Inshore Fishing Report
Snook remain highly active in the passes and on the beaches. The murkier waters and cooler temperatures anticipated over the weekend should increase their activity. The incoming full moon is expected to enhance water flow, providing more opportunities to catch these elusive predators. Targeting snook from dusk until just after dawn is ideal. During the day, focus on deeper waters or shaded areas like docks. Night fishing around bridge and dock lights continues to yield the best results.
Redfish are becoming more active with the slight reprieve from high water temperatures. The expected mullet activity following rain events should increase redfish movement around the flats, where they will be feeding more actively. Look for redfish around the mangrove shorelines and islands of the pass, especially during high tides when cooler waters flush into these areas.
Trout action remains strong on the deeper flats, edges, and in potholes. The cooler temperatures resulting from recent rain and cloud cover have improved trout activity, especially around dock and bridge lights at night. During the day, deeper flats inside the pass are the most productive spots.
Tarpon activity has slowed slightly around the new moon, but the upcoming full moon is expected to rejuvenate their presence. Tarpon should become more active, particularly during early morning hours when water temperatures are lower. Rain events typically cause a crab flush, which should entice more tarpon action as well.
Flounder are biting well along the edges of flats and around sandy potholes. These bottom dwellers are often overlooked but can provide a fun and rewarding fishing experience. Plus, they are extremely good eating, and their ambush feeding style is exciting when working soft plastics slowly over the bottom.
Sharks are highly prolific around the area, from the flats to the beaches and bridges. This is an excellent time to target sharks with bigger, smelly baits and robust tackle. Fishing for sharks is best overnight or into the early morning before the beach crowds arrive.
Overall, the fishing conditions around inshore waters are promising with the anticipated weather changes and the upcoming full moon. Make sure to adjust your strategies to these conditions for a successful fishing trip. Whether you’re aiming for snook, redfish, trout, tarpon, flounder, or sharks, there’s plenty of action to be had in the waters around Johns Pass and Madeira Beach. Tight lines!
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/.
Nearshore Fishing Report
Lane snapper continue to dominate the nearshore waters from around 50-60 ft up to the deepest nearshore areas. These fish are voracious feeders, taking a variety of baits, but the largest ones are being caught on live shrimp and cut threadfins. Our ten-hour trips have been particularly successful, bringing in good numbers of big lanes in depths ranging from 60-100 ft. If you’re looking for a tasty catch, lane snapper are an excellent target right now.
Mangrove snapper are providing a pleasant surprise nearshore, with some truly large fish being caught. They are particularly active in deeper nearshore waters, but they are also being found closer inshore during this time of year. Live pinfish and cut threadfin are the baits of choice for these snapper, with live shrimp also proving effective. These fish are more commonly found during the day around new moons when they can’t feed as heavily at night, but moving to the full moon, they will become more active at night.
Red grouper action is going well, especially in the deeper nearshore waters closer to 100 ft. These fish are responding well to big dead baits and solid live baits. For the best results, use 60-80 lb test line and 6-7ot hooks. The deeper you fish, the more likely you are to encounter these robust fighters in keeper size.
While pelagic action is going nuts offshore, nearshore waters are still producing some exciting catches. Mackerel and the occasional kingfish are being found around the bait schools near the beaches. Using flashy, fast-moving lures or throwing white bait chum to get them fired up has been successful. When fishing the deeper nearshore waters, there is a chance to encounter more pelagic species that may push in from offshore.
For those targeting lane and mangrove snapper, live shrimp and cut threadfins are your best bet. Red grouper anglers should focus on deeper waters with heavy-duty tackle and larger baits. For mackerel and kingfish, keep an eye on the bait schools near the beaches and be prepared to move quickly with fast-moving lures or chum.
Overall, the nearshore fishing around Hubbard’s Marina is thriving. Whether you’re targeting snapper, grouper, or pelagic species, there’s plenty of action to be had. Get out there and enjoy the drag-pulling fun and delicious catches that our nearshore waters have to offer! Red grouper action has been steady nearshore, with many ten-hour trips getting 10-15 or sometimes more! They are mostly big live baits or big dead baits lately.
Offshore Fishing Report
Red snapper remains the primary focus offshore, with anglers reporting excellent catches. The biggest red snapper are biting well on big dead baits like whole squid and bonita strips, which have been hot items from our office freezers. Using big tackle and larger baits helps target the bigger fish and avoid the smaller ones, promoting responsible fishing practices and reducing the need for high grading. It’s crucial to keep legal-sized fish to maintain sustainable fishing practices and avoid unnecessary mortality.
While the scamp grouper bite has slowed slightly, we are still seeing a good number compared to typical seasonal averages. These fish are biting on small to medium pinfish and cut threadfin. Scamps are often caught while targeting mangrove snapper using smaller to medium tackle, providing a delightful bonus for our anglers.
Red grouper fishing offshore continues to be productive. With the season closing at the end of June, now is the time to catch these robust fighters. Red grouper are responding well to big dead baits and live baits, although recent trips have shown dead baits to be more effective as live baits are often intercepted by gag grouper.
Mangrove snapper action remains strong offshore, with some impressive catches being reported. Large mangroves are being caught on live pinfish and cut threadfin plugs. Night fishing has been particularly successful for these snapper, making it an ideal time to target them before focusing on red snapper during most of the day.
Yellowtail snapper fishing has been exceptional, with some fish weighing in at 3-4 lbs and even approaching 5 lbs. These colorful and tasty fish are being caught on shrimp, cut squid, and cut threadfin, making them a versatile target for various bait options.
Vermillion snapper are also showing strong activity, with big fish coming up while targeting red snapper offshore. They are biting on almost any bait, particularly small pieces of cut squid or threadfin. Vermillion snapper add another exciting dimension to our offshore trips.
Pelagic action has been super hot lately, with wahoo, mahi, cobia, and sailfish being caught on recent trips. These exciting species are being hooked on flat lines, pitch rods, and even while reeling up or dropping to the bottom. This variety adds an extra thrill to our offshore adventures.
For targeting red snapper, use big dead baits like whole squid and bonita strips with heavy tackle to focus on larger fish. Scamp grouper can be caught on small to medium pinfish and cut threadfin, especially while targeting mangrove snapper. For red grouper, dead baits are currently more effective due to the presence of gag grouper. Yellowtail and vermillion snapper are responsive to shrimp, cut squid, and threadfin. Lastly, keep your flat lines and pitch rods ready for the hot pelagic action.
The nearshore and offshore fishing around Hubbard’s Marina is thriving, offering a variety of exciting catches. Whether you’re targeting snapper, grouper, or pelagic species, there’s plenty of action to be had. Get out there and enjoy the bounty of our waters. Tight lines and happy fishing!
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
