Inshore Fishing Report
Sheepshead are a prime target right now around docks, piers, bridge structure, jetties, and rock piles. Keep it simple: light leader, minimal weight, and small pieces of shrimp or fiddler crabs tight to the structure. Trout are still producing well, especially when you focus on edges, potholes, and points where they can ambush shrimp and small bait. Early and late are best; during slack tide, work slightly deeper flats and drop-offs. Redfish remain steady, and schools are most reliable around oyster bars, mangrove shorelines, and flats with mullet activity. Black drum are mixed in, with larger fish around bridges and smaller fish around oyster bars and sandy patches. Snook are present but can be picky on slower tides; look for warmer, protected water and fish the best solunar windows. Flounder are showing on sandy edges and around structure; slow-hop soft plastics on the bottom and pause often.
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 continue to be a top table-fare target near shore. Live shrimp on a long leader with a knocker rig is tough to beat, especially around small ledges, hard bottom, and shell patches. Lane snapper are steady, and when tides increase they get even more aggressive; use shrimp, squid, or small cut bait, and be ready for fast bites in the 50 to 90 foot range. Mangrove snapper are mixed in, especially around deeper near shore structure; small cut bait and lighter leaders often get more bites. Red grouper are possible near shore but typically improve as you push deeper and focus potholes, cracks, and broken bottom with bigger baits.
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 lineup stays strong for deep sea fishing out of Hubbard’s Marina. Red snapper remain a major player when conditions allow—bigger baits like bonita strips, whole squid, or quality live bait help target better fish. We are seeing them most on the 12 hour extreme or 39 hour trips fishing around 140ft and beyond. Red grouper continue to cooperate on hard bottom, potholes, and ledges; bring a variety of larger dead baits and solid live baits to match what the fish want. Mangrove snapper fishing is also producing, especially on cut threadfin with a double-snell rig, while yellowtail snapper show well on lighter tackle with small squid strips or threadfin chunks, particularly around dawn, dusk, and night windows. Mutton snapper are a welcome bonus on live baits, and pelagic action—kingfish, blackfin tuna, and the occasional wahoo—can pop up any day offshore, so keep a pitch rod ready when bait schools show.Â
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/ Â
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-Â Â
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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