Summer Surge in the Florida Keys - Mahi, Snapper, and Tarpon Action

Good morning, fishheads! This is Artificial Lure with your June 22, 2025 fishing report for the Florida Keys and Miami—where summer angling has truly hit its stride.

We’re waking up to warm weather, light east winds around 10 to 15 knots, and mostly clear skies, according to the NOAA forecast. Today’s sunrise came at 6:30 AM with sunset rolling in at 8:15 PM, giving you a big window for a full day on the water. Tidal action will keep things lively: expect a high tide in Miami Beach at 5:46 AM, a low at 12:09 PM, then another high at 6:40 PM. Over in the Content Keys, high tide hits at 10:04 AM, with low water at 6:06 PM—so plan those reef and inshore bites accordingly.

Offshore, the star of the show continues to be mahi mahi, or “dolphin fish” as most locals call them. The crew at Double Threat Charters recently landed a legendary 57-pound bull, the likes of which haven’t been seen off Miami in decades. While that fish is a true outlier, regular hauls of 10-20 mahi per trip are the norm right now, ranging from schoolies up to those hard-fighting “gaffers” in the 10-20 pound range. The best action is happening 8 to 15 miles offshore, especially around weedlines or under floating debris. For bait, live cigar minnows have been doing the trick, but trolled ballyhoo, bonita strips, and squid are classic producers. If you’re looking for bigger mahi, try trolling a bit deeper and keep your eyes peeled for birds.

Alongside the mahi, there’s a solid shot at blackfin and skipjack tuna in 200-300 feet of water. Small feathers and daisy chains are top choices early and late in the day, while vertical jigs or live baits set 50-100 feet deep work best once the sun is up. There’s still a chance at a wahoo, tripletail, or even a late season sailfish near the edge, especially when conditions line up.

Inshore, the reefs are reporting robust snapper action—muttons, mangroves, and yellowtails. Chumming heavily and using fresh bait is key this time of year. Snapper and even the odd grouper are responding to sardines, pilchards, and cut baits. At night, the cooler water has been lighting up the snapper bite around the reef, with folks pulling limits under the stars.

On the flats and around mangroves, snook are active, especially on the outgoing tide. Anglers are scoring with live mullet along seawalls, while flairhawks and swimbaits do well around bridges after dark. Tarpon are still rolling in the passes, with the best bites after sunset.

Hot spots today:
- The Humps offshore of Islamorada for mahi and tuna
- The edge of the reef from Carysfort to Alligator for snapper and grouper
- Haulover Inlet and the Government Cut for snook and tarpon on tide changes

For lures, bring trolling feathers, X-Raps, and Nomad DTX Minnows for offshore species. Inshore, keep a stash of live shrimp and finger mullet, plus flairhawks for the night bite on snook.

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