Islamorada fishing report, October 31, 2026, breezes freshening, seas building to 2 to 3 feet in Hawk Channel

Conditions data: FishIntel, the daily Islamorada fishing intelligence report.

Prepared at 6:00 AM EDT on October 31, 2026. This is the scheduled morning conditions report.

High pressure is building over the eastern U.S., pushing moderate to fresh breezes across the Keys. No verified catches or on-the-water observations were available for this report. These are forecast-based planning notes.

Wind and seas today

NOAA’s Key West coastal waters forecast was issued at 4:32 AM EDT on Saturday, October 31, 2026.

Hawk Channel winds are northeast to east 10 to 15 knots early, increasing to near 15 knots. Seas are 1 to 2 feet, building to 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters are a light to moderate chop, becoming a moderate chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms is expected.

Florida Bay winds are northeast to east 10 to 15 knots, increasing to near 15 knots. Bay waters are a light to moderate chop, becoming a moderate chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms is expected.

Straits of Florida winds are northeast to east 10 to 15 knots early, increasing to near 15 knots. Seas are around 2 feet, building to 2 to 3 feet. Wave Detail: East 3 feet at 5 seconds. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms is expected.

NOAA’s sea heights are significant wave heights. This is the average height of the highest third of the waves. Individual waves may be more than twice the significant wave height.

From Molasses to Tennessee

No verified reef-specific visibility or current readings were available for these six areas.

Reef area	Morning planning note
Molasses	The NDBC station MLRF1 has no recent reports. Gulf Stream edge was 10 NM southeast of Molasses Reef Light as of October 27, 2026.
Conch	No reef readings available today.
Davis	No reef readings available today.
Crocker	No reef readings available today.
Alligator	Gulf Stream edge was 17 NM south-southeast of Alligator Reef Light as of October 27, 2026.
Tennessee	No reef readings available today.

Today’s tides

The reference is NOAA station 8723808, Upper Matecumbe Key, Florida Bay. Times are local (EDT) on October 31, 2026. Heights are feet relative to mean lower low water, or MLLW. These are predictions, not observed water levels.

Event	Time, EDT	Height, feet MLLW
High	02:18	0.881
Low	10:58	0.108
High	16:25	0.487
Low	21:44	0.374

This is a bayside reference. Check the actual flow where you intend to fish.

Water temperature

NOAA station 8723970, Vaca Key, Florida Bay, reported 81.9 F at 5:54 AM EDT on October 31. It is a regional bay reading, not a measured temperature at any of the six reef areas in this report.

Species outlook

There is no basis for a species call today. No verified catch or bite data was available.

Tonight and tomorrow

Tonight, winds freshen to 15 to 20 knots. Hawk Channel seas build to 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Straits seas build to 3 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Showers are likely.

Sunday brings east winds near 15 knots. Hawk Channel seas subside to 2 to 3 feet. Straits seas stay 3 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms.

Florida Bay sees choppy conditions tonight, remaining a moderate chop on Sunday.

Sources

Conditions data for this log is sourced from FishIntel, the daily Islamorada fishing intelligence report for the Florida Keys. The NOAA and NDBC products it builds on are linked below.

The NOAA and NDBC products linked below are the direct source of the data in this log.

• NOAA Key West coastal waters forecast, issued October 31, 2026, at 4:32 AM EDT.
• NOAA Upper Matecumbe Key tide predictions, October 31, 2026, local daylight time, feet MLLW.
• NOAA Vaca Key water temperature, October 31 at 5:54 AM EDT.
• NDBC Molasses Reef station, no recent reports when checked.

Midday update, 11:30 AM EDT

This update was prepared at 11:30 AM EDT on October 31, 2026. It uses the NOAA Key West coastal waters bulletin issued at 10:19 AM EDT on Saturday, October 31, 2026. The main change versus the morning report is in the wind and sea descriptions for the current period, now labeled “This Afternoon.” The morning bulletin treated the entire day as one block with winds increasing from 10 to 15 knots to near 15 knots. The new bulletin has Hawk Channel and Straits winds near 15 knots this afternoon and Florida Bay winds 10 to 15 knots. Sea heights remain the same, but the chop description has shifted.

For this afternoon, Florida Bay winds are northeast to east 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters are a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms is in the forecast. In the Hawk Channel, winds are northeast to east near 15 knots. Seas are 1 to 2 feet, building to 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters are a moderate chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms is in the forecast here too. The Straits of Florida have northeast to east winds near 15 knots. Seas are around 2 feet, building to 2 to 3 feet. Wave detail shows East 3 feet at 5 seconds. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms applies here too.

