06/11/2025
Summer fishing is heating up across Tampa Bay, and the action is steady inshore and offshore.
Inshore:
Snook are stacked up around the mangroves, seawalls, and passes. Early mornings and evenings are producing the most bites, especially on live sardines and pinfish. Slot-size fish are common, and there's plenty of catch-and-release fun as well. Redfish are showing up in better numbers, especially on the flats near Weedon Island and Fort De Soto. They're taking cut bait and soft plastics. Keep an eye out for tailing reds on early morning tides.
Speckled trout are biting over grass flats in 3–5 feet of water. Smaller trout are more common, but there are some gators mixed in—especially around sunrise. Try a popping cork rig with shrimp or artificial lures like DOA CALs.
Nearshore:
Tarpon are the stars of the show right now. The beaches are seeing steady schools moving north, and anglers are getting solid hookups on live crabs and threadfin herring. Look for rolling fish just off the sand, especially at first light and on the outgoing tide.
Spanish mackerel and bonito are also thick near the shipping channel and along the Skyway. Cast small spoons or flashy jigs into the feeding frenzies for nonstop action.
