Mangrove Snapper Fishing in Tampa Bay
This trip specifically targets Mangrove Snappers, which is best known for its light and flaky meat, making it an anglers choice for a delicious meal! Whether you bake them, fry them or broil them, they are delicious! The larger snappers can really put up a fight with their broom like tail and powerful bodies, making them a fun fish to catch.
The 12 hour night snapper trip departs Hubbard’s Marina located inside Beautiful John’s Pass, Madeira Beach Florida around 7pm on a Friday, and returns to dock at 7am on Saturday. We travel 25-35 miles offshore and fish in approx. 60-120 ft. of water targeting primarily large mangrove snappers with plenty of vermillion snapper, porgies, and yellow tail snapper being caught as well. During Gag Grouper season, you do have a chance at catching them, but the hog snapper (hogfish) and red grouper tend to not bite at night making it rare to catch one.
This trip DOES NOT go deep enough or far enough to catch red snapper or amberjacks, if you want to target American Red Snapper, we would suggest a 12 Hour Extreme or longer range trip.
Mangrove Snapper tend to be one of the harder fish species to catch. They bite fast and aggressively so you will have to be quick to set the hook, but once you do… prepare for one of our favorite species to catch. An easier way to make sure you can catch these super smart fish is by using a Double Snell Hook, If you don’t know how to double snell the mates can teach you on the way out or you can also watch the video by clicking here.
Quick Details
- Duration: 12 Hours Total | 7-9 Hours Fishing | 1.5-2 Hours Out & Back
- Departure Times: 7:00 PM Fridays ONLY
- Distance: 25 – 35 Miles Offshore
- Depth: 60 – 120 feet
- Capacity: 65 Passengers ~ Groups larger than 4 require 1 form of payment. NO SPLIT PAYMENTS
- Catch : Mangrove snapper, Vermillion, Porgies, Yellowtail, Black Seabass
*During gag season you do have a slight chance at some of them. Red grouper and hogfish do not bite well at night however so that would be a rarity.*
- Rod Rentals: $15 per person and include Hook, Line and Sinkers. If bringing own gear please check below for recommended tackle
Cancellation Policy: 48 hours notice or more required.
No Call / No Shows – 100% of trip fare.
Cancellations within 48-hours – 50% of trip fare.
$165.00
Per Person Ages 12+
You want to bring high gear ratio reel to help you set the hook on the fast mangrove snapper. For the rod, you want a medium strength rod with a sensitive tip to help feel the bite. Forty pound test is best for the snapper leaders with 3-5ot double snelled hooks.
If you don’t know how to double snell the mates can teach you on the way out.
Braid is okay on these trips but top shot is a must
Mangrove snapper – you want to use cut sardines for these guys and the mates will show you how to hook them
You might also want to bring a 60-80lb rod with a medium gear ratio reel for the grouper
- 7-9ot hook with 80lb leader – bait: live pinfish, sardine, or squid strip
This trip does NOT go out far enough
for amberjack or red snapper
Good trip to use glow beads on your leaders… we sell them in the shop by the swivels
Small pinfish work great for monster mangrove snapper so live bait is a good idea for this trip, also mangrove snapper LOVE large shrimp so select shrimp is great idea too for this trip
Cigar minnows in bait freezer are great upgraded dead bait for the mangroves
Cut squid and threadfins are provided on board at no extra charge. Live shrimp and live pinfish do work well but it’s simply and extra option. You don’t NEED it, but it does work well some nights better than others. Live pinfish work well for the grouper and big mangroves. Live shrimp works VERY well for the mangroves and other snapper species. We will cover it more in depth in your pre-boarding seminar before the trip and you can purchase it prior to the departure of your trip after the seminar before boarding if you so choose.
Pinfish must be ordered 48 hours in advanced or more ($11 per dozen)
Live shrimp can be purchased the day of, or ahead of time either way ($10 for two doz in a bait bucket, $20 for five doz in a bait bucket)
Communal live well available on board.
We recommend 1 doz pinfish per angler if you so choose
We recommend 2-5 doz shrimp per angler if you so choose
Fare: $165.00
Rod and Reel rental: $15.00
12 Hour Trip Meal Package: $22.99+tax
Includes: 2 Sandwiches (breakfast & lunch), 2 bags of chips, 2 candy or granola bars, 4 sodas, unlimited water with $2.25 Happy Hour Beer prices with the package.
Please note – children must be age 12 or over to take this trip.
FAQs– Things to Know Before You Go !
Check The Weather: Click Here
Run time
1 and a half to 2 and a half hour ride out and back 7-9 hours fishing time.
Distance: Cruising out 15 to 35 from shore.
Depth: The average depth is over 60-120 feet of water.
Catch: On this special trip we target primarily mangrove snapper, however, during gag season you do have a slight chance at some of them. We will also see plenty of vermillion, porgies, yellowtail, and possibly some seabass. Red grouper and hogfish do not bite well at night however so that would be a rarity.
Keep in mind mangrove snapper are the quickest biting super smart snapper that take lots of experience to dial in on. We would strongly recommend you check out the Fishing tips(https://www.hubbardsmarina.com/fishing-tips/) to see what Capt. Dylan Hubbard recommends for mangrove snapper. Also, be sure to watch the
How to tie a double snell (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiaOiD1Bcvs) video because that rig will help you catch TONS more mangrove snapper.
We do not have a Reel Spooling Machine here at Hubbard’s Marina, but they do have one at Gator Jim’s Tackle Shop! Stop by today and let em know Hubbard’s Sent you!
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