Inshore Fishing Report
Sheepshead (Top Target Now):
Prime around docks, bridge pilings, jetties, and rock piles—anywhere with barnacles or oysters. 15–20 lb fluoro, small 1–2/0 J‑hooks, and a split‑shot/light knocker keeps baits in the strike zone. Fiddlers, shrimp bits, or cut oyster work great. Wait for steady weight before lifting to set.
Snook (Pushed Back in the back bay waters):
Fronts pushed a lot of fish deeper into the bay. Hunt wind‑protected, sun‑warmed shorelines, creek mouths, and troughs along mangroves. Work solunar majors/minors with slow‑rolled soft plastics, shrimp under a cork, or live bait tight to structure.
Redfish (On the Move):
Follow the mullet schools around flats, oyster bars, and mangrove points. On weaker flow, soak cut ladyfish or mullet; on stronger flow, free‑line shrimp or small pins. Long casts and quiet hulls help with picky schools.
Trout (Flats by Day, Lights by Night):
Edges, potholes, and deeper grass produce in daylight. After dark, bridge and dock lights load up with bait. Use light jig heads and small profiles, or drift live shrimp through the light line and let them eat.
Spanish Mackerel (Thinned Out):
Numbers eased, but deep water structure with lots of bait may hold a few more. Keep a fast, flashy spoon or plug to cover water quickly.
Bonnethead Sharks (Beaches):
Fun on light tackle—shrimp or even squid on 20–30 lb leaders, light drag, and enjoy the runs.
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
Hogfish:
Turning on with cooler periods and stability. Target 40–70 ft on small ledges and shell patches. 4000–5000 spinner, 20–30 lb braid to a 10–15 ft section of 30 lb mono/fluoro, 1–2 oz knocker, 3–4/0 hook, and live shrimp. We are seeing them best on private fishing charters and our ten hour all day trips.
Lane Snapper:
Reliable in 60–100 ft. Squid strips, shrimp, and cut threadfin all produce; bigger lanes trend to live shrimp or threadfin chunks. They get bigger as you go deeper.
Mangrove Snapper:
Hit and miss but present throughout the near shore waters but more consistent as you get closer to 100ft. Small double‑snell rigs, 30–40 lb leader, and threadfin chunks. Downsize when they get picky, and they will love the live shrimp.
Red Grouper:
Occasional near shore with better odds on the deeper side of things. Work bigger dead baits or frisky pins and move until you connect.
Mackerel/Kingfish:
Numbers have really thinned out with the bait. However, if you find the bait, keep a flat line out whenever bait is showering—bonus bites happen fast.
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 Grouper:
Target hard bottom, potholes, and low relief. 60–80 lb leaders, 6–10/0 hooks matched to big baits—whole squid, bonita strips, octopus, or large live baits. Hop until you find a hungry pile then stick and move in that depth range.
Triggerfish:
Steady on small chewy strips of squid or bonita (about two inches). Smaller hooks and lighter leader improve hookups.
Mangrove Snapper & Yellowtail:
Mangroves love cut threadfin on double‑snells; the largest prefer small to medium live pinfish. Yellowtail respond to lighter leaders, smaller hooks, and tiny squid/threadfin strips at dawn, dusk, and after dark.
Mutton Snapper:
Consistent lately. Medium pinfish on lighter to medium gear, little more beefy than mangrove snapper set ups but same bait and similar approach.
Blackfin Tuna & Pelagics:
Run a flat line and keep a jig rod handy. Work rips and temperature breaks; expect tuna, plus passing kings and the occasional wahoo.
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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