Clearwater Beach Fishing Reports (May 2026)

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

Since the the last month being do warm and wayer temps in the upper 70s final a couple cold front, fishing has picked up. Redfish have started to show up in moe places and better numbers, from the backwaters of Clearwater. We have found them around docks, oysterbars, and points...

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

Since the the last month being do warm and wayer temps in the upper 70s final a couple cold front, fishing has picked up. Redfish have started to show up in moe places and better numbers, from the backwaters of Clearwater. We have found them around docks, oysterbars, and points of sand bars that have potholes and sparce grass where it drops off. The best baits have been silverdollar size pinfish and grass grunts with tail cut off fluddering on the bottom. Next tail hooked under a float will get the job done. Artificials such as Top water lures and trusty go to gold spoon have been producing some nice fish, and is a great search bait. The beaches have been absolutely on fire with mackerel. With all the bait around, it's so easy to get a well full of bait. You cant have enough even if it dies. Look for the birds working, and drift or anchor up and start chumming. Our most productive method is using 40lb floro with a #2 to 3 aberdine style hook. The fish have ranged from 4 to 5lb. Kingfish are around, but very few. The next 2 months, fishing is going to get crazy. Cobia, mackerel, shallow snook, trout, reds and even some resident tarpon will start show in the back water So, start booking your trip to experience great lighttackle fishing.

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

Now in the 3rd week of February water temps are above normal and temperatures are 10° above normal. It's been so warm that fish are confused and have been hard to find. Red fishing has been the most consistent but has taken a lot to find these bruisers speckled trout...

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

Now in the 3rd week of February water temps are above normal and temperatures are 10° above normal. It's been so warm that fish are confused and have been hard to find. Red fishing has been the most consistent but has taken a lot to find these bruisers speckled trout should be all over the back Waters but with temperatures so warm they are constantly moving and making it tough to locate them lots of moving. We've had some Spanish mackerel and Pompano show up which has helped with catching fish but things should get better towards March just through migration of species that will show up and bring in influx of our ensure species such as the redfish, trout, Snook. Weather is beautiful so come enjoy a beautiful day on the water

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

With January being such a warm month water temperatures had pushed back into the mid 60s bringing a push of white bait AKA scaled sardines and threadfin herring into the back Waters of clearwater. Even though we’ve had this influx of bait and have been waking up early to catch...

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

With January being such a warm month water temperatures had pushed back into the mid 60s bringing a push of white bait AKA scaled sardines and threadfin herring into the back Waters of clearwater.
Even though we’ve had this influx of bait and have been waking up early to catch these morsels to have one more type of bait to use. live6 shrimp and small half dollar size pin fish are still working the best for trout and redfish. Fish have been moving quite frequently you will find trout and redfish in the same areas with the mullet schools on low water and high water but with cold fronts that are not really chilling the waters down these fish become confused and are tough to locate.
But since the water temperature has stayed stable for the last week and a half finally had a really good push spotted sea trout and redfish push up on the spoil Islands and shorelines of clearwater and Indian Rocks Beach grass Flats. Snook have been far and few and in between due to they are sensitive to atmospheric change of the small fronts that have come through they are mainly at the mouths of canals a few roaming the flats close to canals where they can reach deeper water and warmer water. Look for fishing to continue to be the same it has been good just a lot of moving which allows clients to check out famous mansions the back Waters where you feel like you’re in old Florida and many different areas throughout Indian Rocks Beach, Dunedin to Tarpon Springs.

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Jim Vanderbeck
Clearwater, Florida
Reported: 3 years ago

Inshore trout and sheepshead around the beaches has been awesome. Offshore the hogfish bite is crazy good but about one out of ten is a keeper.

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Jim Vanderbeck Clearwater, Florida Reported: 3 years ago

Inshore trout and sheepshead around the beaches has been awesome. Offshore the hogfish bite is crazy good but about one out of ten is a keeper.

