Daily Fishing Report - April 23, 2026

NOAA Marine Forecast Summary

Issued: 4:29 AM EDT Thursday, April 23, 2026

Current Conditions

• Wind: East 15 to 20 knots early, easing toward near 15 knots later today, then bending east-southeast tonight into Friday
• Seas: Hawk Channel 2 to 4 feet, occasionally 5 feet. Straits 4 to 6 feet, occasionally 7 feet
• Headline: Small Craft Should Exercise Caution across the reef and offshore zones, with some early improvement but still plenty of leftover push
• Pattern: Atlantic high pressure is still driving the easterly flow, but the trend is finally softer, with a cleaner east-southeast setup and lighter weekend window on deck

Captain’s Short Range Outlook

• Today: Better than the last two days, but still not what I’d call slick outside
• Tonight: Seas keep backing down, especially if you stay reef-side and avoid long offshore punishment runs
• Friday: More manageable and a lot more honest for reef plans
• Weekend: Best setup in this forecast package if you have flexibility

Reef Conditions Report

Molasses, Conch, Davis, Crocker, Alligator, and Tennessee are all finally moving in the right direction. The ocean is not done flexing, but it is no longer trying to fight everybody at once. You can work the reef today with a tighter plan, shorter moves, and realistic expectations.

Molasses Reef

• NOAA read: Upper Keys reef line is running 2 to 4 feet, occasionally 5 feet with choppy nearshore water early
• Public Gulf Stream note: NOAA places the shoreward Gulf Stream edge about 26 NM southeast of Molasses Reef Light
• Captain’s take: Still bouncy on the open edge, but much more workable than the last couple days for a disciplined snapper or mackerel plan

Conch Reef

• NOAA read: Same Upper Keys reef setup, easterly breeze still pushing but no longer in full beatdown mode
• Captain’s take: Fishable if you pick your drift and do not waste time trying to force the sloppy side of the structure

Davis Reef

• NOAA read: Moderate chop early with improving trend into tonight and Friday
• Captain’s take: Better for making controlled checks today than it was yesterday. Yellowtails and muttons should both stay in the conversation

Crocker Reef

• NOAA read: East wind near 15 knots later today still leaves some chop on the exposed edge
• Captain’s take: Worth a look if your crew can handle a little bounce and you stay efficient on setup

Alligator Reef

• NOAA read: Exposed reef edge remains sporty but improved, with Hawk Channel seas staying in the 2 to 4 foot range
• Public Gulf Stream note: NOAA places the shoreward Gulf Stream edge about 24 NM southeast of Alligator Reef Light
• Captain’s take: Not glass, not gentle, but finally back in the range where a serious crew can work it without hating life

Tennessee Reef

• NOAA read: Mid Keys reef section stays choppy today, then cleans up further Friday and Saturday
• Captain’s take: More of a grind this morning, more of a proper fishing plan by tomorrow

Tides & Water Conditions

Tides (NOAA station 8723797, Whale Harbor Channel)

• High: 2:30 AM, 1.441 ft
• Low: 9:05 AM, 0.211 ft
• High: 2:46 PM, 1.343 ft
• Low: 9:34 PM, 0.004 ft

Water Temperature

• NOAA reference: 75.7°F from Vaca Key, Florida Bay (8723970) at the latest public observation
• Captain’s note: Still solid spring water for snapper, mackerel, tarpon, and offshore pelagics. Comfort is improving faster than the water temp is changing, and that is the real win today

Species Outlook

Offshore

• Sailfish: Still possible along cleaner edge water and bait concentrations, especially where the east flow stacks life without turning the ride ugly
• Mahi: Better shot for crews willing to hunt current lines and floaters as the offshore sea state backs off through Friday
• Blackfin tuna: More realistic now than earlier this week if you keep the run focused and do not burn time searching dead water
• Wahoo: Still a window fish, but the improving sea state makes the idea less stupid than it sounded yesterday

Reef & Wreck

• Yellowtail snapper: One of the best public plays today if you can set up clean and keep a steady slick going
• Mutton snapper: Afternoon tide movement helps, especially around the 2:46 PM high
• Kingfish: A live possibility on bait-rich outer edge zones where current and color stay organized
• Grouper: Bite should improve with better boat control as the chop eases into Friday

Backcountry & Bay

• Tarpon: Strong option around bridges, channels, and current edges, especially when the ocean still feels a little too western-hat-and-mouthguard for casual crews
• Mangrove snapper: Good fallback around structure and moving water in protected zones
• Jacks and ladyfish: Reliable action if the goal is bent rods and happy clients over a hero run
• Sharks: Still active where bait gets swept through channels and tide seams

Captain’s Recommendation

Today is the transition day. Not wide-open, not locked down.

