Lakewood Ranch Fishing Reports (December 2025)

Phil Pegley
Ruskin, Florida
Reported: 2 years ago

Hot summer means hot fishing The water temps in Tampa Bay have soared into the upper 80s this brings extreme fishing to our doorstep . tarpon, Goliath, grouper and sharks are in the mix. Inshore. Fishing is still readily available. The trout have really rebounded nicely. After the big toxic...

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Phil Pegley Ruskin, Florida Reported: 2 years ago

Hot summer means hot fishing
The water temps in Tampa Bay have soared into the upper 80s this brings extreme fishing to our doorstep . tarpon, Goliath, grouper and sharks are in the mix. Inshore. Fishing is still readily available. The trout have really rebounded nicely. After the big toxic dump, we had here three marches ago. Still lots of them on the flats. The snook have moved to areas near deeper water, and we're still getting some great redfish in the back country . The mangrove snapper spawn is driven by the moons in the summer and we will get the biggest of the year
Late summer means to Key West time for us we will be in Key West from July 23 until the end of August with the dates available for lobstering offshore, reef deep, dropping and back country hit us up through Captains experiences to book your trip today . tight lines until next time Captain Phil

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Todd Walker
Sarasota, Florida
Reported: 2 years ago

39" redfish man have this guy a fight a lifetime.

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Todd Walker Sarasota, Florida Reported: 2 years ago

39" redfish man have this guy a fight a lifetime.

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Todd Walker
Sarasota, Florida
Reported: 2 years ago

Another happy client with first Snook 40" . He is going to have a long time to beat this one.

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Todd Walker Sarasota, Florida Reported: 2 years ago

Another happy client with first Snook 40" . He is going to have a long time to beat this one.

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Todd Walker
Sarasota, Florida
Reported: 2 years ago

We caught this 40" snook 1mile off the beach. After they Spond they go out to deer cooler water. She was In 35' of water.

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Todd Walker Sarasota, Florida Reported: 2 years ago

We caught this 40" snook 1mile off the beach. After they Spond they go out to deer cooler water. She was In 35' of water.

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Cody Williams
Sarasota, Florida
Reported: 2 years ago

Fishing has been hot this past week with giant redfish in the passes

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Cody Williams Sarasota, Florida Reported: 2 years ago

Fishing has been hot this past week with giant redfish in the passes

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Alex Kirby
Bradenton, Florida
Reported: 2 years ago

Plenty of snook trout and mangrove snapper with your occasional redfish and flounder

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Alex Kirby Bradenton, Florida Reported: 2 years ago

Plenty of snook trout and mangrove snapper with your occasional redfish and flounder

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John Rivers
Tampa, Florida
Reported: 2 years ago

It's officially Spring in Tampa Bay Area. Snook are all over the place and are feeding well. Water temp's are right where they should be which puts the fish in a good mood, which means bent rods and screaming drags. Live bait is the best choice, but if you like...

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John Rivers Tampa, Florida Reported: 2 years ago

It's officially Spring in Tampa Bay Area. Snook are all over the place and are feeding well. Water temp's are right where they should be which puts the fish in a good mood, which means bent rods and screaming drags.
Live bait is the best choice, but if you like tossing artificials, no worries, you'll catch your fair share as well. Here are a few lures that I like when targeting snook, redfish and trout. Headon's Spookis my go to for top-water. For redfish, and trout, I like tossing a 4"paddle tail ( colors: white and clear with red metal-flake ). Snook in Tampa Bay are live bait feeders, but you can still get them to eat artificials. I like a 1/8oz snake-lock jig head with a ZMan Paddlerz. Schools of redfish are also showing up on the flats in a few areas. These fish are very boat shy, so be quiet and patient and you'll hook a few. Once again, live or cut bait has been the best way to hook these skittish bronze beauties.
Some of the redfish schools have been beat up by some fishermen, but that’s just how it goes with the amount of boaters on the water these days, so again, be patient and you'll hook a few. They are mostly oversized fish, which means your drag is gonna scream. The sheepshead bite is still going strong in Tampa Bay, and the rock piles, jetties and bridges have been producing some nice catches. Live shrimp, fiddler and mud crabs have been the baits of choice.

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John Rivers
Tampa, Florida
Reported: 2 years ago

Fishing report for the last two weeks in the Tampa bay area. The trout bite has been exceptional on the flats from 3 to 6 foot of water in the morning on an incoming tide, a Pilchard under a under afloat works best. I like using 15 to 20 pound...

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John Rivers Tampa, Florida Reported: 2 years ago

Fishing report for the last two weeks in the Tampa bay area.
The trout bite has been exceptional on the flats from 3 to 6 foot of water in the morning on an incoming tide, a Pilchard under a under afloat works best. I like using 15 to 20 pound leader with a 1/0 to 2/0 Circle hook.
Next move over at redfish the fish can be very finicky and hard to find sometimes because they are heavily fished, but luckily I have been on a good red fish bite the past two weeks, and again on an incoming tide has been the ticket, cut bait on the bottom, like threadfin or cut mullet Has been working well. I like to use 20 to 30 pound leader with a 2/0 circle hook.
And let’s not forget our favorite fish in the area and what makes Tampa Bay world renowned: the hard fighting beautiful Snook. These fish can get upwards of 40+ inches. The average fish caught on fishing trips are between 18 and 27 inches, but you never know when you’re going to hook into that 30” to 35” or even 40” fish and you better be ready because when they hit, you’re definitely gonna know it.
Over the next couple weeks, the snook are going to start to make their way out to the beaches and then start their spawn. So for the next three weeks the odds of hooking into a 30 inch plus or even 40 inch fish is pretty good that’s why I love May so much here in the Tampa Bay area.

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