Hubbard’s Marina Fishing Report 5-9-26

Inshore fishing around Johns Pass, Madeira Beach, Tampa Bay, the beaches, and the back bay waters is in a very exciting spring transition. We still have plenty of cooler season fish around, but the warm season players are starting to show up more and more each week. That overlap is what makes this time of year so fun. On the same trip, you can realistically talk about sheepshead, trout, redfish, snook, pompano, mackerel, sharks, drum, and even the first signs of tarpon. The key is matching your target species to the tide, water temperature, structure, and bait movement. 

Snook are really starting to settle into their more summertime patterns returning to passes and onto beaches more and more. This movement does not happen all at once. Some fish are still tucked back in canals, creeks, rivers, and bayous, while others are sliding outward and staging closer to the mouths of the passes and along the beaches. As the warming trend continues, expect more fish to move. Look for areas where bait is being swept naturally past ambush structure. Bridge shadow lines, dock corners, mangrove points, seawall edges, and sandy potholes near current are all good places to focus. 

For snook, live bait is hard to beat when they are actively feeding. Whitebait, threadfins, small pinfish, and live shrimp can all get bites. If you are fishing artificials, soft jerkbaits, paddletails, flair hawk style jigs, and suspending twitchbaits are all solid options. Around slower tides, keep your presentation subtle and patient. Around stronger moving water, especially as we approach the new moon, you can fish more aggressively and allow the current to sweep your bait naturally through the strike zone. If the water is clean, lengthen your leader and make longer casts.  

Trout action remains solid around the area. We are still seeing good numbers on the flats, along deeper grass edges, around potholes, near mangrove shorelines, and along some beach troughs. Some of the better trout are showing in slightly deeper water or on the edges where they can sit comfortably and ambush bait moving past. During slower tides, focus on potholes, deeper troughs, and edges where trout can conserve energy. As the water starts moving better later in the week, they should become more active across the flats and around current-washed points. 

Live shrimp remains one of the best trout baits in the region. You can fish shrimp free-lined, under a popping cork, or with a light split shot depending on current and depth. Soft plastics are also very productive. Small paddle tails, shrimp imitations, and twitchbaits worked slowly over grass and sand potholes can produce steady action. In clean water, use more natural colors and lighter fluorocarbon. In more murky water, go with a little more contrast or vibration. At night, dock lights and bridge lights can still produce excellent trout action when bait is present. Work the shadow line, not just the brightest part of the light. Many of the better fish will sit just outside the glow and rush in to feed. 

Redfish are still schooled up in good pockets around flats, mangrove islands, oyster bars, and dock lines. We are seeing those fish move more like spring reds now, roaming between areas and feeding in shorter but sometimes more aggressive windows. If you want to find redfish, start by finding life. Mullet schools, schooling bait, birds, wakes, pushes, and mud puffs are all great signs. Around slower tides, redfish may settle tighter to structure or deeper edges. Around stronger incoming tides, they may push up along mangrove shorelines and oyster bars to feed on crabs, shrimp, and baitfish. 

For redfish, cut bait is still one of the best options when you know fish are in the area but they are being picky especially along the mangroves during a high tide. Cut mullet, ladyfish, pinfish, or threadfin can be excellent. Live shrimp, small pinfish, and whitebait work well when fish are active. Artificial anglers should keep paddletails, weedless jerkbaits, gold spoons, and soft plastics ready. On higher water, work mangrove edges and flooded shoreline cover. On lower water, focus on potholes, oyster bar edges, and sandy troughs where fish fall back and wait for the tide to return. 

Sheepshead are still around in good numbers, though we are slowly moving toward the time when they thin out as water warms. For now, they remain one of the most reliable inshore targets, especially around docks, piers, bridges, jetties, seawalls, and rock piles. Anything with barnacle or oyster growth is worth checking. Small baits are the key. Use tiny pieces of shrimp, fiddler crabs, oyster, clam, or small crab pieces on a small sharp hook with minimal weight. Keep the bait tight to the structure and stay focused. Sheepshead bites are often subtle, and many anglers miss them because they wait for a big pull that never comes. 

Black drum are also part of the inshore mix right now. Bigger drum are often found around bridges, deeper passes, channel edges, and larger structure, while smaller and mid-size fish can show around oyster bars, flats, and sandy edges. Shrimp and crab are the top baits. When fishing bridges or deeper structure, use enough weight to hold bottom and keep the bait close to pilings or current breaks. On the flats, lighter tackle and a quieter approach can help. Drum are not always flashy, but they are dependable, hard pulling, and great targets when conditions are a little slower. 

Pompano action is picking up slowly. It is still spotty, but it is a fun bite to target when you find them. Look around sandy passes, beach troughs, bridge edges near passes, and cleaner moving water. Pompano jigs bounced along the bottom are the classic choice. Small shrimp pieces, sand fleas, and small bits of clam can also work. The trick with pompano is staying mobile. They move quickly, and one area can be quiet for hours and then suddenly come alive when a school pushes through. 

Mackerel are active and becoming a major part of the inshore and beach bite. Around deeper bridges, the mouth of the bay, passes, jetties, and areas with thick bait, Spanish mackerel can fire up fast. Watch for bait showering, birds dipping, and flashes on the surface. Fast moving flashy lures like spoons, Gotcha style plugs, small jigs, and small trolling plugs all work well. If you are using live bait, a long shank hook or light wire helps reduce cutoffs, but if the fish are leader shy, fluorocarbon can get more bites even if you lose a few rigs. 

Shark activity is becoming more and more prolific as waters warm. Bonnetheads, blacktips, and other sharks are showing around beaches, passes, flats, and deeper channels. This can be a great way to add excitement to a trip, especially for families or anglers who want a big pull. Fresh cut bait is the go-to. Use appropriate tackle, avoid excessively long fights, handle them carefully, and release them safely. As spring progresses, shark activity will continue to increase. 

Tarpon are not fully here in force yet, but they are absolutely around and getting better every week. As bait thickens and water temperatures stabilize, we should start seeing more fish along the beaches, around the passes, near bridges, and eventually rolling through the bay. Early season tarpon can be a little inconsistent, but when you start seeing them more regularly it is a sure sign that spring is turning the corner toward summer. Keep an eye on calm mornings, bait pods, and rolling fish around the passes and beaches.