Inshore Fishing Report
Inshore fishing around Johns Pass, Madeira Beach, and Tampa Bay is stacked with opportunity right now. The sheepshead bite is still very strong and remains one of the most dependable options in the region. Bridges, dock pilings, seawalls, jetties, and rock piles are all producing, especially when you find good growth and a little moving water. Small pieces of shrimp, fiddler crabs, clam, or oyster fished on light tackle with just enough weight to hold bottom are still the way to go. Keep the bait tight to the structure and be ready for those fast, subtle bites.
Trout are still heavy around the area and continue to provide some of the best action on the flats, around potholes, and near mangrove shorelines and oyster bars. With warmer water creeping in, expect trout to stay active early and late, while still using deeper troughs and sand depressions during the middle of the day. Live shrimp, small soft plastics, and shrimp imitations fished patiently remain the go-to choices. In clearer water, smaller presentations and lighter leaders become even more important.
Redfish are moving around and acting more like spring fish now. They are still around oyster bars, grass flats, mangrove points, and dock lines, but they are beginning to roam more and use shorter, more aggressive feeding windows. Look for mullet, nervous bait, and bird activity. If you are fishing cleaner water, stealth matters—longer casts, lighter fluorocarbon, and more natural presentations will help. Cut bait is still a strong option when fish are laid up or feeding by scent, but paddletails, jerkbaits, and weedless artificials can be great when you need to cover water.
Snook are showing up much more heavily than they were just a short time ago, especially before the recent front, and we should continue seeing more of them this coming week as conditions stabilize. They may still use deeper canals, creek mouths, and darker muddy shorelines in the mornings, but warmer afternoons should have them sliding outward toward points, cuts, docks, and passes. Fish solunar majors, the warmest part of the day, and any area where bait is being funneled by current.
Black drum are becoming more common in better numbers, and that is another great sign of the seasonal overlap we are in. Shrimp and crabs remain top baits, especially around bridges, structure, and edges where the current delivers food.
Mackerel are already hot inshore, and that is one of the biggest seasonal clues we can get. When mackerel are pushing bait this hard, it tells us the entire system is waking up. Keep a flashy spoon, small plug, or free-lined white bait ready around the passes, deeper bridges, and anywhere bait is showering.
And yes, tarpon are not far away. We are getting to that time where a stable warming trend and active bait can put the first real signs of silver kings on the beaches and around the bay. If this weather pattern behaves, tarpon season will be here before we know it.
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.
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 podcast with Salt Strong: https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/shutting-down-fishing-at-busy-pier/.
NEarshore Fishing Report
Near shore is getting more exciting by the day. The mackerel are back in force and already crazy thick in places, which means the beachside and nearshore fishery is accelerating fast. If that warming trend holds, kingfish should not be far behind. Right now is the time to keep a pitch rod ready any time you see bait showering, birds dipping low, or fish jumping at the surface.
Hogfish are still going well and remain one of the best-eating targets near shore. This is a great window to capitalize on them before things get too warm and they spread out more. A 4000 to 5000 size spinning reel, 20 to 30 pound braid, a long fluorocarbon leader around 30 pound test, a 3/0 to 4/0 hook, and 1 to 2 ounces of weight is a proven setup. Live shrimp is still the top bait. Focus on broken hard bottom, shell patches, small ledges, and lower-profile structure in the 40 to 70 foot range. Be patient, because the quick pickers usually bite first like the grey snapper or white grunts, snapper species and juvenile red grouper.
Lane snapper should continue improving as this weather stabilizes and the water continues to warm. Shrimp, squid, and cut threadfin all work, but the better lanes often prefer live shrimp or a fresh-cut threadfin chunk. Mangrove snapper are possible near shore too, especially deeper and around cleaner structure. If they’re finicky, drop hook size, shorten your bait piece, and lighten your leader.
Red grouper remain an option in the deeper near shore zones. Expect to sort through some smaller fish before you find a legal keeper, but bigger baits like whole squid, thicker cut strips, and live pinfish will help you target the right fish. This is also a good time to work sandy edges and transitions thoroughly, because flounder can surprise you near shore around those bottom changes.
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
Offshore, the whole fishery feels like it is setting up for a really strong spring push. Pelagic action should continue heating up with these water temperatures, so every offshore trip from here on out deserves at least one ready pitch rod with a flat line already out and ready! Keep a watchful eye out for bait showers, birds, color changes, and floating debris.
Red grouper remain a major target offshore and continue to respond best to big, meaty baits. Whole squid, octopus, thick strips of bonita, and quality live baits all deserve a place in the spread. Fish the hard bottom, potholes, and ledges, and keep moving until you find the right life on the machine. Bigger fish usually mean bigger baits and a cleaner, more committed presentation.
Triggerfish are back open and should add another great-eating target to the mix. Keep your hooks on the smaller side and use narrow, chewy strips of squid or cut bait. Bait size matters just as much as hook size with triggers, and anglers who keep their bait small and neat usually do much better.
Mangrove snapper remain a key player offshore. Cut threadfin on a double-snell rig is still one of the best all-around producers for numbers, while small live pinfish can help draw the larger fish. If the water gets very clear, keep a lighter-leader setup ready for those bigger, more suspicious mangroves.
Scamp grouper are still in the mix on the right deeper structure, and mutton snapper continue rewarding anglers willing to fish a little slower and a little cleaner. Medium pinfish, stout leader, and a patient presentation over the right ledges will keep you in the game.
Vermillion snapper, porgies, and almaco jacks are helping round out the coolers and keep rods bent, and that steady heads-and-tails action is often a great sign that you are dialed into active bottom. Put it all together, and the offshore picture looks very promising.
Don’t forget, that we have some great videos on our fishing tips and tricks page here to show you how to target and rig for almost any species-> https://www.hubbardsmarina.com/fishing-tips/
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. Return em’ Right has a training 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
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