The only change since the morning forecast is for this afternoon. Hawk Channel nearshore waters are now a moderate chop (morning: a light to moderate chop, becoming a moderate chop), and Florida Bay winds are 10 to 15 knots with a light to moderate chop (morning: increasing to near 15 knots, becoming a moderate chop). This is regional planning only. No specific reef visibility or current readings have changed.

Tonight and Sunday are unchanged from the morning forecast. Tonight, winds increase to 15 to 20 knots. Hawk Channel seas build to 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Nearshore waters become choppy. Showers are likely with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Straits seas build to 3 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Wave detail shows Northeast to east 4 feet at 5 seconds. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms is noted. Sunday brings east winds near 15 knots, decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Hawk Channel seas subside to 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters are a moderate chop, becoming a light to moderate chop. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms. Straits seas are 3 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Wave detail shows Northeast to east 4 feet at 6 seconds. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms.

There are no new verified catches or on-the-water readings to report. The tide table and water temperature above keep their original labels and data points.

Source: NOAA Key West coastal waters forecast, issued 1019 AM EDT Sat Oct 31 2026, checked at 11:30 AM EDT.

Conditions data for this update comes from FishIntel, the daily Islamorada fishing intelligence report, using the NOAA bulletin named above.

Evening update, October 31, 2026

Prepared at 5:00 PM EDT on October 31, 2026. This update uses the NOAA Key West coastal waters bulletin issued at 3:53 PM EDT on Saturday, October 31, 2026. The morning report above is preserved.

Afternoon recap

No verified afternoon catches or observations were reported. The new bulletin changes the outlook for tonight and Sunday compared to the 4:32 AM EDT issuance.

For tonight, Hawk Channel seas are now 2 to 3 feet, building to 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to near 5 feet. The morning bulletin had seas building to 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Nearshore waters are a moderate chop, becoming choppy. The morning bulletin only noted nearshore waters becoming choppy. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms, whereas the morning bulletin listed a slight chance of thunderstorms.

In the Straits of Florida, tonight’s seas are 3 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. The wave detail is now Northeast to east 4 feet at 6 seconds. The morning bulletin listed the wave period at 5 seconds. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms, up from the morning’s slight chance of thunderstorms.

For Sunday, Hawk Channel seas are now 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. The morning bulletin had seas subsiding to 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters remain a moderate chop. Straits winds are 15 to 20 knots, up from the morning’s near 15 knots decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Straits seas are now 4 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. The morning bulletin had 3 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet.

Florida Bay conditions for tonight now show a moderate chop becoming choppy. The morning bulletin only noted bay waters becoming choppy. The thunderstorm chance has increased to a chance from a slight chance.

Tonight’s ride

Tonight, east winds are near 15 knots, increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Hawk Channel seas are 2 to 3 feet, building to 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to near 5 feet. Nearshore waters are a moderate chop, becoming choppy. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms.

In the Straits, east winds are 15 to 20 knots. Seas are 3 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast to east 4 feet at 6 seconds. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms.

Florida Bay sees east winds near 15 knots, increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Bay waters are a moderate chop, becoming choppy. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms.

Sunday, November 1 outlook

Sunday brings east winds near 15 knots in the Bay, with a moderate chop. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms.

In the Hawk Channel, east winds are near 15 knots. Seas are 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Nearshore waters are a moderate chop. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms.

The Straits of Florida will see east winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas are 4 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast to east 4 feet at 6 seconds. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms.

For regional planning, the Gulf Stream edge positions are available only for Molasses and Alligator. As of October 27, 2026, the edge is 10 NM southeast of Molasses Reef Light and 17 NM south-southeast of Alligator Reef Light. No reef-specific visibility or current readings are available for these areas.

There is no species outlook with a claimed bite for Sunday. No verified catch data supports a specific call.

Evening forecast source

The data in this update comes from the NOAA Key West coastal waters forecast, which also provides the Gulf Stream edge positions dated October 27, 2026.

NOAA Key West coastal waters forecast, issued 353 PM EDT Sat Oct 31 2026.

Conditions data for this update comes from FishIntel, the daily Islamorada fishing intelligence report, using the NOAA bulletin named above.