As of October 20, 2024, the fishing scene in Islamorada, Florida, is looking promising. Here’s a rundown of what you can expect.

### Conditions
- **Weather:** The weather has been a bit rough lately, but it's starting to calm down. Expect partly cloudy skies with temperatures still in the 80s, which is typical for this time of year.
- **Tides:** For today, the high tide is at around 10:30 AM and the low tide at 4:30 PM. These tides should provide good conditions for both inshore and offshore fishing.
- **Sunrise and Sunset:** Sunrise is at 7:30 AM, and sunset will be at 6:45 PM, giving you ample daylight to get out on the water.

### Fish Activity
Yesterday saw a good mix of fish activity. Anglers were successful in catching a variety of species:
- **Dolphin (Mahi-Mahi):** Schools of dolphin were found on the humps and reefs, with some fish ranging from 5 to 50 pounds.
- **Blackfin Tuna:** These were plentiful on the reefs and humps as well.
- **Snappers:** Mangrove snappers, mutton snappers, and yellowtail snappers were abundant when anchored up on the reefs.
- **King Mackerel:** Some king mackerel were caught, especially on the deeper waters.
- **Tarpon:** Although not as active as in the summer, there were still some small tarpon caught behind the house and in the backcountry.

### Best Lures and Bait
For the best results, use the following:
- **Lures:** Trolling rigged baits and lures is effective for dolphin and blackfin tuna. For snappers, use jigs or live bait.
- **Bait:** Sardines and cigar minnows are plentiful and work well for a variety of species. Live bait like ballyhoo is excellent for sailfish and other larger game fish.

### Hot Spots
- **Reefs:** The reefs just off Islamorada are hot spots for snappers, blackfin tuna, and dolphin.
- **Backcountry:** The backcountry inlets and mangrove channels are great for targeting snook, redfish, and tarpon.
- **Wrecks:** Fishing wrecks can yield a good catch of yellowtail snappers and other bottom-dwellers.

Overall, it's a great time to be out on the water in Islamorada, with a variety of fish species active and the weather starting to cooperate. Make sure to check the latest weather updates before heading out and adjust your fishing plan accordingly.