Islamorada fishing report, November 3, 2026, east winds persist, chance of showers

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

Prepared at 6:00 AM EST on November 3, 2026. This is the scheduled morning conditions report.

High pressure offshore the Mid Atlantic States is holding gentle to occasionally moderate east winds. Slightly elevated northerly swell persists through today for waters southeast of the Upper Keys. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms across the marine zones. No verified catches or on-the-water observations were available for this report.

Wind and seas today

NOAA’s Key West coastal waters forecast was issued at 4:37 AM EST on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

Hawk Channel winds are east near 15 knots, decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas are 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters are a moderate chop, becoming a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.

Florida Bay winds are east 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters are a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.

Straits of Florida winds are east near 15 knots early, decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas are 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Wave detail: Northeast to east 4 feet at 6 seconds. A chance of showers with a slight 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 3, 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	05:22	0.75
Low	13:12	0.254
High	18:31	0.634

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

Water temperature

NOAA station 8723970, Vaca Key, Florida Bay, reported 79.7 F at 5:54 AM local on November 3. 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 northeast to east winds are 10 to 15 knots. Seas are 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters are a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Straits northeast to east winds are 10 to 15 knots. Seas are 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Wave detail: Northeast to east 3 feet at 5 seconds. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.

Wednesday, Hawk Channel northeast to east winds are near 10 knots. Seas are around 2 feet, subsiding to 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters are a light chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Straits northeast to east winds are 10 to 15 knots. Seas are 2 to 3 feet. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.

Florida Bay sees northeast to east winds near 10 knots on Wednesday. Bay waters are a light chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.

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 3, 2026, at 4:37 AM EST.
• NOAA Upper Matecumbe Key tide predictions, November 3, 2026, local time (EDT/EST), feet MLLW.
• NOAA Vaca Key water temperature, November 3 at 5:54 AM local.
• NDBC Molasses Reef station, no recent reports when checked.

Midday update, 11:30 AM EST

Prepared at 11:30 AM EST on November 3, 2026. This update uses the NOAA Key West coastal waters bulletin issued at 10:16 AM EST. The morning report used the 4:37 AM EST bulletin. The main change is in the wind and sea descriptions for this afternoon, though the overall pattern of east winds and a chance of showers remains.

For this afternoon, the Straits of Florida forecast now reads east winds near 15 knots, decreasing to 10 to 15 knots. Seas are 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Wave detail shows northeast to east 4 feet at 6 seconds. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms. The morning bulletin listed east winds near 15 knots early, decreasing to 10 to 15 knots, with the same sea state and wave detail. The bulletin dropped the word “early” from the wind line; seas and wave detail are the same. In Florida Bay, winds are now east near 10 knots. Bay waters are a light chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms. The morning report had east winds 10 to 15 knots and a light to moderate chop. The Hawk Channel forecast for this afternoon is unchanged from the morning bulletin. It holds east winds near 15 knots, decreasing to 10 to 15 knots, with seas 2 to 3 feet and nearshore waters a moderate chop, becoming a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.

Florida Bay is the only zone that eased this afternoon, from east 10 to 15 knots to east near 10 knots. Hawk Channel and Straits seas are unchanged.

Tonight and tomorrow show no material changes from the morning bulletin. Tonight, the Straits have northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas are 3 to 4 feet, occasionally to 5 feet. Wave detail is northeast to east 3 feet at 5 seconds. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms. The Hawk Channel has northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas are 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters are a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Florida Bay has northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay waters are a light to moderate chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Wednesday brings northeast to east winds near 10 knots in the Hawk Channel, with seas around 2 feet, subsiding to 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters are a light chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms. The Straits have northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas are 2 to 3 feet. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Florida Bay has northeast to east winds near 10 knots. Bay waters are a light chop. A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms.

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

Source: NOAA Key West coastal waters forecast, issued 1016 AM EST Tue Nov 3 2026, checked 11:30 AM EST.

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