Islamorada fishing report, November 1, 2026, fresh breezes, seas 2 to 4 feet in Hawk Channel

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

Prepared at 5:00 AM EST on November 1, 2026. This is the scheduled morning conditions report.

High pressure over the eastern U.S. is sustaining gentle to moderate, occasionally fresh, breezes across the Keys. Small Craft Should Exercise Caution headlines are in effect for eastern portions of Hawk Channel and the Florida Straits. 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 4:33 AM EST on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

Hawk Channel winds are east near 15 knots early, increasing to 15 to 20 knots late. Seas are 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Nearshore waters are a moderate chop. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms.

Florida Bay winds are east 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters are a light to moderate chop. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms.

Straits of Florida winds are east 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.

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/EST) on November 1, 2026. Heights are feet relative to mean lower low water, or MLLW. These are predictions, not observed water levels.

Event	Time, local (EDT/EST)	Height, feet MLLW
High	02:28	0.83
Low	11:09	0.165
High	16:38	0.512
Low	22:16	0.388

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

Water temperature

NOAA station 8723970, Vaca Key, Florida Bay, reported 81.7 F at 4:54 AM local on November 1. 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, Hawk Channel east winds remain 15 to 20 knots. Hawk Channel seas are 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Nearshore waters are choppy. Showers with a chance of thunderstorms are expected. Straits east winds decrease to near 15 knots late. Straits seas are 4 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet.

Monday brings east winds 15 to 20 knots early in Hawk Channel, decreasing to near 15 knots. Straits winds are east near 15 knots. Hawk Channel seas subside to 2 to 3 feet. Straits seas drop to 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms. The synopsis notes that shower chances peak on Sunday.

Florida Bay sees a moderate chop tonight, becoming a light to moderate chop on Monday.

Breezes are on track to slacken tomorrow, with light to gentle breezes possible midweek.

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.

• NOAA Key West coastal waters forecast, issued November 1, 2026, at 4:33 AM EST.
• NOAA Upper Matecumbe Key tide predictions, November 1, 2026, local time (EDT/EST), feet MLLW.
• NOAA Vaca Key water temperature, November 1 at 4:54 AM local.
• NDBC Molasses Reef station, no recent reports when checked.

Midday update, 11:37 AM EST

Prepared at 11:37 AM EST on November 1, 2026, using the NOAA Key West coastal waters bulletin issued at 1028 AM EST Sun Nov 1 2026. The morning report used the 433 AM EST bulletin. The new bulletin shows changes in the wind and chop descriptions for the Hawk Channel and Straits during the current period, while Florida Bay conditions and the forecast for tonight and Monday remain the same as the morning report.

For the rest of today, Florida Bay has east winds 10 to 15 knots with a light to moderate chop. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms. In the Hawk Channel, east winds are 10 to 15 knots, increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Seas are 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Nearshore waters are a light to moderate chop, becoming choppy. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms. The Straits of Florida have east winds near 15 knots, increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Seas are 4 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Wave detail is Northeast to east 4 feet at 6 seconds. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms.

For the reef areas from Molasses to Tennessee, the updated Hawk Channel forecast means you should expect the chop to build through the afternoon. The nearshore waters are shifting from a light to moderate chop to choppy, and the winds are picking up. This is a planning note based on the regional forecast. There are no new reef-specific visibility or current readings available to adjust this guidance.

Tonight, Florida Bay east winds are 10 to 15 knots, increasing to near 15 knots. The bay chop becomes moderate. Hawk Channel east winds are 15 to 20 knots with seas 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Nearshore waters are choppy. Showers with a chance of thunderstorms. Straits east winds are 15 to 20 knots, decreasing to near 15 knots late. Seas are 4 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Wave detail is Northeast to east 5 feet at 6 seconds. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms.