Best Play Today

1. Treat the reef like it is improving, not already fixed
2. Use shorter hops on Molasses through Alligator instead of long optimistic runs
3. Lean on the afternoon high tide for muttons, tarpon, and structure-oriented bites
4. If you want the prettier window, Friday and Saturday are the better cards to play

Looking Ahead

Friday, April 24

• East to southeast 10 to 15 knots, easing toward near 10 knots
• Hawk Channel 2 to 3 feet
• Straits 2 to 4 feet, subsiding to 2 to 3 feet
• Much more fishable overall

Saturday, April 25

• East to southeast 5 to 10 knots
• Hawk Channel 1 to 2 feet
• Straits 1 to 2 feet
• Best comfort window of the stretch

Midday Addendum, 10:43 AM EDT Update

NOAA’s late-morning refresh kept the same overall story, but tightened up a few details worth knowing before you point the bow offshore.

What Changed Since the Morning Post

• Wind: Still easterly, but NOAA now has this afternoon near 15 knots on the bay and Gulfside, with 15 to 20 knots easing to near 15 knots along Hawk Channel. Offshore remains 15 to 20 knots through the afternoon before backing down tonight.
• Seas: No real downgrade yet offshore. Hawk Channel is still 2 to 4 feet, occasionally 5, and the Straits are still 4 to 6 feet, occasionally 7 this afternoon. Gulfside waters remain 1 to 2 feet, with 3 to 4 feet west of the Marquesas.
• Conditions: The caution headline is still up for the reef and offshore zones, and NOAA added a better shower signal for tonight with showers likely across Hawk Channel and continued scattered rain chances elsewhere.

Captain’s Midday Take

This is more of a confirmation update than a game-changer. The ocean is still easing, but it has not cleaned up any faster than expected. If you are fishing Islamorada this afternoon, the smart move is still reef-side discipline, short runs, and realistic expectations outside. Friday remains the cleaner play.

Evening Addendum, 9:00 PM UTC Update

NOAA’s 4:29 PM EDT coastal waters forecast kept the improving trend intact and gave us a cleaner read on how tonight settles out and what Friday should look like for Islamorada crews.

Afternoon Recap

• The easing trend held. East to southeast flow stayed in control, but NOAA now shows winds backing down tonight instead of hanging up in the stronger range.
• Reef side stayed manageable, not pretty. Hawk Channel is running 2 to 3 feet tonight with a light to moderate chop nearshore after a bouncy day.
• Offshore still demanded respect. The Straits remain under a Small Craft Should Exercise Caution call tonight, with 3 to 5 feet occasionally 6 early, then settling to 2 to 4 occasionally 5.
• Weather stayed unsettled enough to matter. Shower chances linger tonight, with a slight thunderstorm risk still in the mix.

Tomorrow’s Outlook, Friday April 24

• Florida Bay: Southeast near 10 knots, light chop, chance of showers
• Gulfside nearshore: East to southeast 10 to 15 knots, seas around 1 foot and around 2 feet west of the Marquesas
• Hawk Channel: East to southeast 10 to 15 knots, seas 2 to 3 feet, subsiding to around 2 feet
• Offshore Straits: East to southeast 10 to 15 knots, easing to near 10 knots, seas 2 to 4 feet occasionally 5, subsiding to 2 to 3 feet
• Pattern: High pressure keeps sliding east, which means lighter east-southeast breeze through Friday and an even softer weekend window behind it

Captain’s Tomorrow Game Plan

Friday looks like a more honest fishing day than Thursday, especially for reef and shorter offshore plans. The move is still to fish smart, not cocky. Start reef-side, watch the showers, and let the sea state prove it wants to cooperate before committing to a long offshore burn.

Final Take

The ocean finally quit acting like it wanted to throw hands with everybody. Tonight is the reset. Friday is the payoff. Conditions are not flat-calm yet, but the trend is finally working for us instead of against us, and Saturday still looks like the prettiest card in the deck.