Hey guys, this is Captain Ryan Carter here giving you the weekly inshore fishing report down in Key West, Florida.

Water temperatures are holding steady in the mid-80s, with excellent visibility across most of our fishing grounds. Light winds from the southeast have been creating ideal conditions for both sight fishing and working the flats. The tides have been cooperating beautifully, with strong moving water during the prime feeding windows.

Local tarpon fishing continues to be absolutely fantastic at first light and during the magical sunset hours. These silver kings are averaging a solid 40 pounds, and let me tell you, they’re putting on quite the aerial show with lots of air time on these incredibly acrobatic fish. We’re seeing consistent hookups throughout the week, with some anglers landing multiple fish per trip.

For bait selection, a small pinfish continues to be your best bet for the most bites. We’re also having great success with live pilchards and small crabs when the pinfish bite gets tough. The key is presenting these baits naturally in the current lines where these fish are staged up and feeding aggressively.

Shark fishing has been absolutely phenomenal on the flats, offering some of the most exciting sight fishing and hard drag-pulling fun you can imagine. We’re encountering a great variety of species including blacktips, lemons, and the occasional bull shark cruising the shallow waters. The clear conditions have made for incredible sight fishing opportunities, watching these apex predators cruise right up to the boat before taking your bait.

The bonefish action has been outstanding, with these elusive “ghosts of the flats” being very active in the shallows throughout the week. Captain Justin had an exceptional day yesterday, managing to land three beautiful bones during just a half-day charter – a testament to how active these fish have been. We’re finding them tailing in the turtle grass beds and cruising the sandy potholes during the incoming tides.

Beyond our headline species, we’re also seeing solid action on permit, with several nice fish landed this week on live crabs. The snapper bite has been consistent around the patch reefs, and we’re picking up some nice yellowtail and mutton snapper for those looking to put some dinner on the table.

Looking ahead to next week, conditions appear to remain favorable with light winds and minimal chance of afternoon storms. Water clarity should remain excellent, making this an ideal time for sight fishing adventures on the flats.

If you’re looking to get in on this incredible Key West fishing report action, don’t wait too long to book your trip. The fishing has been this good, and prime dates are filling up quickly. Whether you’re targeting the acrobatic tarpon, hunting ghosts on the bonefish flats, or looking for some heart-pounding shark action, Key West continues to deliver world-class fishing opportunities.

That’s your weekly Key West fishing report from the flats. Tight lines, and we’ll see you on the water!

Captain Ryan Carter
Key West, Florida