Best & Worst Weather Conditions for Miami Fishing (A Guide)
Miami offers some of the best fishing in southern Florida but everyone knows the weather can be temperamental here. Knowing the best and worst weather conditions can improve your fishing success.
The best weather conditions for Miami fishing is between 70-80°F, relatively calm winds, minimal cloud cover, new or full moon phases, little to no rain, and outgoing or incoming tide.
In this article, I will break down the best and worst weather conditions for each species of sportfish most popular in Miami waterways.
Miami Species Breakdown: Best Weather Conditions
Tarpon: The best fishing conditions for tarpon will be 80-85°F, clear skies, and relatively calm winds under a new or full moon during an incoming tide. The best months will be from May through September when conditions are warmest.
Early morning and late afternoons will offer some of the best fishing with reduced light making for more active tarpon. The worst weather conditions to catch tarpon will be under a cold front, strong winds, and heavy rain as these conditions will impact water temperature and reduce visibility.
Mahi-Mahi (Dolphin & Dorado): The best fishing conditions will be 75-82°F, clear skies, and relatively calm winds under a new or full moon during an incoming tide. The best months will be from May through October when conditions are warmest.
Early morning and late afternoons will offer some of the best fishing with reduced light making for more active mahi-mahi. The worst weather conditions to catch fish will be under a cold front, strong winds, and heavy rain as these conditions will impact water temperature and reduce visibility.
Tuna: The best fishing conditions will be 70-80°F, clear skies, and relatively calm winds under a full moon during an incoming tide. The best months will be from May through September.
Early morning and late afternoons will offer some of the best fishing with reduced light making for more active tuna. The worst weather conditions to catch fish will be under a cold front, strong winds, and heavy rain.
Grouper: The best fishing conditions will be 70-80°F, clear skies, and moderate winds under a new moon during an outgoing tide. The best months will be from November through April as cooler water temperatures make grouper more active.
Early morning and late afternoons will offer some of the best fishing with reduced light making for more active tuna. Overcast conditions can also improve grouper fishing. The worst weather conditions to catch fish will be under a cold front, strong winds, and heavy rain.
Snapper: The best fishing conditions will be 70-80°F, clear skies, and moderate winds under a full moon during an incoming tide. The best months will be from November through April as cooler water temperatures improve snapper and grouper action.
Early morning and late afternoons will offer some of the best fishing with reduced light making for more active snapper. The worst weather conditions to catch fish will be under a cold front, strong winds, and heavy rain.
Sailfish: The best fishing conditions will be 75-82°F, clear skies, and moderate winds under a full moon during an incoming tide. The best months will be from November through April as cooler water temperatures improve snapper and grouper action.
Early morning and late afternoons will offer some of the best fishing with reduced light making for more active sailfish. The worst weather conditions to catch fish will be under a cold front, strong winds, and heavy rain.
Marlin: The best fishing conditions will be 75-82°F, with clear skies, and relatively calm winds under a full moon during an incoming tide. The best months will be from May through October.
Early morning and late afternoons will offer some of the best fishing with reduced light making for more active marlin. The worst weather conditions to catch fish will be under a cold front, strong winds, and heavy rain.
Snook: The best fishing conditions will be 72-82°F, with clear skies, and moderate winds under a full moon during an incoming tide. The best months will be from May through October as snook are more active during warmer seasons.
Early morning and late afternoons will offer some of the best fishing with reduced light making for more active snook. The worst weather conditions to catch fish will be under a cold front, strong winds, and heavy rain.
Best Water Temperatures to Catch Fish in Miami
The best water temperature to catch fish in the waters around Miami is between 70-80°F. Each species has its preferred water temperature.
Tarpon have an ideal water temperature range of 75-85°F, amberjacks are at 72-82°F, snook will be best caught in a range of 70-85°F, sailfish will be around 70-82°F, and mahi-mahi are best targeted in water temperatures between75-82°F.
The temperature of water can affect a fish’s metabolism and feeding habits. Generally speaking, fish are less active and feed less in cooler water.
Recommended Fishing Guides/Charters in Miami
These Miami-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a great service. The captains are knowledgeable and professional and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.
| Recommended Fishing Charters | Location |
| Billin Office Fishing Charters | Miami, FL |
| Twysted Lyfe Charters Miami Beach | Miami, FL |
| Lucky Hook Charters | Miami, FL |
| Sea Hawk Fishing Charters | Miami, FL |
| Miss Tra Sea | Miami Beach, FL |
| Blue Waters II Fishing Charters | Miami, FL |
| Lady Mitchell Fishing Charter | Miami Beach, FL |
| Captain Ozzy Reef Fishing | Miami, FL |
| Captain Martin Carranza | Key Biscayne, FL |
| Hot Shot Charters | Miami, FL |
| Miami Inshore Fishing Charters | Key Biscayne, FL |
| Reel Limit Fishing | Miami Beach, FL |
| Sea Cross II – Fishing Miami | Miami Beach, FL |
Weather Conditions Breakdown for Miami Fishing
Impacts of Wind
Generally speaking, wind doesn’t play a huge role in fishing success around Miami unless you are dealing with very strong winds and gusts. Most light to moderate wind conditions are perfectly fine.
The best wind conditions for most fishing will be 2-10 MPH winds with winds out of southeast in summer and winds out of the northeast in winter.
Strong winds (anything above 25 MPH), on top of making casting very hard, can also caught rough seas and reduce underwater visibility. Fishing during strong winds should be avoided as they can be dangerous as well.
Tidal Impacts on Miami Fishing
For most inshore and nearshore fishing, the tides will have a large impact on fishing as they will impact depths, currents, and alter fish behavior in response.
The best times to fish near Miami will be around incoming tides in summer and outgoing tides in winter. Low tides tend to bring fish closer to shallow water whereas high tides actually move fish into deeper water.
Cloud Cover & Miami Fishing
It should be noted that cloud cover can change pretty fast around Miami. Cloud cover can impact water temperature, underwater visibility, light levels, and fish behavior.
It should also be noted that a nice cloud cover can make fishing on a hot sunny day a lot more comfortable. In local waters, the best fishing conditions will be sunny days with minimal cloud cover offering great underwater visibility and allowing fish to see baits from greater distances.
The time of year can also alter the recommended could cover. Winter fishing under a thick, overcast cloud cover allows better fishing in deeper water whereas in summer, minimal cloud cover offers the best fishing for most species.
Best Moon Phases for Miami Fishing
The moon phase will have an outsized impact on fishing success as it impacts tides, water flow, and fish behavior. If you are night fishing, a bright full moon with minimal cloud cover will offer the best action.
During the daytime, a new moon can offer the best fishing as fish will be more active during daylight hours. During summer, the best moon phases are the full and new moon whereas waxing and waning moons can be dynamite during winter.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to catch fish in Miami, check out this guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to catch fish in Fort Lauderdale, check out this guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to catch fish in Key Biscayne, check out this guide.
