St. Petersburg Fishing Reports (December 2025)

Matt Fueyo with Reel Tight Fishing Charters
Sarasota, Florida
Reported: 3 years ago

Hey David the fishing has been productive. We are catching cobia and mackerel on the inshore reefs. Trout, redfish and snook are still feeding in the bay. Sharks and tuna are adding some more fun to the party as well!!

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Matt Fueyo with Reel Tight Fishing Charters Sarasota, Florida Reported: 3 years ago

Hey David the fishing has been productive. We are catching cobia and mackerel on the inshore reefs. Trout, redfish and snook are still feeding in the bay. Sharks and tuna are adding some more fun to the party as well!!

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Mike Morse
Tampa, Florida
Reported: 3 years ago

Offshore, Spanish Mackerel and Kingfish are running pretty strong, as are grouper and lane snapper. Inshore, the snook is pretty good and the redfish are starting to move into shallower water

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Mike Morse Tampa, Florida Reported: 3 years ago

Offshore, Spanish Mackerel and Kingfish are running pretty strong, as are grouper and lane snapper. Inshore, the snook is pretty good and the redfish are starting to move into shallower water

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Hank Valencia
Seminole, Florida
Reported: 3 years ago

The weather temps dipped and found lots of bug mackerel and sharks off the beach. There’s Tripletail by the crab bouys but mostly shorts. Hoping the Kings will show up soon and hope to get one tomorrow. The reefs are holding Gags and Cobia.

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Hank Valencia Seminole, Florida Reported: 3 years ago

The weather temps dipped and found lots of bug mackerel and sharks off the beach. There’s Tripletail by the crab bouys but mostly shorts. Hoping the Kings will show up soon and hope to get one tomorrow. The reefs are holding Gags and Cobia.

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Craig Lahr
St. Petersburg, Florida
Reported: 3 years ago

The water has cooled down with the recent fronts. Bait has been plentiful, with scaled sardines, threadfin, shad, ladyfish and blue runners. This has started the nearshore to explode with Spanish Mackerel, and their big brother, the King Mackerel. For the Kingfish there is no bait to big like mackerel,...

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Craig Lahr St. Petersburg, Florida Reported: 3 years ago

The water has cooled down with the recent fronts. Bait has been plentiful, with scaled sardines, threadfin, shad, ladyfish and blue runners. This has started the nearshore to explode with Spanish Mackerel, and their big brother, the King Mackerel.
For the Kingfish there is no bait to big like mackerel, lady fish, or mullet to catch that big smoker
The back water bite has been getting better. Redfish are getting to be in good numbers with the cooler water. For the artificial enthusiast, topwater bite will help you locate these bruisers, as well as Speckled Trout. These fish will often be together with the mullet schools. With the extreme lowtides, you can find the Reds tailing on scattered turtle grass or around pot holes. For these conditions, live shrimp, cutbait and soft plastics will be your ideal baits.
With higher tides, concentrate on points, oysterbars and spoil islands. Make sure there are mullet in these areas, because the Redfish and Speckled Trout will be there also. The best bait to use now is whitebait, silver dollar size pinfish and cutbait. Your leader should be 2-3 ft. of 20 to 30lb florocarbon, with a 3-4 o/t light style circle hook. As for the fly enthusiast, all species can be caught.

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Darius Kirschner
Sarasota, Florida
Reported: 3 years ago

The fishing in the Sarasota area has been great. Whether you are fishing off the beach or in the bay there has been a consistent bite with multiple different species. Off the beaches right now, you can expect to catch a limit of Spanish mackerel along with cobia and King...

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Darius Kirschner Sarasota, Florida Reported: 3 years ago

The fishing in the Sarasota area has been great. Whether you are fishing off the beach or in the bay there has been a consistent bite with multiple different species. Off the beaches right now, you can expect to catch a limit of Spanish mackerel along with cobia and King mackerel. The little Tony a.k.a. Bonita is soon to arrive to the party. All of these fish make great table fare and are a blast to catch. On the inshore side of things, the snook and red fish fishing has been on fire. With with plenty of bait around the fish have been very active. The pompano and sheepshead should be biting in the next few weeks as the water temperatures drop.

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Scott Tesinsky
Sarasota, Florida
Reported: 3 years ago

October's off to a great start as our pelagic fish are starting to move south. The bait is plentiful inside the passes and around grass flats . We are consistently catching Cobia, bonita, kingfish and Spanish mackerel at the nearshore reefs using live Pilchards . Covering the entire water Column...

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Scott Tesinsky Sarasota, Florida Reported: 3 years ago

October's off to a great start as our pelagic fish are starting to move south. The bait is plentiful inside the passes and around grass flats . We are consistently catching Cobia, bonita, kingfish and Spanish mackerel at the nearshore reefs using live Pilchards . Covering the entire water Column is key , triple tail are starting to be targeted as the stone crab traps are put out. Typically we run full speed by the stone trap bouys looking for triple tail and then we sight cast to them . October and November are prime triple tail months . Also this is a great time to target blacktip sharks under the schools of mackeral using cut bait on wire leaders . Inside the bay sea trout, snook and redfish are feeding before winter . Using live Pilchards is key. I typically am out an hour before the charter catching hundreds of live Pilchards giving us a great chance for a non stop fishing adventure.

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Joe Burruezo
Tampa, Florida
Reported: 3 years ago

Redfish and grouper bite is still going strong

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Joe Burruezo Tampa, Florida Reported: 3 years ago

Redfish and grouper bite is still going strong

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Dale Henderson with Rockstar Charter Fishing
Clearwater, Florida
Reported: 3 years ago

We have been into a great variety of fish on recent trips. We have gotten into Mahi-mahi, Bonita, Sharks, grouper, snapper, often times on the same trip! Even near-shore has been fun with plenty of Spanish Mackerel and grunts for the kids!

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Dale Henderson with Rockstar Charter Fishing Clearwater, Florida Reported: 3 years ago

We have been into a great variety of fish on recent trips. We have gotten into Mahi-mahi, Bonita, Sharks, grouper, snapper, often times on the same trip! Even near-shore has been fun with plenty of Spanish Mackerel and grunts for the kids!

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