Inshore Fishing Report
Inshore fishing is looking promising with plenty of species on the move as the water clears and conditions improve.
Snook
Although these crafty fish can be elusive, expect to find snook along the sheltered inlets and near structure where they seek warmth and cover. Use live baits or soft plastics during the early morning or late evening hours for the best results. We are seeing them moving and feeding more as things warm up. Timing your trips around the tides is imperative for the best results.
Trout
The trout action is sizzling, with these predators stalking the flats, mangroves, and oyster bars. Look to the dock and bridge lights at night, and use free-lined live shrimp or white bait during the day to attract these swift fighters.
Redfish
Redfish are super prolific right now—catch them on live shrimp, cut bait, or even soft plastics. They’re holding strong around beaches, jetty areas, and the back bay. Keep an eye out for diving birds or mullet schools; that’s a sure sign they’re in the area.
Sheepshead
These striped beauties are targeting any structure with barnacles or oysters. Look for them around docks, piers, bridges, and jetties. Small pieces of shrimp or fiddler crabs on light tackle work wonders.
Black Drum
Both large and small drum are active inshore, especially on the flats and near oyster bars. They’ll bite on live bait and larger pieces of crab—perfect for anglers looking for a strong, steady fight. Bigger drum are found around the bridges on cut crabs for the most part.
Pro Tip: Keep an eye on water movement and bait activity around structures—these are key factors for success when targeting inshore species. Whether you’re after snook, redfish, trout, or any species really, these seasonal changes are creating prime fishing opportunities across the bay! Even if its moving water from wind, you find moving water where life is present like birds diving, bait action or mullet, near an area of structure like flats, oyster bars, docks, bridges or anything you have higher chances of finding actively biting fish. Also, keep an eye on the tides as this time of year especially around the new and full moons we typically see stronger negative low tides. Any north winds compound this effect too. If we get a really low tide overnight it will push any fish off the flats during the night and into deeper water areas, and they are slower to return.
Fishing Tips
- Snook: Use live baits like greenbacks, threadfins, and shrimp, or try flair hawks and soft plastics at night.
- Redfish: Look for them around mangroves, oyster bars, and flats, and use dead baits during higher tides.
- Trout: Target them with soft plastics, white bait, and shrimp around deeper flats and potholes.
- Tarpon: Target them during the full moon with crab flushes, making it an ideal time to target them.
- Flounder: Find them near sandy bottoms and structures, biting on bottom baits.
- Pompano: Be prepared to move frequently to stay on their bite.
- Sharks: Use big dead baits in areas with moving water.
NEarshore Fishing Report
Lane Snapper
Aggressive snapper are biting well in the deeper nearshore waters, especially in the 50-80ft range. They’re striking everything from squid to live shrimp and cut threadfins.
Hogfish
Hogfish are a nearshore staple, especially around the 40ft mark. They’re responding best to live shrimp on light tackle setups—think minimal weight, a 4000-series spinning reel, 20-30lb braid, and 30lb fluorocarbon leaders paired with 3-4/0 hooks. Don’t miss your chance while the bite is strong!
Mangrove Snapper
Though they can be a bit hit-or-miss, we’re still catching a few good mangrove snapper nearshore. They often show up mixed in with other species when targeting hogfish. A light rig with live shrimp or small chunks of threadfin is your best bet.
Red Grouper
Spotty nearshore red grouper action is beginning to emerge in the deeper nearshore waters. Live pinfish or larger dead baits—like squid strips or whole threadfins—are effective. Keep your setup heavy with 50-60lb leaders and 6/0 hooks to target those bigger grouper that make for a real trophy catch.
Help spread the word about what to do if you hook or entangle a bird. Never cut the line; instead, reel in the bird carefully to dehook and release it. If you accidentally hook a dock, break the line at the hook to avoid leaving any line in the water. Seabirds with fishing lines hanging from them are becoming more common, and this could lead to the closure of fishing areas.
Rising concerns about bird entanglements might result in closing fishing spots, impacting the few available locations around Tampa Bay from shorelines, docks, bridges, or piers. Learn more in our recent podcast with Salt Strong: https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/shutting-down-fishing-at-busy-pier/.
Fishing Tips
- Red Grouper: Target the deepest near shore waters with big dead baits or solid live baits. Use 60 lb test and 7/0 hooks for best results.
- Red Snapper: Use big dead baits like whole squid and bonita strips with heavy tackle to focus on larger fish. Prime trips include the 12-hour extreme, 39-hour, and 44-hour trips.
- Scamp Grouper: Use small to medium pinfish and cut threadfin, especially while targeting mangrove snapper.
- Mangrove Snapper: Near shore, use live shrimp and small chunks of threadfin on 30-40 lb test with 3-4/0 hooks. Offshore, use bigger chunks of cut threadfin or medium pinfish on 40-60 lb test with 5-7/0 hooks.
- Vermillion Snapper: Start around 100 feet of water using cut squid or threadfin. These fish are aggressive and not leader-shy.
- Yellowtail Snapper: Use shrimp, cut squid, and threadfin.
- Pelagic Species: Keep flat lines and pitch rods ready for sailfish, kingfish, wahoo, tuna, and mahi mahi.
Offshore Fishing Report
Red Snapper Closed, Triggerfish Closed
While red snapper and triggerfish seasons are now closed, there’s still plenty of action offshore with other species. Triggerfish are closed January & February and also June & July but open the rest of the year. Red snapper will open again June first for three months and perhaps even a little longer.
Red Grouper and Scamp Grouper
Red grouper fishing is picking up as the season reopens. We’re targeting these fish with live baits, large dead baits, and slow-pitch jigs. Scamp grouper are also cooperating well, often caught using medium pinfish or while fishing for mangroves with cut threadfin. For grouper, use 60-80lb leaders and 7-10 0t hooks.
Mangrove and Mutton Snapper
Mangrove snapper remain steady offshore, with the biggest fish biting on live pinfish. For quantity, cut threadfins on double snell rigs work well. Mutton snapper are also showing up more frequently, adding excitement to our trips. These fish respond well to both live and dead baits.
Pelagic Action is Hot
Pelagic fishing has been exciting, with blackfin tuna providing plenty of action on recent trips. These speedsters are being caught while trolling, jigging, and even during bait drops. Kingfish are also plentiful, and we’re seeing the occasional wahoo on the troll using lipped diving plugs.
Remember that when fishing in deeper nearshore and offshore federal waters, the Descend Act requires you to have a descending device or venting tool “rigged and ready.” If you know how to use a venting tool, keep it prepared. If not, here’s some helpful advice: https://bit.ly/3L5HTnv. Using a descending device is straightforward and doesn’t require as much precision or practice as venting. You can even get over $100 worth of descending device gear for free by taking a short course on barotrauma mitigation, which helps more fish survive. The course only takes about 10-15 minutes, and you can learn valuable techniques to protect our offshore fishery. Spread the word by visiting: https://returnemright.org/.
TERMS OF REFERENCE-
Inshore: This covers the areas from the inner bays, through the bridges, and right up to the beaches.
Near Shore: This includes the coastal waters from the beaches up to twenty miles offshore, or up to a depth of 100 feet.
Offshore: This extends from twenty miles offshore or from a depth of 100 feet and beyond.
For more fishing reports, photos, videos, and other content, check out Hubbard’s Marina on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Pinterest, or Snapchat by searching for @HubbardsMarina. Remember our family motto: “If you’re too busy to go fishing, you’re just too busy!” Thank you for reading our report.
Capt. Dylan Hubbard, Hubbard’s Marina
Phone or text: (727) 393-1947
Website: Hubbard’s Marina
