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Tampa Fishing Charters | Bay, Inshore & Offshore
Saltwater Pros

Florida · Tampa Bay

TAMPA
FISHING CHARTERS

40+ verified captains. Instant confirmation. Best price guaranteed.

40+
Verified Captains
4.8
Avg Rating
3
Fishing Types
16+
Species
Tampa, FL
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About

Tampa Fishing

Tampa sits on one of the largest and most productive estuaries in the southeastern United States, offering anglers a staggering variety of species and fishing styles. Tampa Bay's expansive grass flats, mangrove shorelines, and deep shipping channels create diverse habitat for snook, redfish, speckled trout, tarpon, and sheepshead. The bay is especially famous for its world-class tarpon fishing from April through July, when the Silver King invades local passes and beaches in massive numbers.

Beyond the bay, Tampa provides quick access to nearshore reefs loaded with grouper, snapper, and kingfish, as well as offshore Gulf waters where mahi mahi, cobia, and amberjack await. The city's central location on Florida's Gulf Coast makes it an ideal base for exploring multiple fishing environments in a single trip. From downtown skyline views to secluded mangrove backwaters, Tampa delivers a fishing experience unlike any other.

Fishing Calendar

What's Biting in Tampa?

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

Tampa Fish Species

16+ species organized by fishing type. Click any species to learn more.

View Full Species Guide

Deep Sea Fishing Species

Head to deep water for big game and bottom species.

Charter Guide

Fishing Charter Types in Tampa

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 Charters

NEARSHORE

Fish the reefs, wrecks, and structure 1-9 miles offshore. Target snapper, grouper, cobia and more over natural and artificial reefs.

View Nearshore Charters

DEEP 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 Charters

TROLLING

Cover water by dragging lures or bait behind a moving boat to target pelagic species.

View Trolling Charters

BOTTOM FISHING

Drop baits to the ocean floor to target snapper, grouper, and other reef dwellers.

View Bottom Fishing Charters

FLY FISHING

Sight-cast with fly rods on the flats for redfish, trout, and tarpon.

View Fly Fishing Charters

SURF FISHING

Fish from the beach or wade into the surf to target pompano, whiting, and redfish.

View Surf Fishing Charters

KAYAK FISHING

Paddle out for a more intimate fishing experience on bays and nearshore waters.

View Kayak Fishing Charters
Guest Reviews

Tampa Fishing Reviews

5 based on 6 reviews

Snook were absolutely crushing it under the lights

Fished the lighted docks and bridges around Tampa Bay after dark and the snook were ambushing everything that swam by. Threw white paddletail jigs and hooked 14 snook with three over 30 inches. Night fishing Tampa Bay for snook is an experience every angler needs to have.

C
Captain Carlos
August 2025
Inshore
Snook Redfish

Tarpon chaos at the Skyway Bridge

Set up near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and found tarpon rolling everywhere during the outgoing tide. Free-lined live threadfin herring and jumped six tarpon, landing three between 80 and 120 pounds. The Skyway tarpon fishery is legendary for a reason.

C
Captain Rebecca
May 2025
Bay Fishing
Tarpon Jack Crevalle

Redfish and trout slam on the flats

Poled the grass flats near Weedon Island and sight-casted to tailing redfish in the early morning. Caught a beautiful inshore slam — redfish, speckled trout, and snook all before 10 AM. Tampa Bay has some of the best flats fishing on the entire Gulf Coast.

C
Captain Hakeem
March 2025
Flats
Redfish Speckled Trout Snook

Grouper on the nearshore hard bottom

Fished some hard-bottom spots in lower Tampa Bay and the gag grouper were eating live pinfish like candy. Boxed five beautiful gags and released several short ones. The grouper fishing in Tampa Bay is seriously overlooked by a lot of people.

C
Captain Wendy
November 2025
Nearshore
Gag Grouper Mangrove Snapper

Incredible kingfish bite off Egmont Key

Trolled live sardines near Egmont Key at the mouth of Tampa Bay and the king mackerel were thick. Boated seven kings between 20 and 40 pounds in about three hours. Also picked up a couple of big Spanish mackerel for ceviche.

C
Captain Nikolai
April 2025
Nearshore
King Mackerel Spanish Mackerel

Fall redfish run was unbelievable

Found huge schools of bull redfish pushing bait near the Gandy Bridge during the fall mullet run. Cast cut bait into the frenzy and hooked into bruiser reds on every cast. The biggest went 36 inches. Tampa Bay fall fishing is the real deal.

C
Captain Jasmine
October 2025
Bay Fishing
Redfish Speckled Trout Snook
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