Fishing in Each Season in St. Pete-Clearwater
From the "big 3" to sport fishing and shark spotting, when you fish the waters surrounding St. Pete-Clearwater, you'll get a bite any time of the year.
Fishing in St. Pete-Clearwater is a year-round sport.
The Gulf of Mexico waters from Tarpon Springs to Tierra Verde and the estuary waters of Tampa Bay and Old Tampa Bay are healthy fisheries with scores of species, and you have many ways to tempt them to take your bait.
“Spring and fall are very active fishing seasons, and many people enjoy the comfort of those seasons,” said Captain Ray Markham, a fishing guide for more than 30 years. "But something good can be said about every month of the year." Here are the fish to look for, no matter the season.
A fishing boat charter is a wonderful way to get out on the water and find the fish.
The Big 3 & Other Great Catches
Charter captains note that inshore and nearshore anglers often chase the “big 3” – tarpon, redfish and snook.
Tarpon, which are for show and not the dinner table, are pursued most heavily from May into August. Tarpon weighing 80 to 140 pounds are common, but some bruisers can push 200 pounds. Charter boat captains know which passes and flats to prowl, and you might even get a tarpon surprise at the Skyway Fishing Pier if you prefer to stay with your feet firmly on the ground.
Redfish (red drum to some folks), that have distinctive circular marks toward their tailfins, love shallow grass flats, and they can make a reel smoke. Be sure to check current size limits if you’re catching for the table, and don’t be surprised at the possibility of catching redfish up to three feet long. They are active year-round. Snook are caught year-round, too, but spring, summer and fall are more productive than winter.
Captain Markham, as well as Captain Dylan Hubbard of Hubbard’s Marina at the John’s Pass Village & Boardwalk in Madeira Beach both report that catches of kingfish and feisty Spanish mackerel have peaks in spring and fall. That’s when those species and others migrate between the Florida Keys and the Florida Panhandle.
Hubbard, whose five-hour party boat trips fish about 9 to 12 miles offshore in 30 to 50 feet of water, notes a lot of snapper catch in summer and gag grouper (a tasty fish known for solid strikes and hard initial fights) catch in winter. Grey snappers, Key West grunts, porgies, black sea bass and an occasional hogfish come from these depths. Longer trips into deeper water increase your chances for larger fish, especially grouper and hogfish.
John's Pass in Madeira Beach offers a number of fishing options, from party boats to private charters.
Top Catches & Their Seasonality
Sport fish will surprise you – especially because the waters around St. Pete-Clearwater support more than 200 species – and you’ll sometimes land a species you don’t expect to see. However, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission does cite some seasonal expectations:
- Black drum (tasty, but not beauty contest winners) – fall and spring
- Cobia – spring, summer and fall
- Gulf flounder (just waiting to be stuffed with crabmeat, then broiled) – winter and spring
- Ladyfish (not a table fish, but so much fun! long and lean and known to leap) – fall into early winter
- Pompano – winter and spring
- Sheepshead (with bold stripes and teeth that look like human molars) – fall, winter and spring
Although sharks aren’t gamefish, they are a thrill to catch year-round. More than a dozen species – including black tip, spinner, nurse, bonnet head, hammerhead, mako, lemon and bull sharks – are out there, and several charter boats operations such as YACHTFISH, Jawbreaker and Reel Coquina offer trips specifically chasing sharks.
Fishermen enjoy a beautiful sunset over Lake Seminole.
Freshwater Fishing Year-Round
At the less ferocious end of the spectrum, it’s always fun to tempt bream with a red wiggler worm or a bass with a topwater lure in three freshwater destinations – Lake Maggiore, Lake Seminole and Lake Tarpon.
Be a Steward of Local Waters
Jim Bickel at Gator Jim’s Tackle offers a tip and a hint whenever you’re fishing in St. Pete-Clearwater: Check the current licensing regulations, seasons and size limits before you make your first cast, and be the good guy who disposes used or old fishing line in recycling bins found at many piers, boat ramps and marinas and at many tackle shops.
About Our Writer
Tom Adkinson is a travel and outdoor writer from Nashville, Tennessee, who has enjoyed chasing fish throughout the United States and around the world. He is a Marco Polo member of the Society of American Travel Writers, and his “100 Things To Do in Nashville Before You Die” book is in its third edition.
