Florida Keys fishing report for the week of October 8, 2026. Early October in the Keys is a transition month, with the summer heat easing, the hurricane season still in the background, and a lot of species overlapping. The new moon this weekend sets up some of the best tides of the month.
What’s Hitting
Permit are the headliners on the offshore wrecks and the Gulf side channels, eating live crabs and shrimp. Mutton snapper are on the reef edges and patches, especially around the new moon, and yellowtail snapper are in the chum slick on the reef line. Bonefish are working the flats on the oceanside, and tarpon are lingering around the bridges. Mahi and the occasional sailfish are offshore.
Where to Find Them
For permit, try the wrecks in 60 to 100 feet and the Gulf channels near Marathon and Key West, and look for tailing fish on the flats when the water is calm. Muttons hold on the edge of the reef, the patches off Key Largo, and the Marathon hump area. Bonefish prefer the oceanside flats on a rising tide, particularly around Islamorada and the lower Keys backcountry.
Tides & Conditions
The new moon brings stronger tides. Moving water makes permit and tarpon more active at the wrecks and bridges, and the flats will drain quickly on the dropping tide, so plan your wading and poling around the schedule. Easterly winds can make the ocean side bumpy, so check the forecast before you commit to the offshore trip.
Tackle & Tactics
For permit, a live crab on a light fluorocarbon leader is the standard offshore. On the flats, a small crab fly or a shrimp-style jig works. Muttons take live ballyhoo, pilchards and cut bait fished on the bottom with a long leader. For yellowtail, light line and a small hook behind a steady chum stream is the key. Bonefish need a quiet approach and light tackle.
Anglers heading out from the upper Keys should keep an eye on the Gulf Stream position, which can bring clean blue water close to the reef. When the blue water edge is near, the mahi and blackfin tuna are within a short run, and the reef fishing improves too.
Local Intel This Week
Public access includes Harry Harris Park in Tavernier, the Sombrero Boat Ramp in Marathon, and Garrison Bight in Key West. Fish are concentrating on the reef edges, the Gulf channels and the bridge pilings. Check current FWC regulations and seasons before keeping any fish, as snapper and permit rules differ for the Keys.
This Week’s Tip
Chum well and keep it consistent. In the Keys, an unbroken trickle of chum brings snapper up the slick, and the bigger muttons sit at the back of the line, so put your best bait there.
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