When Is Mahi Mahi Season? A Month-by-Month Breakdown
Timing your Mahi Mahi fishing trip correctly can be the difference between a banner day and a quiet ride. While these fi...
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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.
See which species are available each month, color-coded by activity level.
| 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 | - | - | - |
16+ species organized by fishing type. Click any species to learn more.
Fish the bays, flats, and passes close to shore.
Target reefs, wrecks, and structure within a few miles of land.
Head to deep water for big game and bottom species.
Understanding the different charter types will help you book the perfect trip for your group.
Fish the bays, flats, and passes close to shore. Target redfish, speckled trout, flounder and more in calm, protected waters.
View Inshore ChartersFish 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 20+ miles out. Chase tuna, marlin, mahi mahi, wahoo and other pelagic gamefish in blue water.
View Deep Sea Fishing ChartersCover water by dragging lures or bait behind a moving boat to target pelagic species.
View Trolling ChartersDrop baits to the ocean floor to target snapper, grouper, and other reef dwellers.
View Bottom Fishing ChartersSight-cast with fly rods on the flats for redfish, trout, and tarpon.
View Fly Fishing ChartersFish from the beach or wade into the surf to target pompano, whiting, and redfish.
View Surf Fishing ChartersPaddle out for a more intimate fishing experience on bays and nearshore waters.
View Kayak Fishing ChartersLocal insights, seasonal reports, and expert tips for fishing in Tampa.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Post your trip request and let Tampa's top captains compete for your business. Or browse available charters and book instantly.