Florida Keys fishing report for the week of September 24, 2026. Late September is one of the quietest and most productive stretches of the year in the Keys. The summer crowds are gone, the water has started to cool just a little, and the Saturday full moon is setting up a strong week for permit and snapper.
What’s Hitting
What’s hot this week is permit. Big schools are showing on the wrecks in 60 to 120 feet and on the oceanside flats on the higher tides. On the reef, mutton snapper are feeding on the full-moon tides, yellowtail are chumming up in 40 to 80 feet, and mangrove snapper are steady at night. Bonefish are more active with the slightly cooler mornings, and a few tarpon are still rolling in the channels. Offshore, mahi are scattered and the first sailfish have been reported along the reef edge.
Where to Find Them
For permit, the wrecks off Marathon and the Lower Keys are the most reliable bet, with the oceanside flats off Sugarloaf and Big Pine producing on the flood. Mutton snapper are on the reef edge from Alligator Reef down to Sombrero on the moving tide. Bonefish are working the oceanside flats around Islamorada and the backcountry edges near Long Key. Tarpon are still in the Bahia Honda and Seven Mile Bridge channels at night.
Tides & Conditions
The full moon on Saturday means strong tides and good current on the reef, which is exactly what the muttons and yellowtail want. Water temps are in the mid-80s and easing down. Winds have been light out of the east, with the usual chance of afternoon storms. Keep an eye on the tropics and the marine forecast before running offshore.
Tackle & Tactics
For permit on the wrecks, a live blue crab or pass crab on a 3/0 to 4/0 hook with 30-pound fluorocarbon, dropped right onto the school, is hard to beat. On the flats, go lighter with a small crab or a permit jig. For muttons, fish a live ballyhoo or a pilchard on a knocker rig in a steady chum slick. Yellowtail want light fluorocarbon, 12 to 15 pounds, and a small hook buried in a silverside or a chunk of ballyhoo.
Local Intel This Week
Good public ramps include Harry Harris Park in Tavernier, the Founders Park ramp in Islamorada (check non-resident rules), the 33rd Street ramp in Marathon, and Spanish Harbor near Big Pine. Fish are concentrating on the wrecks for permit and on the reef edge for snapper. Much of the area lies within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, so check current FWC and federal regulations, sanctuary zones, and seasons before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
When permit are on the wreck and following baits without eating, cut your leader to 20-pound fluorocarbon and pinch the crab’s claws off. A smaller, more natural bait falling slowly gets eaten more often than a fresh crab that swims away.
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