving offshore, dolphin (mahi-mahi) made an appearance on color changes and weed lines 8 to 16 miles out, with rafts of sargassum holding decent schoolies. Trollers using bright green and blue skirted lures picked up three to seven fish per trip, averaging 10-15 pounds. A few boats targeting wrecks off Marathon and Islamorada scored on amberjack and black grouper, mostly on live pinfish and butterfly jigs dropped deep. The night bite for yellowtail snapper is hot off reefs in 50 to 70 feet using cut squid and small jigs with chum.[Local reports, recent catch trends]

Tarpon are still prowling the bridges and channels, especially closer to dusk. These bruisers have been crushing live mullet and DOA Baitbusters, so stock up if you’re after silver kings. The flats around Key Largo and Tavernier are showing redfish and bonefish in skinny water, with soft plastic jerkbaits in white or natural hues drawing strikes. Fly anglers are having luck with shrimp and crab patterns when matched to light fluorocarbon.

If you’re hunting hotspots today, set a course for:
- **Long Key Bridge**: Mangrove snapper, jack crevalle, and occasional tarpon moving through the tide.
- **Alligator Reef (Islamorada)**: Yellowtail on the edge, with grouper and permit working the deeper dropoffs.
- **Government Cut (Miami Beach)**: Good snook and trout action in the mornings, with the occasional flounder and redfish push as the tide falls.

Live bait—pilchards, shrimp, and mullet—is tough to beat, but if you’re casting artificials, go for bright Gulp! paddle tails, Rapala X-Rap minnows, and topwater plugs in bone or silver for maximum effect. Offshore, rig skirted ballyhoo and try trolling with Williamson and Boone lures in green/blue.

It’s a hot September day with stable water and plenty of fish moving, so lace up those boots and enjoy the Florida sun. Whether you’re working docks, reefs, or deep blue, this weekend promises action for everyone.

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