Tarpon
Megalops atlanticus
Thermal window
—
In peak season for this water. This tide stage (outgoing) 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 — the bridge shadow and the falling wrecks.
Vaca Key gauge. Oceanside wrecks and patch reefs, bayside basins, Seven Mile Bridge current. Permit and tarpon more than bones.
- ⚠ This brief is for 2026-07-31, not this morning. Wind is a forecast. Observed water versus the table is a today-only instrument.
- ⚠ Snook are typically closed to harvest on the SE/Atlantic coast in this window. Verify FWC.
- ⚠ FKNMS no-take water in this box: Sombrero Key, Coffins Patch. The red polygons are the legal source — do not fish them.
Forecast
medium confidence
Forecast brief for Friday, July 31. Back to this morning
Morning line
Marathon 8.7 on Friday, July 31. 9 mph ESE. Clear. YOLO day is Friday, August 28. Scores are 1–10, not a bite.
outgoing · 0.60 ftNOAA hourly · ft MLLW
Wind
OPEN-METEO
From ESE · gust 11
Sky
OPEN-METEO
Clear
Clear
A 20% shower chance is not a cancel. A soaker is.
Moon
96% lit
Waning gibbous
spring range · 96%
Water
No gauge
Water
—
Today’s range 0.9 ft
outgoing
0.60 ft MLLW
Clock
NOAA 8723970
- LowFri 7:51 AM · 0.60
- HighFri 3:10 PM · 1.07
- LowFri 8:50 PM · 0.20
- HighSat 5:03 AM · 0.78
- LowSat 8:41 AM · 0.52
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
- 8.7
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 outgoing tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Permit, Tarpon, Hogfish, Yellowtail snapper.
structurespinwade - 8.4
Seven Mile Bridge current
channel gut · public structure · deep
Current seams. Permit and tarpon. Not a bonefish walk.
- — channel gut on a outgoing tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Permit, Tarpon.
skiffstructurespinfly - 8.3
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 outgoing tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Permit, Tarpon.
skiffspinfly - 6.4
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 outgoing tide is a workable match.
- — In-play: Tarpon.
skiffkayakflyspin
When
Outgoing water
9.1Fri 8:00 AM → Fri 10:00 AM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Incoming water
9.1Fri 9:00 AM → Fri 5:00 PM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Outgoing water
10.0Fri 4:00 PM → Fri 11:00 PM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Incoming water
10.0Fri 10:00 PM → Sat 6:00 AM
Moving water in the right part of the day.
Outgoing water
10.0Sat 7:00 AM → Sat 10:00 AM
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 outgoing from NOAA.
- — Clear. Sky is workable.
- — Wind 9 mph ESE. Castable. Sight-fishing is on if the sun is out.
- — Waning gibbous moon — spring tide range. Marsh and passes usually want the extra current of a spring.
8.4
Permit
Trachinotus falcatus
Thermal window
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In peak season for this water. This tide stage (outgoing) 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
—
In peak season for this water. This tide stage (outgoing) 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 (outgoing) matches how they hunt.
Florida: typically 12 in total length, inside the snapper aggregate. Verify FWC.
Bonefish
Albula vulpes
Thermal window
—
Off-season here. This tide stage (outgoing) 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 (outgoing) 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 (outgoing) 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.