Clearwater Beach Fishing Reports (May 2026)

Jim Vanderbeck
Clearwater, Florida
Reported: 3 years ago

Inshore has been on fire with redfish bite back on track, sheepshead are showing up in strong numbers. Offshore kingfish, Spanish, hog snapper and gags are close to shore. Best time of year to fish!!

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Jim Vanderbeck Clearwater, Florida Reported: 3 years ago

Inshore has been on fire with redfish bite back on track, sheepshead are showing up in strong numbers. Offshore kingfish, Spanish, hog snapper and gags are close to shore. Best time of year to fish!!

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

Since the weather keeps fluctuating, most of the fish have been scattered, but are of good quality. We have been encountering Redfish, Trout and snook on the flats, but the tide and area has been crucial. Cut bat and small pinfish are working well. Artificials have been working great, bait...

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

Since the weather keeps fluctuating, most of the fish have been scattered, but are of good quality. We have been encountering
Redfish, Trout and snook on the flats, but the tide and area has been crucial.
Cut bat and small pinfish are working well. Artificials have been working great, bait such as mirror lures in the skin series such as pinfish or finger mullet have been catching all 3 inshore species. Also soft plastics like exude dart, mirror lure prevoker and gulp on 16th ounce Jighead have produced some big redfish, Trout, and Snook while we are fishing with bait has helped to locate the schools. Also be prepared for cobia or triple tail as they will show up when you least expect it. This happened to us on Tuesday with couple nice cobia.

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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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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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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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Tyler Barton
Clearwater, Florida
Reported: 3 years ago

The fishing is awesome at the moment, minus the rain every day. If you don't mind getting wet , let's get some lines tight. Fish are already wet they don't mind as long as it's not lightning we're going. Redfish and snook are chewing if you're looking for that drag...

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Tyler Barton Clearwater, Florida Reported: 3 years ago

The fishing is awesome at the moment, minus the rain every day. If you don't mind getting wet , let's get some lines tight. Fish are already wet they don't mind as long as it's not lightning we're going. Redfish and snook are chewing if you're looking for that drag to scream . Along with tons of mangrove snapper and grunts to fill your cooler.

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Gage Brady
New Port Richey, Florida
Reported: 3 years ago

Red snapper season was amazing with that just ending we are pushing more into the red grouper bite 80ft and out have been holding some quality fish, hogfish are showing up in the 30ft and out bottom.

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Gage Brady New Port Richey, Florida Reported: 3 years ago

Red snapper season was amazing with that just ending we are pushing more into the red grouper bite 80ft and out have been holding some quality fish, hogfish are showing up in the 30ft and out bottom.

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Jim Vanderbeck
Clearwater, Florida
Reported: 3 years ago

Red grouper and mango snapper are still on fire in and around 100 feet. Red snapper are thick and become a nuisance when you can't keep em. But they are big and fun.

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Jim Vanderbeck Clearwater, Florida Reported: 3 years ago

Red grouper and mango snapper are still on fire in and around 100 feet. Red snapper are thick and become a nuisance when you can't keep em. But they are big and fun.

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