No matter the time of year, St. Petersburg fishing provides non-stop action! Inshore, nearshore, tarpon – this area has it all.
St. Pete Fishing
St. Petersburg puts you right in the mix of some of the best fishing in the state of Florida. Between the waters of Tampa Bay and the coast along the Gulf of Mexico, there is always something biting.
Diversity is key when it comes to this area. In the state’s largest open-water estuary you will find the perfect combination of grass flats, deep water channels, open bay systems, oyster beds, and mangrove-lined backcountry systems.
On the coastal side, St. Pete Beach and Treasure Island for example, you have offshore quality fishing right inside sight of land. Mass migrations of species like kingfish and tarpon line these shores at different times of the year, but species like grouper and snapper call it home.
The Perfect Mixed Bag
Mixed bag fishing days are very common with all of these fishing opportunities surrounding us in the area. Whether going for inshore slam species like snook, tarpon, redfish, and seatrout, or heading out for grouper, mackerel, and cobia – it is not uncommon to see a diverse mix of these species landed in a single outing.
Popular Species
The most popular species in the area can really wind up being a long list, but there are a few standouts.
Definitely snook, tarpon, redfish, and seatrout make up the core of inshore favorites. But at the same time, black drum, flounder, Spanish mackerel, pompano, tripletail, and various others swarm these flats and backcountry waters.
In the nearshore, a standout favorite is kingfish. These are aggressive pelagic fish species that will put your arms and drag system to the test. Giving the name “smoker king” a few different meanings, smoking your drag and tastes great on the smoker.
What’s Biting Now
We are mid-fall and approaching winter. The temps are making the first notable drops in the area. This marks the first of the winter-style fishing that is about to take place. But, in the middle – there is a lot going on. Snook, redfish, and seatrout are still biting regularly.
As the temps continue to drop, they will move their way into more temperate waters. These include warm water outflows and spring-fed coastal rivers. Species like flounder historically have peak activity during this time of year as well. There will also be shots at Spanish mackerel and kingfish.
