As of October 17th, the fishing scene in the Florida Keys and Miami is looking promising, despite the recent hurricanes that skirted the area.

Today, you can expect partly cloudy skies with a high of around 84°F and a low of 75°F. The winds are light, blowing at about 10 mph from the southeast. Tides are moderate, with the high tide at 10:34 AM and the low tide at 4:17 PM. Sunrise was at 7:24 AM, and sunset will be at 6:53 PM.

Yesterday saw a good mix of fish activity across various waters. In the back country and bays, snook were active, particularly around the inlets and points where there is some current. They are starting to move closer to shore as the temperatures drop slightly, making them more accessible for anglers. Kingfish are also plentiful, often found closer to shore following the bait schools. Offshore, the pelagics like mahi-mahi and tuna are still a bit challenging to find due to the lack of weed lines and debris, but venturing out 20-25 miles can yield results.

For snook, live bait such as pilchards or mullet is highly effective, especially when cast near the jetties or points with some current. Lures like jigs or soft plastics can also work well. For kingfish, using spoons or live bait like blue runners or herring is recommended. When targeting mahi-mahi and tuna, big baits like Speedos or large ballyhoo with a wire leader are advisable.

One of the hot spots right now is around the inlets from Palm Beach down to Miami, where snook are congregating. The jetties at these inlets are great places to cast your line. Another good spot is the beaches along the Atlantic side, where kingfish are following the bait schools. Areas like Haulover Inlet and the beaches around Miami Beach have been producing good catches.

With the full moon today, the fishing around this period is expected to be particularly good, so keep your lines ready and enjoy the day on the water. Just remember to keep an eye on the weather, as tropical systems can still affect the area.