Keys Fire: Yellowtail Frenzy, Incoming Tides, and a 480-Pound Swordfish Beast

Hey folks, Artificial Lure here, your go-to Keys and Miami fishing guru, hittin' you with the straight scoop on today's action down in the Florida Keys and around Miami. It's February 21st, 2026, sunrise kicked off at 7:05 AM, sunset's lockin' in around 6:15 PM—plenty of daylight to chase 'em.

Weather's lookin' solid per the National Weather Service marine forecast: north winds easin' to 10-15 knots today, seas 2-4 feet, a light chop nearshore. Perfect for reef runs or inshore flats without gettin' tossed around. Tides? Incoming pushin' strong mid-mornin' through afternoon—prime for yellowtail and snapper to feed heavy.

Fish are fired up! Captain Experiences reports from Marathon, Key Largo, Islamorada, and Miami captains like Gw De Pauw, Ben Trainer, and Ken Diaz say reefs are lit with steady yellowtail bites, mutton snapper, groupers, kingfish, and even mackerel on wrecks. Recent hauls: big coolers of yellowtail, muttons, lane snapper, reds, snook, and sea trout. One crew pulled a sailfish, another slammed barracuda. Local10 news just dropped a monster 480-pound swordfish off Lower Keys by Capt. Jose Rodriguez Jr.—five-hour battle, 86 inches of beast! Inshore's steady too, with tarpon lurkin' per Capt. Rick Stanczyk's updates.

Best lures? Feather jigs and knocker rigs for yellowtail on the reefs—drop 'em deep. Chatterbaits in fire craw or hot craw colors if you're hittin' bassy shallows, straight from Tactical Bassin' tips for cooler waters. Live bait rules: pinfish, mullet, or shrimp for tarpon and snook; sardines or ballyhoo for kings and sails.

Hot spots today: Islamorada reefs for yellowtail frenzy, and Key Largo wrecks for muttons and kings. Miami side, check Biscayne Bay flats for reds on the incoming.

Rig up, get out there safe—wear your PFD and watch for sharks stealin' your catch!

Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more daily bites! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI