Inshore Fishing Report
Sheepshead remain one of the most dependable targets right now. Work docks, bridges, jetties, and rock piles with small pieces of shrimp, fiddler crabs, or oyster/clam, using minimal weight and keeping your bait tight to the structure. Trout are still producing well, especially around edges, potholes, and deeper flats during the day, and dock lights or bridge lights at night. Live shrimp, small paddle tails, and shrimp imitations fished slow are your best bet. Redfish are steady—look for mullet, birds, and bait along mangrove shorelines, oyster bars, and the flats. If the water goes super clear, expect them to get spooky—scale down leader and keep your presentation natural. Flounder are showing on sandy patches near structure and along edges; bounce soft plastics slowly on bottom and pause often. Snook are around, but still selective—focus on warm, sunlit shorelines and deeper pockets, and fish solunar feed times for your highest odds. Blacktip and bonnethead sharks are active too; if you’re soaking big baits, use a short wire leader and be ready for a fast run.
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 are a prime nearshore target. Live shrimp, a long 10–15 foot fluorocarbon leader (around 30 lb), and a simple knocker rig with 1–2 oz weight and a 3/0–4/0 hook will get bites. Lane snapper are steady in the deeper nearshore zones; squid and shrimp catch numbers, while cut threadfin and live shrimp typically upgrade size. Mangrove snapper are mixed in—use smaller chunks of threadfin on lighter leader when the bite is picky. Red grouper are possible deeper nearshore, but expect some shorts before a keeper. Flounder can also pop up nearshore around sandy edges and hard bottom transitions.
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 remain a highlight offshore on hard bottom, ledges, and potholes—big dead baits and quality live baits are key. Mangrove snapper are biting well; cut threadfin on a double-snell rig is a staple, while live pinfish can produce the biggest fish. Scamp grouper and mutton snapper are in the mix on longer runs and deeper structure. We’re also seeing solid “heads and tails” like vermillion snapper, porgies, and almaco jacks. Triggerfish are about to re-open, so start getting your smaller hooks and squid strips ready. Pelagic action is always possible on clean water—keep a pitch rod handy for surprise tuna, kingfish, or wahoo opportunities.
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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