Tomorrow, Monday, brings continued east winds. Hawk Channel winds are 15 to 20 knots early, decreasing to near 15 knots. Seas are 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet, subsiding to 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters are choppy, becoming a moderate chop. Straits winds are east near 15 knots. Seas are 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Wave detail is Northeast to east 4 feet at 6 seconds. Showers are likely with a chance of thunderstorms in both zones. Florida Bay has east winds near 15 knots, decreasing to 10 to 15 knots, with a moderate chop becoming a light to moderate chop. 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 listed above keep their original labels and data points.

Source: NOAA Key West coastal waters forecast, issued 1028 AM EST Sun Nov 1 2026, checked 11:37 AM EST Nov 1 2026.

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

Evening update, November 1, 2026

Prepared at 5:00 PM EST on November 1, 2026. This update uses the NOAA Key West coastal waters bulletin issued at 426 PM EST Sun Nov 1 2026. The morning report above remains in place.

Afternoon recap

No verified afternoon catches or on-the-water observations are available. The new bulletin issued at 426 PM EST Sun Nov 1 2026 replaces the morning’s 433 AM EST bulletin. Several periods changed between the two reports.

For Florida Bay, tonight’s winds shifted from east 10 to 15 knots, increasing to near 15 knots, to northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. The bay chop changed from a light to moderate chop, becoming a moderate chop, to just a light to moderate chop. Rain wording for tonight changed from showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms to showers with a chance of thunderstorms. Monday’s bay winds changed from east near 15 knots, decreasing to 10 to 15 knots, to east 10 to 15 knots. The chop changed from a moderate chop, becoming a light to moderate chop, to a light to moderate chop. Monday night’s winds changed from northeast to east 10 to 15 knots to east 10 to 15 knots.

In the Hawk Channel, tonight’s forecast did not change. Monday’s winds changed from east 15 to 20 knots early, decreasing to near 15 knots, to east near 15 knots, decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas changed from 2 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet, subsiding to 2 to 3 feet, to subsiding to 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters changed from choppy, becoming a moderate chop, to a moderate chop, becoming a light to moderate chop. Monday night’s winds changed from northeast to east decreasing to 10 to 15 knots to east 10 to 15 knots. Seas changed from 2 to 3 feet, subsiding to around 2 feet, to 2 to 3 feet.

For the Straits of Florida, tonight’s winds changed from east 15 to 20 knots, decreasing to near 15 knots late, to east 15 to 20 knots. Wave detail changed from Northeast to east 5 feet at 6 seconds to Northeast 5 feet at 7 seconds. Rain wording changed from showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms to showers with a chance of thunderstorms. Monday’s winds changed from east near 15 knots to east near 15 knots, decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Wave detail changed from Northeast to east 4 feet at 6 seconds to Northeast 4 feet at 6 seconds. Monday night’s winds changed from east near 15 knots, becoming northeast to east and decreasing to 10 to 15 knots, to east 10 to 15 knots. Seas changed from 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet, subsiding to 2 to 3 feet, to 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet, due to north to northeast swell.

Tonight’s ride

Florida Bay has northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters are a light to moderate chop. Showers with a chance of thunderstorms are on the way.

Hawk Channel has east winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas are 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Nearshore waters are choppy. Showers with a chance of thunderstorms are on the way.

Straits of Florida has east winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas are 4 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet. Wave detail is Northeast 5 feet at 7 seconds. Showers with a chance of thunderstorms are on the way.

Monday, November 2

Florida Bay has east winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters are a light to moderate chop. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.

Hawk Channel has east winds near 15 knots, decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas subsiding to 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters a moderate chop, becoming a light to moderate chop. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.

Straits of Florida has east winds near 15 knots, decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Wave detail is Northeast 4 feet at 6 seconds. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms.

The Gulf Stream positions in NOAA’s synopsis are dated October 27, 2026, and are not a current reading. The edge was 10 NM southeast of Molasses Reef Light as of October 27, 2026, and 17 NM south-southeast of Alligator Reef Light as of October 27, 2026.

There is no species outlook. No bite data is available to support a call.

Evening forecast source

NOAA Key West coastal waters forecast, issued 426 PM EST Sun Nov 1 2026.

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