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Steve Hunsucker
Largo, Florida
Reported: 3 years ago

Winter fishing has been fun as we have bottom-fishing on most of our offshore trips. The main catch has been catch-and-release gag groupers, hogfish, mangrove snappers, lane snappers, porgies, and grunts on all of our length trips. These species make for lots of excellent white fish for our captains’ to...

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Steve Hunsucker Largo, Florida Reported: 3 years ago

Winter fishing has been fun as we have bottom-fishing on most of our offshore trips. The main catch has been catch-and-release gag groupers, hogfish, mangrove snappers, lane snappers, porgies, and grunts on all of our length trips. These species make for lots of excellent white fish for our captains’ to fillet back at the dock and send home with our customers! We will continue to target these fish until the water warms up and the trolling bite gets hot! Busy spring break in Clearwater Beach is coming, time to book your March and April charters now!

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

Spotted sea trout are starting to push into the clearwater to St. Joseph Sound region. Mild temperatures have delayed their full migration, as it has in years past. Typically, multiple cold fronts that keep the water temperatures lower, will usher in more of the larger, female trout. However, there are...

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

Spotted sea trout are starting to push into the clearwater to St. Joseph Sound region. Mild temperatures have delayed their full migration, as it has in years past. Typically, multiple cold fronts that keep the water temperatures lower, will usher in more of the larger, female trout. However, there are a few small schools beginning to congregate. Several tactics are working especially this early in the season.
Redfish are plenty full. Although most are 22 to 25in. However, the larger fish are blending in with the mullet schools on most flats. Cut ladyfish, or pinfish cut or under a popping cork are working when casting directly into the mullet schools. Large shrimp have also produced results.
Since the water temperature has increased back into the mid 70’s, snook are still cooperating. They are responding to live sardines especially on the falling tides flowing out of the backwaters around the mouths of bays and canals. Targeting the main 3 species will change dramatically due to a cold front coming through tomorrow and cold fronts all the way through Christmas taking our temperatures from the high 70s to low 80s to mid-60s and as the days go on down to 50s as highs and 40s at night will make the fish move to completely different areas. tight lines

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Jim Vanderbeck
Clearwater, Florida
Reported: 3 years ago

Lots a red grouper and red snapper offshore in about 90 feet.

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Jim Vanderbeck Clearwater, Florida Reported: 3 years ago

Lots a red grouper and red snapper offshore in about 90 feet.

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Tyson Wallerstein
Clearwater, Florida
Reported: 3 years ago

Conditions have been perfect this week for targeting snook, trout and redfish. The bay water temperature has been in the upper 60’s in the morning and mid 70’s in the afternoon. As the afternoon tide rises along with the temperature, fish become more active on the flats. Live bait action...

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Tyson Wallerstein Clearwater, Florida Reported: 3 years ago

Conditions have been perfect this week for targeting snook, trout and redfish. The bay water temperature has been in the upper 60’s in the morning and mid 70’s in the afternoon. As the afternoon tide rises along with the temperature, fish become more active on the flats.
Live bait action has been spectacular in the afternoon. Concentrating efforts on flats that are holding mullet has been the key. Live chumming from an up-tide position will help you locate where the fish are holding. Patiently waiting for your free bees to swim down current into the fish will reveal boils and pops allowing you to see where to set up.
Free-line pilchards on medium light spinning gear spooled with 10-pound braid. The light braided line will not only help you sling your bait out to where the fish are, but also help you to feel any subtle bite you might have when fishing an open bail, a tactic that can be deadly effective.
Creeks that serve as wintering homes for snook are loading up with fish right now. As our next cold front passes more of the larger fish will enter the creeks. Fishing around sundown will typically give you the best opportunity to hook into some bigger fish. Live pilchards work great, and chumming will get the activity levels of the fish up, but don’t be afraid to send out a larger bait. Pinfish and or finger mullet will really get the attention of a big snook.

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