Tampa Bay Fishing Reports (December 2025)

Cody Beckman
Tampa, Florida
Reported: 1 year ago

Cold weather has the redfish, snook and trout fired up! Water clarity is improving and water temps are dropping in the bay so sight casting big redfish and snook in shallow water is awesome right now. Big tides and prime water temps have our big predatory fish active and eating...

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Cody Beckman Tampa, Florida Reported: 1 year ago

Cold weather has the redfish, snook and trout fired up! Water clarity is improving and water temps are dropping in the bay so sight casting big redfish and snook in shallow water is awesome right now. Big tides and prime water temps have our big predatory fish active and eating all day. 30-40 fish per trip right now is the norm so inshore fishing is on fire right now.

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Dustin Lambert
Sarasota, Florida
Reported: 1 year ago

Lots of amberjacks and cobia!

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Dustin Lambert Sarasota, Florida Reported: 1 year ago

Lots of amberjacks and cobia!

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Jim Vanderbeck
Clearwater, Florida
Reported: 1 year ago

Docks and canals are where the reds, blacks, and sheep's are!!

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Jim Vanderbeck Clearwater, Florida Reported: 1 year ago

Docks and canals are where the reds, blacks, and sheep's are!!

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Matt Fueyo with Reel Tight Fishing Charters
Sarasota, Florida
Reported: 2 years ago

Fishing has been productive. We are catching kings and cobia off the beach. Snook and redfish are chewing in the passes.

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Matt Fueyo with Reel Tight Fishing Charters Sarasota, Florida Reported: 2 years ago

Fishing has been productive. We are catching kings and cobia off the beach. Snook and redfish are chewing in the passes.

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James Gibson
Sarasota, Florida
Reported: 2 years ago

The holiday season is upon us in Sarasota, Florida and the fish seem to know it. Our fishing charter customers had success targeting Snook, Redfish, Trout and Jacks in the shallow flats of Sarasota bay. As water temperatures dropped we found fish congregated on low tides in deeper mud holes...

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James Gibson Sarasota, Florida Reported: 2 years ago

The holiday season is upon us in Sarasota, Florida and the fish seem to know it. Our fishing charter customers had success targeting Snook, Redfish, Trout and Jacks in the shallow flats of Sarasota bay. As water temperatures dropped we found fish congregated on low tides in deeper mud holes in the buttonwood bay area on the back side of Longboat Key. On higher tides we found fish on top of shallow oyster bars around the bully creek area near the Sarasota airport. The nearshore fishing in Sarasota was also hot on the public reefs in front of Siesta, Lido and Longboat Key. Our customers enjoyed catch and clean fishing charters catching Kingfish, Triple tail, Cobia and Snappers.

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Joe Burruezo
Tampa, Florida
Reported: 2 years ago

Micro tarpon bite has been on fire for the 8hr trips

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Joe Burruezo Tampa, Florida Reported: 2 years ago

Micro tarpon bite has been on fire for the 8hr trips

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Ray Culver
Seminole, Florida
Reported: 2 years ago

The nearshore bite been really good, hogfish, kingfish, Cobia and Bonita. Depending on the weather.

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Ray Culver Seminole, Florida Reported: 2 years ago

The nearshore bite been really good, hogfish, kingfish, Cobia and Bonita. Depending on the weather.

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Ron Finger with Fish Hawk Charters
Tierra Verde, Florida
Reported: 2 years ago

The Best Snapper Species Snappers are a fish family that need no introduction. Anglers from all over the world come to Florida to Target & catch them and love them for a variety of reasons. They’re usually easy to locate, are abundant in population, and provide a tasty treat. Just...

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Ron Finger with Fish Hawk Charters Tierra Verde, Florida Reported: 2 years ago

The Best Snapper Species
Snappers are a fish family that need no introduction. Anglers from all over the world come to Florida to Target & catch them and love them for a variety of reasons. They’re usually easy to locate, are abundant in population, and provide a tasty treat. Just the names “Mangrove Snapper” and “Red Snapper” get every saltwater fisher’s heart racing.
But before you think about cooking one up for a tasty treat, we will get U locked & loaded to land a boat load full.
We are very fortunate on the West Coast Florida Gulf of Mexico with the Mangrove and the Red Snapper. But other common species include the Cubera Snapper, Lane Snapper, Mutton Snapper, and Yellowtail Snapper. There are actually a total of 125 Snapper species that inhabit the earth’s oceans!
Mangrove Snapper
These guys have a red or pinkish tint that covers their small, rough scales. And don’t be fooled by their little teeth – they’re seriously sharp! To know where to find these fish, take a hint from their name. You’ll find them in mangrove islands but you can also find them hanging around docks, piers, grass flats, and more.
Red Snapper
Next up we have one of the largest and most favorable Snapper species, the Red Snapper. This species puts up a tough fight in offshore waters and can weigh up to 50 pounds! They’re also among the best-tasting fish species, period. Unfortunately, though, they’ve been overfished in many places, so there are strict seasons in place, especially here in Florida.
Cubera Snapper
The Cubera Snapper is another large Snapper species, with the biggest recorded weighing 120 pounds. They can be harder to find and make more of a rare appearance. But that just makes it more exciting when you catch one! These fish are more commonly found in deeper wrecks and reefs.
Lane Snapper
Next up we have Lane Snapper. A step down from Cubera Snapper, these little guys reach maximum lengths of 20 inches. But what they lack in size, they make up in strength. Lane Snapper will try and take any bait you present, even if that means grabbing it before a larger fish can. They have a pretty mix of white, yellow, and pink to create a tropical-looking fish. And, as with most Snappers, their fillets are quite delicious as well.
Mutton Snapper
The Mutton Snapper almost looks like a mix of the Mangrove and Lane Snapper, except they’re quite a bit larger. These guys range in size and you catch smaller ones or large ones out on the reefs.
Yellowtail Snapper
Last on the list, we have Yellowtail Snapper. Another fish on the smaller side, these fish are cute and can be recognized easily by their yellow tails – hence their name. They heavily populate southern Florida, where anglers can constantly rip them up and head home with a small but delicious treat!
Snapper Fishing Rules and Regulations
Now that you’re aware of common Snapper species, let’s talk about rules and regulations. As mentioned, there are tons of Snapper species out there. That means there are different types of rules for different types of fish, including maximum and minimum lengths, bag limits, and more.
It’s very important that you know the difference in regulations for each species. We have You fully covered.
We have the Federal Pelagic Species's Permits & NOAA Reef Permits to legally land any/all these snapper Species including ARS - American Red Snapper during the Federal Regulation Season Gulf of Mexico June - Aug
We are Fully Credentialed to both Target & Deliver the Snapper Species you deserve & desire.

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