Florida Keys • Western Atlantic
When do yellowtail snapper bite in the Florida Keys?
Yellowtail Snapper are open year round on the reef line and the patch reefs, well up off the bottom, in 65-90 F water with the best bite between 72 and 86 F. These bands are drafted from published thermal preferences rather than measured in this water, and the daily FishIntel report says where that water sits this morning.
65–90°F
Best between 72–86°F.
Open year round in Atlantic state and federal waters, 12 in TL, up to 10 per person within the 10-snapper aggregate bag limit (FWC, checked 2026-08-20). Special rules apply inside Biscayne National Park. Regulations change, so check the current FWC rules for the species you are targeting before treating a rating as a plan.
These bands are NOT yet calibrated against observed water for Western Atlantic. They come from published thermal preferences and general knowledge of the fishery. Treat them as a starting point and lean on the season as much as the number.
A band and a season tell you whether yellowtail snapper is on the cards this month. They do not tell you where the water is doing something today. A FishIntel report reads the actual sea surface temperature, chlorophyll fronts and current convergence over your own pinned coordinates every morning, and says which of those edges is worth running to.
FishIntel is built by Captain Kit Carson, a licensed charter captain running offshore out of Islamorada.