Spring Fishing Around Clearwater: Inshore Slam Season
March through May is prime time for snook, redfish, and trout around Clearwater. A seasonal guide to the slam.
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CLEARWATER
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About
Clearwater Fishing
Clearwater combines award-winning white-sand beaches with outstanding fishing in both Tampa Bay and the open Gulf of Mexico. Inshore anglers target snook along the mangrove-lined passes, redfish on the grass flats, and speckled trout in the deeper potholes and channels. The area's passes, including Clearwater Pass and Hurricane Pass, funnel baitfish and gamefish in strong tidal flows, creating reliable fishing hotspots.
The Gulf waters off Clearwater are dotted with natural limestone ledges and artificial reefs that hold gag grouper, red grouper, hogfish, and mangrove snapper. King mackerel, cobia, and Spanish mackerel cruise the nearshore waters during migration seasons. With a large fleet of charter boats operating from Clearwater Marina and easy access to diverse fishing environments, Clearwater is a top pick for anglers visiting Florida's Gulf Coast.
Fishing Calendar
What's Biting in Clearwater?
See which species are available each month, color-coded by activity level.
Color Key
Peak
Good
Fair
Off Season
| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Inshore
|
G | G | F | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | F | G |
|
Deep Sea Fishing
|
F | F | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | F | F |
|
Nearshore
|
G | G | G | G | G | G | G | G | G | G | G | G |
|
Inshore
|
G | G | G | G | P | G | G | G | P | P | G | G |
|
Inshore
|
P | P | G | G | F | - | - | - | - | F | G | P |
|
Inshore
|
F | F | G | P | P | G | G | G | P | P | G | F |
|
Inshore
|
G | F | G | G | P | G | F | F | G | P | G | G |
|
Nearshore
|
- | - | F | G | G | P | G | G | F | - | - | - |
|
Nearshore
|
- | - | G | P | P | F | - | - | - | - | - | - |
|
Inshore
|
- | - | F | F | F | F | F | F | G | P | G | - |
|
Nearshore
|
- | - | F | G | P | G | F | G | G | P | G | - |
|
Inshore
|
- | - | F | G | G | P | P | G | G | F | - | - |
|
Inshore
|
- | - | G | P | G | F | - | - | - | G | F | - |
|
Inshore
|
- | - | - | F | G | P | P | G | - | - | - | - |
|
Nearshore
|
- | - | - | - | F | G | G | G | P | P | G | - |
|
Deep Sea Fishing
|
- | - | - | - | F | F | G | F | F | - | - | - |
Species Glossary
View Full Species Guide
Clearwater Fish Species
16+ species organized by fishing type. Click any species to learn more.
Inshore Species
Fish the bays, flats, and passes close to shore.
Nearshore Species
Target reefs, wrecks, and structure within a few miles of land.
Deep Sea Fishing Species
Head to deep water for big game and bottom species.
Charter Guide
Fishing Charter Types in Clearwater
Understanding the different charter types will help you book the perfect trip for your group.
INSHORE
Fish the bays, flats, and passes close to shore. Target redfish, speckled trout, flounder and more in calm, protected waters.
View Inshore ChartersNEARSHORE
Fish the reefs, wrecks, and structure 1-9 miles offshore. Target snapper, grouper, cobia and more over natural and artificial reefs.
View Nearshore ChartersDEEP SEA FISHING
Deep sea fishing 20+ miles out. Chase tuna, marlin, mahi mahi, wahoo and other pelagic gamefish in blue water.
View Deep Sea Fishing ChartersTROLLING
Cover water by dragging lures or bait behind a moving boat to target pelagic species.
View Trolling ChartersBOTTOM FISHING
Drop baits to the ocean floor to target snapper, grouper, and other reef dwellers.
View Bottom Fishing ChartersFLY FISHING
Sight-cast with fly rods on the flats for redfish, trout, and tarpon.
View Fly Fishing ChartersSURF FISHING
Fish from the beach or wade into the surf to target pompano, whiting, and redfish.
View Surf Fishing ChartersKAYAK FISHING
Paddle out for a more intimate fishing experience on bays and nearshore waters.
View Kayak Fishing Charters
Fishing Tips & Guides
View All Articles
Clearwater Fishing Blog
Local insights, seasonal reports, and expert tips for fishing in Clearwater.
Guest Reviews
5
based on 6 reviews
Clearwater Fishing Reviews
Kingfish were running hot along the beach
Slow-trolled live threadfins along Clearwater Beach and the king mackerel were thick. Hooked nine kings and boated seven, with the biggest going over 35 pounds. Also caught a beautiful cobia that was following a ray. What a bonus.
C
Captain Gina
April 2025
King Mackerel
Cobia
Spanish Mackerel
Trout and redfish on the Clearwater flats
Drifted the grass flats in the Clearwater Harbor area with popping corks and live shrimp and caught a mixed bag of speckled trout, redfish, and ladyfish. The kids were having a blast catching fish after fish. Great family trip.
C
Captain Tanya
March 2025
Speckled Trout
Redfish
Ladyfish
Hogfish and grouper on the ledges
Dove some of the natural ledges about 20 miles offshore and then dropped lines for hogfish and gag grouper. The hogfish were hitting shrimp on light jig heads and we boxed a beautiful limit. These are one of the tastiest fish in the ocean.
C
Captain Ahmad
October 2025
Hogfish
Gag Grouper
Lane Snapper
Tarpon everywhere off Clearwater Beach
Found huge pods of tarpon cruising the beach on a flat-calm morning and sight-casted live crabs to them. Jumped seven tarpon and landed three including a bruiser that went about 150 pounds. Clearwater Beach tarpon fishing in May is unforgettable.
C
Captain Reggie
May 2025
Tarpon
Grouper and snapper on the offshore reefs
Ran out about 30 miles west of Clearwater Pass to the nearshore artificial reefs and the gag grouper were crushing live bait. Boxed our limit of gags plus some fat mangrove snapper. Clearwater offshore fishing is always productive.
C
Captain Travis
November 2025
Gag Grouper
Mangrove Snapper
Red Grouper
Snook on fire around Clearwater Pass
Fished the jetties and sand bars around Clearwater Pass on the outgoing tide and the snook were lined up feeding on baitfish. Threw live sardines and caught 10 snook with a couple over 32 inches. The pass bite during summer is absolutely electric.
C
Captain Marisol
August 2025
Snook
Jack Crevalle
Redfish
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