Tarpon
Megalops atlanticus
Thermal window
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In peak season for this water. 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.
Florida · Middle Keys / Marathon
Permit should be the day — Seven Mile current and the oceanside patches — permit and tarpon, not a bonefish morning.
Vaca Key gauge. Oceanside wrecks and patch reefs, bayside basins, Seven Mile Bridge current. Permit and tarpon more than bones.
- ⚠ This brief is for 2026-04-29. No wind forecast that far out — score is tide, moon, and season. Not a copper day.
- ⚠ FKNMS no-take water in this box: Sombrero Key, Coffins Patch. The red polygons are the legal source — do not fish them.
Tide + moon
low confidence
Forecast brief for Wednesday, April 29. Back to this morning
Morning line
Marathon 8.7 on Wednesday, April 29 — tide, moon, and season only. No wind forecast that far out. YOLO day is Friday, August 28. Scores are 1–10, not a bite.
incoming · 0.49 ftNOAA hourly · ft MLLW
Wind
NWS
No wind reading
Sky
NWS
Sky not in
Sky not in
A 20% shower chance is not a cancel. A soaker is.
Moon
93% lit
Waxing gibbous
mid range · 93%
Water
No gauge
Water
—
Today’s range 0.7 ft
incoming
0.49 ft MLLW
Clock
NOAA 8723970
- HighWed 1:25 PM · 0.70
- LowWed 6:22 PM · -0.02
- HighThu 3:04 AM · 0.62
- LowThu 5:53 AM · 0.41
- HighThu 12:40 PM · 0.76
Monthly YOLO day
Friday, August 28 · 8.0
Best remaining dry day this month with a real wind forecast. full · spring · tide range ~0.7 ft · wind to 10 mph · Thunderstorms · 43%
Next two weeks
Pulling the 14-day strip…
Where
- 8.3
FL - Long Key State Park (Keys)
sand dropoff · saved map · mid
Oceanfront camping with bonefish flats at the tent. Reserve far ahead. · camp-surf · GULF ATLAS! - FISH
- — sand dropoff on a incoming tide is a workable match.
- — In-play: Permit, Tarpon, Bonefish, Hogfish, Yellowtail snapper.
structurespinwade - 7.9
Vaca oceanside wrecks / patches
wreck edge · field manual · deep
Crab on the wreck is a different permit game than the tailer on the flat.
- — wreck edge on a incoming tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Permit, Tarpon.
skiffspinfly - 7.7
Marathon bayside basins
grass flat · public structure · mid
Vaca Key gauge. Backcountry light. Summer showers, then wait for the color to come back.
- — grass flat on a incoming tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Tarpon.
skiffkayakflyspin - 7.5
Seven Mile Bridge current
channel gut · public structure · deep
Current seams. Permit and tarpon. Not a bonefish walk.
- — channel gut on a incoming tide is a workable match.
- — In-play: Permit, Tarpon.
skiffstructurespinfly
When
Incoming water
9.4Wed 8:00 AM → Wed 1:00 PM
Moving water in the right part of the day.
Outgoing water
9.1Wed 3:00 PM → Wed 8:00 PM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Incoming water
8.0Wed 8:00 PM → Thu 5:00 AM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Outgoing water
9.4Thu 4:00 AM → Thu 8:00 AM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Incoming water
9.4Thu 7:00 AM → Thu 2:00 PM
Moving water in the right part of the day.
Launch and beach access
County and state ramps near this water. FKNMS no-take is Keys-only, on the legal list.
Bahia Honda State Park
Florida State Parks
Middle Keys bridge and oceanside. Adjacent FKNMS polygons are no-take — check the red rings.
Official source
Why — and who
- — Tide is incoming from NOAA.
- — Waxing gibbous moon — mid tide range. Marsh and passes usually want the extra current of a spring.
8.4
Bonefish
Albula vulpes
Thermal window
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In peak season for this water. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.
Florida: catch-and-release only, hook-and-line only.
Permit
Trachinotus falcatus
Thermal window
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In peak season for this water. 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.
Hogfish
Lachnolaimus maximus
Thermal window
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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
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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.
Jack crevalle
Caranx hippos
Thermal window
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Bycatch and beach noise — not the reason you came. Present, not peak. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.
Generally unregulated. Still, do not leave a pile.
Great barracuda
Sphyraena barracuda
Thermal window
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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 7 days. Snook closures are regional. Boca Grande is not Jupiter. Verify FWC before you keep one.