For October 18, 2024, if you're planning to head out into the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida, here’s what you can expect:

### Weather and Tides
The weather is looking decent with southeast winds blowing at about 10-15 mph, which should help keep the fish pushed into shallower waters. Sunrise is at around 7:30 AM, and sunset will be at approximately 6:45 PM. Tides will be moderate, with a high tide in the late morning and a low tide in the late afternoon.

### Fish Activity
Offshore fishing has been good, particularly for dolphin. These fish have been scattered depth-wise, but you can find them around floating debris, current rips, and color changes. Expect to catch dolphin in waters ranging from 150 to over 1000 feet deep. Trolling small ballyhoo, bonita strips, and squid has been highly effective.

Blackfin tuna are also active, primarily in the 200-400 foot range. Using small trolling feathers fished way back can yield good results. There have been some reports of wahoo, especially around the new moon phase, although numbers are not huge. Look for wahoo in shallower waters, around 120-200 feet, especially during sunrise and sunset.

Kingfish are biting decently along the 120-foot ledge, with the best action at night, especially with the recent full moon.

### Inshore Fishing
Inshore, catch and release snook fishing remains good in the inlets, although the summer spawning season is winding down. Snook are still present but starting to thin out. Bridge fishing has been slower, but flair hawks and bigger swimbaits are good choices as snook start to key in on mullet.

### Best Lures and Bait
For dolphin, use small ballyhoo, bonita strips, and squid. For blackfin tuna, small trolling feathers are effective. For wahoo, consider using live baits or vertical jigs in the shallower depths. Inshore, live baits like pilchards are excellent for snook and other species.

### Hot Spots
- **Destin and Panama City**: These areas are known for their rich offshore waters, where you can target dolphin, blackfin tuna, and wahoo.
- **Juno Beach Pier**: This pier has been holding a good supply of bait, making it an excellent spot for catch and release snook fishing and other species like Spanish mackerel and blue runners.

Overall, it should be a good day on the water, with a variety of fish species active and favorable weather conditions.