The bite has been on fire lately. We’ve been putting clients on mangrove snapper, lane snapper, red grouper, gag grouper, and even a few surprise tuna on the nearshore grounds.
The recipe has been simple: shrimp, pinfish, sardines, and greenbacks have all been getting the job done. Every trip has been a little different, and that’s what makes this time of year so much fun—you never know what’s coming over the rail next.
Dillon A.
St. Petersburg, FloridaReported 1 week ago
The bite has been on fire lately. We’ve been putting clients on mangrove snapper, lane snapper, red grouper, gag grouper, and even a few surprise tuna on the nearshore grounds.
The recipe has been simple: shrimp, pinfish, sardines, and greenbacks have all been getting the job done. Every trip has been a little different, and that’s what makes this time of year so much fun—you never know what’s coming over the rail next.
Red Snapper Season is open! We have been killing it on my long range trips. We have been catching Red snapper, mutton snapper, mangrove snapper, red grouper, scamp grouper, gag grouper ,yellowtail snapper, tuna, Mahi mahi and even sailfish. We run 80 miles one way offshore.
Joseph D.
Wesley Chapel, FloridaReported 3 weeks ago
Red Snapper Season is open! We have been killing it on my long range trips. We have been catching Red snapper, mutton snapper, mangrove snapper, red grouper, scamp grouper, gag grouper ,yellowtail snapper, tuna, Mahi mahi and even sailfish. We run 80 miles one way offshore.
The grouper bite continues to stay strong and shows no signs of slowing down. Nearshore fishing has been extremely consistent, with anglers putting quality red grouper and gag grouper in the boat on nearly every trip.
Mangrove snapper have been chewing well, along with plenty of gray snapper and grunts mixed in. The action has been steady across a variety of depths, keeping rods bent throughout the day.
Inshore, we're seeing excellent trout fishing along with solid numbers of snook, redfish, and sheepshead. The variety right now is hard to beat, making every trip an opportunity for a true Florida...
Dillon A.
St. Petersburg, FloridaReported 1 month ago
The grouper bite continues to stay strong and shows no signs of slowing down. Nearshore fishing has been extremely consistent, with anglers putting quality red grouper and gag grouper in the boat on nearly every trip.
Mangrove snapper have been chewing well, along with plenty of gray snapper and grunts mixed in. The action has been steady across a variety of depths, keeping rods bent throughout the day.
Inshore, we're seeing excellent trout fishing along with solid numbers of snook, redfish, and sheepshead. The variety right now is hard to beat, making every trip an opportunity for a true Florida slam.
The tarpon bite has also been outstanding. While getting photos and videos of these powerful fish isn't always easy, the action has been undeniable, with multiple hookups and some incredible battles.
Fish are responding to just about everything right now. We've been having success on jigs, live bait, cut bait, crabs, greenbacks, and more. Whether you prefer artificial lures or natural bait, the fish are feeding aggressively and giving anglers plenty of opportunities.
If you've been waiting for the right time to get on the water, now is it. From offshore grouper to inshore snook and tarpon, the fishing across the Tampa Bay area is as productive as we've seen all season.
The beginning of June fishing has been off to a great start. Larger gag grouper and red grouper have moved closer to the barrier keys and into shallower water to take advantage of the annual arrival of pilchard bait schools. This seasonal migration occurs every late spring and typically continues until water temperatures rise later in the summer.
Anglers looking to target these hard-fighting fish have their best opportunity by fishing productive hard-bottom areas with fresh-cut pilchards and large shrimp rigged on a knocker rig. Several quality fish have been landed over the past week, including grouper...
Luke B.
Tarpon Springs, FloridaReported 1 month ago
June Fishing Report
The beginning of June fishing has been off to a great start. Larger gag grouper and red grouper have moved closer to the barrier keys and into shallower water to take advantage of the annual arrival of pilchard bait schools. This seasonal migration occurs every late spring and typically continues until water temperatures rise later in the summer.
Anglers looking to target these hard-fighting fish have their best opportunity by fishing productive hard-bottom areas with fresh-cut pilchards and large shrimp rigged on a knocker rig. Several quality fish have been landed over the past week, including grouper in the 8-pound range, while a few even larger fish have managed to break anglers off before reaching the boat. The average size has been around 5 pounds. Remember that gag grouper remain catch-and-release only until the season reopens in September.
Large mangrove snapper have also moved onto the shallower reefs and have been feeding well during periods of slack tide. Success often comes down to using plenty of fresh chum and downsizing tackle until bites begin. Mangrove snapper possess excellent eyesight and do much of their feeding during low-light conditions and at night, making them one of the more challenging species to fool consistently.
Despite the challenge, they are a rewarding catch for both anglers and spearfishing divers. The average mangrove snapper has been around 3 pounds, with an exceptionally large 7-pound fish landed this past Saturday. If current conditions continue, the nearshore reef bite should remain productive throughout the monrg
Bottom Fishing is still full of hogs and grouper and snapper
Inshore snook and reds are great an most large
Trout are plentiful with flounder and mackerel around
Bottom Fishing is still full of hogs and grouper and snapper
Inshore snook and reds are great an most large
Trout are plentiful with flounder and mackerel around
Certified Damn Good Guides offer 10/10 trips. Guides earn this badge through quality reviews, quick and responsive communication, and low cancellation rates.
Certified Damn Good Guides offer 10/10 trips. Guides earn this badge through quality reviews, quick and responsive communication, and low cancellation rates.
Dillon knows his stuff and is a great dude, also great with the kids (teenagers). We hooked into a bunch of trout, mackerel, grouper. I would definitely head out with him again and would recommend him to others.
We had a great time on this trip. Booked this for my brother’s bachelor trip and couldn’t be happier I chose Dillon and his crew. Great guides and great people! Thanks for having us.
FIVE STARS!!! Pick him every time! I got the trip for my husband for Father’s Day and Dillon was awesome! He took us all over and we had so many fish to choose from for our hotel grill! He knows these waters well! Ladies I didn’t have to bait the hook either!
Got us on the fish right away. Cannot tell you how many trips I have been on where just catching a few is a problem. Dillon knew exactly where to go and moved when the fishing changed. We caught so many species I cannot recall them all. Way over 20 fish on the trip with at least 5 Keeper
mangrove snappers. Highly recommend this captains experience!!!
Captain Dillon was awesome! As newbies to fishing, he spent a lot of time teaching us about the ins and outs of fishing, equipment, tricks, bait, fish… it was an amazing experience and we can’t wait to go out with him again!
We had a great time! Captain Dillon is professional, knowledgeable, and he helped us the entire time. He was ready when we arrived and had everything we needed for the trip. We will definitely book another trip with Captain Dillon!
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