Hogfish
Lachnolaimus maximus
Thermal window
—
In peak season for this water. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.
Florida: Atlantic and Gulf bags differ. Monroe County is tighter. Fork-length minimum. Verify FWC.
Florida · Lower Keys / Key West
Marquesas, Harbor Key, oceanside wrecks, the contentment of long runs. Permit and tarpon country. Summer showers can switch a flat on once it clears.
Forecast
medium confidence
Morning line
Key West 4.5 on Thursday, August 27. 10 mph SE. Thunderstorms · 48%. YOLO day is Monday, August 31. Scores are 1–10, not a bite.
Wind
NWS
From SE
Sky
48% rain
Storms
Thunderstorms · 48%
Lightning is a stay-tied call.
Moon
100% lit
Full
spring range · 100%
Water
No gauge
Water
—
Today’s range 1.9 ft
incoming
1.82 ft MLLW
Clock
NOAA 8724580
Monthly YOLO day
Monday, August 31 · 9.1
Best remaining dry day this month with a real wind forecast. waning gibbous · mid · tide range ~1.7 ft · wind to 10 mph · Thunderstorms · 56%
Next two weeks
Pulling the 14-day strip…
Marquesas
hard flat · field manual · skinny
Long run, fewer boats. Permit country. Weather window or you don't go.
Harbor Keys / Content Keys
hard flat · public structure · skinny
North of the island. Named banks. Incoming is the shot. Harbor Key Bank is USGS GNIS 299988 just north.
Harbor Key Bank
hard flat · public structure · skinny
USGS GNIS 299988. The named bank north of the Content Keys. Incoming is the shot.
USGS GNIS 299988
Key West oceanside wrecks
wreck edge · public structure · deep
The deep-edge permit game. Falling tide, first of the flood.
Incoming water
8.2Thu 8:00 AM → Thu 12:00 PM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Outgoing water
8.2Thu 11:00 AM → Thu 6:00 PM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Incoming water
9.1Thu 6:00 PM → Fri 1:00 AM
Moving water in the right part of the day.
Outgoing water
9.1Fri 12:00 AM → Fri 6:00 AM
Moving water in the right part of the day.
Incoming water
9.1Fri 5:00 AM → Fri 1:00 PM
Moving water in the right part of the day.
County and state ramps near this water. FKNMS no-take is Keys-only, on the legal list.
Garrison Bight / Key West public ramps
City of Key West
The Lower Keys door. Marquesas is a weather-window run from here.
Official sourceNOAA FKNMS management zones — Sanctuary Preservation Areas, Ecological Reserves, Research-Only.
Western Sambo Ecological Reserve
Ecological Reserve — no take
FKNMS GISEastern Dry Rocks
Sanctuary Preservation Area — no fishing / no take (typical SPA)
FKNMS GISEastern Sambo (Research Only)
Research Only — closed except permitted science
FKNMS GISRock Key
Sanctuary Preservation Area — no fishing / no take (typical SPA)
FKNMS GISSand Key
Sanctuary Preservation Area — no fishing / no take (typical SPA)
FKNMS GISHogfish
Lachnolaimus maximus
Thermal window
—
In peak season for this water. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.
Florida: Atlantic and Gulf bags differ. Monroe County is tighter. Fork-length minimum. Verify FWC.
Yellowtail snapper
Ocyurus chrysurus
Thermal window
—
In peak season for this water. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.
Florida: typically 12 in total length, inside the snapper aggregate. Verify FWC.
Tarpon
Megalops atlanticus
Thermal window
—
Present, not peak. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.
Florida: catch-and-release. Fish over 40 in must stay in the water. One harvest tag/year only for a potential IGFA record.
Permit
Trachinotus falcatus
Thermal window
—
Present, not peak. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.
Florida: hook-and-line. Special Permit Zone (Keys) is tighter than the rest of the state — typically C&R. Verify FWC.
Mutton snapper
Lutjanus analis
Thermal window
—
Present, not peak. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.
Florida: typically 18 in, inside the snapper aggregate. Verify FWC.
Bonefish
Albula vulpes
Thermal window
—
Off-season here. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.
Florida: catch-and-release only, hook-and-line only.
Jack crevalle
Caranx hippos
Thermal window
—
Bycatch and beach noise — not the reason you came. In peak season for this water. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.
Generally unregulated. Still, do not leave a pile.
Great barracuda
Sphyraena barracuda
Thermal window
—
Bycatch and beach noise — not the reason you came. In peak season for this water. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.
Generally unregulated. Ciguatera risk rises with size. Do not keep a big one for the table.
Regs citedFWC saltwater recreational · current FWC regional rules · rolls in 8 days. Snook closures are regional. Boca Grande is not Jupiter. Verify FWC before you keep one.