Inshore Fishing Report
Inshore action around John’s Pass, Madeira Beach, and the inside waters of Tampa Bay continues to produce a great variety, and the full moon tides will keep fish moving. Sheepshead should be one of the best targets right now, especially around bridge pilings, docks, rock piles, and the jetties. Any structure with barnacles or oysters is worth your time. Use small pieces of shrimp, fiddlers, or small pieces of clams or oysters on lighter tackle and minimal weight so you can feel that subtle bite.
Trout remain a strong option. During the day, work potholes, points, and edges on the flats where trout can ambush shrimp and small baitfish. Early and late are best, but cloud cover and wind can keep them feeding longer. At night, dock lights and bridge lights with moving water and bait are prime. A small soft plastic on a light jig head or free-lined shrimp is tough to beat.
Redfish are still available and actively moving, but they can roam more on the higher water. Look for mullet, nervous bait, and birds working an area. On the flats and oyster bars, soft plastics and cut bait both produce, and on lower light periods topwaters can be a blast. Snook have pushed back heavily into the back bay and upper bay areas, so think warm, protected water: sun-soaked shorelines out of the wind, deeper canals, and creek mouths. Fish the solunar majors and minors and keep your presentation slow and natural.
Flounder are active around sandy edges, potholes, and sand next to structure. Work a soft plastic slowly along the bottom with short hops and pauses. If it feels like you are hung on a wet towel, keep pressure, let them load up, then come tight. We are also seeing bonnet head sharks on the beaches and near passes—great fun on heavier tackle when you want a pull.
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 fishing is shaping up well, especially as we take advantage of cleaner water and any calm windows between the fronts. Hogfish remain an important target, and cooler trends help these fish group up and become more catchable. Live shrimp on a knocker rig is the go-to, and leader length matters more than most people realize. We like 30 lb fluorocarbon, 3/0 to 4/0 hooks, and 1–2 oz egg sinkers with a 4000–5000 series spinning reel and 20–30 lb braid. Add a long 10–15 ft leader so your shrimp looks natural on the bottom and be patient—hogfish are often the last to bite after the grunts and other quick pickers.
Lane snapper are steady and tend to improve as you fish deeper. Expect the better bite as you push into deeper near shore waters. They will eat shrimp, squid, and small cut bait, but the bigger lanes consistently show up on live shrimp and cut threadfin. Mangrove snapper remain hit or miss near shore, but you can pick off quality fish in the deeper end on live shrimp or small, clean chunks of cut threadfin. If the bite is slow, lighten your leader and downsize hooks.
Red grouper are possible near shore, but the best numbers usually come offshore. Near shore you will sort through smaller fish with an occasional keeper. If you are targeting them, bring bigger baits like whole squid, larger strips, or live pinfish to help weed through the shorts.
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 fishing continues to be all about timing the weather and making the most of clean windows. With red snapper season over and triggerfish closed, our focus shifts to the species that are producing consistently: red grouper, mangrove snapper, mutton snapper, yellowtail, and a steady mix of “heads and tails” that keep anglers busy. Plus scamp are still open because the feds didn’t get rule making done in time, while we expected scamp to only be open July 1st through end of the year… they are still open for now!
Red grouper have been strong offshore, especially on hard bottom, potholes, and smaller ledges. Bigger baits are a major key—whole squid, octopus, and stout cut strips get attention from quality fish. Match your hook size to your bait and do not be afraid to scale up when chasing a bigger bite. Mangrove snapper remain an important target, and cut threadfin on a double snell rig is a workhorse for numbers. If you want a shot at the true studs, keep some small live pinfish ready and present them naturally.
Yellowtail snapper and mutton snapper continue to add excitement, especially around dawn, dusk, and calmer periods. Lighter tackle, smaller hooks, and small strips of squid help keep yellowtails chewing. Muttons often prefer a clean presentation with a lively bait, so be ready with a well-rigged live option when you are set up on good bottom.
Pelagic action is always on the table offshore. When you see life on the surface—birds, bait showers, or fish pushing water—be ready to pitch a jig or live bait. Tuna, wahoo, and kingfish can show up at any moment, and those surprise bites are what turn a good trip into a great one.
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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