CatchWindow fishing intelligence

Key West, FL Daily Water Report — October 6, 2026

Key West gets a clear go for boating, diving and paddling today, with the caveat that the easygoing morning gives way to a breezier late afternoon. Boating leads the activity outlook at 8.4/10, diving follows at 8.2, and kayaking earns 7.8. This is a low-wave day rather than a no-thought-required day: seas run about 0.2 to 0.4 m, with a modest 0.3 m swell from 117 degrees and short wind waves around 0.12 m. The ocean current is running about 0.36 m/s toward 344 degrees, enough to matter for route planning, drift and return legs. The best all-around window is from dawn through late morning, before the brief 08:00–09:00 rain chance and before winds build toward their 18:00 gust peak of 15.4 knots. ENE winds are light overall, near 5 knots representatively, but the range is broad enough to reward an early launch. For anglers, the 09:11–11:11 solunar major period overlaps a rising-to-near-high tide, with high water at 7:09 AM before the tide falls to its 1:36 PM low. Fishing rates a respectable 6.6/10, slightly better than yesterday’s 6.5, though the falling pressure near 1013 hPa and afternoon breeze keep it from being a banner forecast. Divers have warm marine water near 29.9 C and low surface chop working in their favor; the score is stronger than the reconstructed 8.0 from October 4, though no underwater-visibility reading is supplied. Atmospheric visibility is forecast near 16.4 km, useful above water but not a substitute for checking conditions at the site. The calmest waves arrive near 10 PM, around 0.22 m, but daylight ends at 7:11 PM. Compared with the past week, today is calmer than the windier October 3–2 stretch and more favorable for small craft than yesterday, while sailing’s 6.4/10 reflects light power early and a less tidy gust profile later. Wednesday and Thursday look even flatter, with waves around 0.1–0.2 m and peak winds below 11 knots. Conditions turn more energetic Friday, then notably rougher Saturday and Sunday as winds and seas build. Best bet: launch early, use the gentle morning for your longest water time, and be pointed home before the late-day breeze starts charging rent.