CatchWindow fishing intelligence

Vaca Key, Florida Bay, FL Daily Water Report — August 23, 2026

Vaca Key’s water favors diving and easy boating today, not a hunt for surf. Open-Meteo current conditions and forecast describe a light, dry, almost cloudless stretch over Florida Bay: representative wind only 5 knots from the east-northeast, gusts barely to 6, and a day range of 1 to 6 knots. Marine seas hold 0.2 to 0.3 meters at a short 4-second period, with a matching east-southeast swell and no real wind sea. That surface is why diving leads at 7.7 and boating at 7.3, while surfing sits at 4.5. Those figures are suitability scores, not a safety clearance. The tradeoff sits under the glass. NOAA CoastWatch shows an ocean current of 1.5 meters per second toward the south, which is the main reason kayaking lands at a more cautious 6.1 even though wind and waves look friendly. Sailing scores 6.7 on light but usable breeze, clear skies, and tiny seas—better than yesterday’s reconstructed 5.6, when wind was only 2 knots. Fishing is a middling 6.9 from solunar timing, steady pressure near 1017 hectopascals, light wind, and available clarity; tide stations did not report, so that piece is simply out. Wildlife holds at 6. Against yesterday’s reconstructed board, diving and boating have eased off 8.0 and 8.3, fishing slipped from 7.1, and kayaking dropped from 7.1. Air runs 27.5 to 32.7 Celsius and will feel warmer, humidity around 70 percent, atmospheric visibility about 22 kilometers, and no rain window is indicated. Sea-surface temperature is 32.3 degrees, 1.7 above average. Dawn is 05:39, sunrise 06:03, sunset 18:54. A waxing gibbous moon, 76 percent lit, rises at 15:59. The better fishing windows are the solunar majors, 07:29 to 09:29 and 19:29 to 21:29; the evening one sits near the day’s calmest seas around 21:00. Forecasts keep Monday’s waves similarly small, then wind climbs toward 13 to 16 knots by midweek, rain chances rise into the 30-to-50 percent range, and seas build toward half a meter. Best bet: take the morning light and that short-period ripple for a dive or a quiet boat run before Florida Bay puts some teeth back in the breeze.