Understanding Tampa Fishing Seasons and Species
Last Updated on September 16, 2024 by Boatsetter Team
Saltwater anglers who enjoy inshore fishing know that no matter where you enjoy casting your lines, seasonality will have a huge impact on the species that might be biting. Most saltwater species migrate and those that don’t will still shift their feeding patterns and locations, so fishing during the heat of summer versus the middle of winter will be very different experiences. This is true even in year-round fisheries like that of Tampa, FL—which was named one of our Top 15 Fishing Destinations for 2014—where the changing of the seasons will have a huge impact on where you’ll find the fish and how you’ll get them to bite.
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Winter Fishing in Tampa, FL
While anglers to the north are frozen out of the game, those fishing in Tampa will enjoy an excellent winter bite. This is prime time for sheepshead, which move into Tampa Bay and crowd around structure, shell bottom, and reefs. Try dropping chunks of shrimp or crab as close as possible to the snaggiest structure around, and set the hook the moment you feel the slightest nibble because these fish are expert bait-stealers. Flounder also move in at this time of year and can be found paving the bottom of channel edges and sandy flats. Try bouncing three- to five-inch soft plastic jigs along the bottom or drift live shrimp or minnow to get them biting. And although prime time has passed for the ever-popular redfish, they’ll still be around in decent numbers and anglers can stalk them in the shallows and backcountry waterways.
Plenty of other fish, including the popular snook and grouper, will be biting in these waters during the winter as well. But their harvest is closed for most of the winter (see the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Recreational Regulations webpage for the current details) so if you’re looking to catch dinner, look elsewhere.
Spring Fishing in Tampa, Fl
Spring brings with it good fishing for redfish and speckled trout, and snook push through the bay on their way to the beaches. But at this time of year most of the headlines are reserved for the tarpon run. The first fish usually show up in April, then in May huge schools move in along the beaches and then in the bay. Livelining baitfish or chunking dead baits are top ways to get one of these brutes on the line, and when they’re in the passes offering up a crab is a smart move. At times it’s also possible to sight-cast to them in the shallows along the beach, which even the most experienced anglers consider an epic challenge.
Summer Fishing in Tampa, FL
During the summer months there’s a wide range of species biting, with speckled sea trout providing some of the most reliable action. You’ll commonly find them around grass beds in shallow waters, where you can cast soft plastic paddletails or shrimp imitations on light jig heads at daybreak and sunset. In the middle of hot, sunny days the fish may shift slightly deeper to find cooler waters.
You’ll also encounter redfish on the grass flats, another good summer target, as well as finding them near oyster bars, mangroves, and rocky structure. Reds are one of the most popular fish to target any time of year as the season for them is always open, but the summer months offer steady availability and a steady bite. Try using live or cut bait (reds will eat just about anything from fish to crabs), casting jigs, or use the old-timer’s favorite: a three-inch gold wobbling spoon.
Fall Fishing in Tampa, FL
Many anglers would consider fall the peak season for all-around action. Redfish, speckled trout, and snook all remain possibilities. Snapper, flounder, and grouper may make their presence known, and there’s a possibility of a fall tarpon run as well. But fall also brings with it new opportunities to chase some open-water species that move in: Spanish mackerel and king mackerel.
Fishing for the mackerels requires very different tactics, but for many anglers it’s well worth the effort. Spanish can be caught by trolling with small spoons, often run behind diving planers. You may get a king mackerel fishing in this fashion, too, but most trollers will target them with larger spoons, lipped plugs, or rigged baits. Live-lining or slow-trolling live cigar minnow, pilchards, or other baitfish are also popular ways to target the kings.
Whichever season you visit the area, one thing is for sure: the fishing is going to be red-hot for one species or another. To boost your chances of getting in on the bite try renting a center console fishing boat in Tampa, visit a local tackle shop to get the latest intel, and get out on the water at the crack of dawn—you can bet that bent rods and full coolers await.
For more information on fishing in the area see our Fishing in St. Petersburg, FL Guide and our Fishing in Clearwater Guide. To learn more about boating here in general, see the Tampa Bay Boating Guide.
With over three decades of experience in marine journalism, Lenny Rudow has contributed to dozens of boating and fishing publications and websites ranging from BoatU.S. Magazine to BDOutdoors.com. Rudow is currently the Angler in Chief at Rudow’s FishTalk, he is a past president of Boating Writers International (BWI), a graduate of the Westlawn School of Yacht Design, and has won numerous BWI and OWAA writing awards.
