Islamorada fishing report, November 5, 2026, gentle breezes inside, short seas outside

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

Prepared at 6:00 AM EST on November 5, 2026. This is the scheduled morning conditions report.

A weak ridge stretches southwestward across the Florida Peninsula today, keeping gentle northeast to easterly breezes. Breezes will slacken heading into the weekend as the ridge weakens and shifts southward. 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 4:32 AM EST on Thursday, November 5, 2026.

Hawk Channel winds are northeast to east near 10 knots. Seas are 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters are a light chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

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

Straits of Florida winds are northeast to east 10 to 15 knots. Seas are 2 to 3 feet. Wave detail: Northeast to east 3 feet at 5 seconds. A slight chance of showers and 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 26 NM southeast of Molasses Reef Light as of November 03, 2026.
Conch	No reef readings available today.
Davis	No reef readings available today.
Crocker	No reef readings available today.
Alligator	Gulf Stream edge was 28 NM south-southeast of Alligator Reef Light as of November 03, 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 5, 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
Low	02:25	0.245
High	07:47	0.715
Low	14:40	0.306
High	19:49	0.764

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 5:54 AM local on November 5. 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 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters are a light to moderate chop. Straits northeast to east winds are 10 to 15 knots. Seas are 2 to 3 feet. Wave detail: Northeast to east 3 feet at 5 seconds.

Florida Bay sees northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots tonight, decreasing to near 10 knots. Bay waters are a light to moderate chop, becoming a light chop.

Friday, Hawk Channel northeast winds are near 10 knots, decreasing to 5 to 10 knots. Seas are 1 to 2 feet, subsiding to around 1 foot. Nearshore waters are a light chop, becoming smooth to a light chop. Straits northeast winds are near 10 knots. Seas are 2 to 3 feet, subsiding to around 2 feet. Wave detail: Northeast to east 3 feet at 5 seconds.

Florida Bay sees northeast winds 5 to 10 knots on Friday. Bay waters are smooth to a light chop.

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 5, 2026, at 4:32 AM EST.
• NOAA Upper Matecumbe Key tide predictions, November 5, 2026, local time (EDT/EST), feet MLLW.
• NOAA Vaca Key water temperature, November 5 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 5, 2026. This update uses the NOAA Key West coastal waters forecast issued at 10:24 AM EST. The morning report used the 4:32 AM EST bulletin. The main change is in the Hawk Channel this afternoon, where winds have shifted from near 10 knots to 10 to 15 knots, and nearshore chop has increased from a light chop to a light to moderate chop.

This afternoon in the Hawk Channel, northeast to east winds are 10 to 15 knots. Seas are 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters are a light to moderate chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Florida Bay conditions hold steady with northeast to east winds near 10 knots and bay waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms remains. The Straits of Florida continue to see northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas are 2 to 3 feet. Wave detail: Northeast to east 3 feet at 5 seconds. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

For the reef areas from Molasses to Tennessee, the slightly stronger breezes in the Hawk Channel may create a bit more surface chop than the morning forecast suggested. This is a minor adjustment for regional planning. It does not change the sea state in the Straits, which remains the same as the morning report.

Tonight, the Hawk Channel holds 1 to 2 foot seas with 10 to 15 knot winds. Nearshore waters remain a light to moderate chop. The Straits keep 2 to 3 foot seas and 10 to 15 knot winds. Florida Bay winds decrease to near 10 knots as the light to moderate chop becomes a light chop. Tomorrow, Friday, the seas flatten out. Hawk Channel northeast winds are near 10 knots, decreasing to 5 to 10 knots. Seas are 1 to 2 feet, subsiding to around 1 foot. Nearshore waters are a light chop, becoming smooth to a light chop. The Straits see northeast winds near 10 knots and seas of 2 to 3 feet, subsiding to around 2 feet. Florida Bay northeast winds are 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters are smooth to a light chop.

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 1024 AM EST Thu Nov 5 2026, checked 11:30 AM EST Thu Nov 5 2026.

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

Evening update, November 5, 2026

Prepared at 5:00 PM EST on November 5, 2026. This update uses the NOAA Key West coastal waters forecast issued at 428 PM EST on Thursday, November 5, 2026. The morning report above is preserved.

Afternoon recap

No verified afternoon catches or on-the-water observations are available. The new bulletin issued at 428 PM EST shows changes in the forecast compared to the 432 AM EST bulletin used in the morning report. The morning’s “Today” period is now past, so those numbers are not compared.

For tonight, the Florida Bay winds are now near 10 knots with a light chop. The morning bulletin had winds of 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to near 10 knots, with a light to moderate chop becoming a light chop. In the Hawk Channel, the morning bulletin listed nearshore waters as a light to moderate chop. The new bulletin adds that the chop is becoming a light chop. Winds remain 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to near 10 knots. Seas stay 1 to 2 feet.

Looking at Friday, the Hawk Channel seas are now around 1 foot. The morning bulletin had 1 to 2 feet, subsiding to around 1 foot. For Friday night in the Hawk Channel, the morning bulletin had winds of 5 to 10 knots, increasing to near 10 knots. The new bulletin lists winds of 5 to 10 knots with no increase noted. Nearshore waters are smooth to a light chop.

In the Straits of Florida, tonight’s conditions are unchanged from the morning bulletin. For Friday, the seas are now around 2 feet. The morning bulletin had 2 to 3 feet, subsiding to around 2 feet. The wave detail for Friday is now northeast to east 2 feet at 5 seconds. The morning bulletin had northeast to east 3 feet at 5 seconds. For Friday night, the Straits seas are now 1 to 2 feet. The morning bulletin had around 2 feet. The new bulletin adds a wave detail of northeast 2 feet at 4 seconds for Friday night.

Tonight’s ride

The Hawk Channel sees northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots, decreasing to near 10 knots. Seas are 1 to 2 feet. Nearshore waters are a light to moderate chop, becoming a light chop.

Florida Bay has northeast winds near 10 knots. Bay waters are a light chop.

The Straits of Florida have northeast to east winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas are 2 to 3 feet. Wave detail: Northeast to east 3 feet at 5 seconds.

Friday, November 6

The Hawk Channel sees northeast winds near 10 knots, decreasing to 5 to 10 knots. Seas are around 1 foot. Nearshore waters are a light chop, becoming smooth to a light chop.

Florida Bay has northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Bay waters are smooth to a light chop.

The Straits of Florida see northeast winds near 10 knots. Seas are around 2 feet. Wave detail: Northeast to east 2 feet at 5 seconds.

For planning from Molasses to Tennessee, there are no reef-specific visibility or current readings available. The Gulf Stream edge was 26 NM southeast of Molasses Reef Light and 28 NM south-southeast of Alligator Reef Light as of November 03, 2026. These positions keep that date.

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

Evening forecast source

Source: NOAA Key West coastal waters forecast, issued 428 PM EST Thu Nov 5 2026.

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