Capt. Ray Culver Guide Service

Tarpon and permit fishing is on fire right now, and it’s the perfect time to get on the water. Big tarpon are rolling and feeding hard, giving you a real shot at an unforgettable fight, while nearshore permit are showing up in numbers and ready to eat.

This is prime time—these opportunities don’t last long, and the bite has been as good as it gets. If you’ve been thinking about chasing tarpon or checking a permit off the list, now’s your window.

Spots are filling fast, so don’t wait. Reach out and lock in your tarpon and permit trip while the bite is this hot.

This week’s fishing around Tampa Bay has been strong and trending upward as water temperatures continue to warm.

Redfish have been one of the most consistent bites. Fish are holding on shallow flats early in the morning, especially on calm, sunny days. Singles and small groups are cruising shorelines, mangrove edges, and potholes. As the sun gets higher and tides rise, reds are pushing tighter to cover and feeding aggressively. Artificial lures have been producing well, particularly soft plastics and weedless presentations in skinny water.

Spotted Seatrout are set up across grass flats and along deeper edges. Quality trout are being caught just off the flats in slightly deeper water, with the best action coming on moving tides. Early morning and late afternoon continue to be the prime windows, and soft plastics and suspending baits are getting consistent bites.

With the warmer water temperatures, the snook bite is starting to come alive. Snook are staging along mangrove shorelines, dock edges, and creek mouths, and their activity is increasing daily. As temperatures continue to rise, expect snook to become more aggressive, particularly on outgoing tides and around areas with current.

Overall, conditions are shaping up perfectly for spring fishing in Tampa Bay. Warming water, cooperative tides, and active fish make this an excellent time to get on the water targeting redfish and trout, with snook action improving by the week.

Shallow-water fishing has been absolutely on fire lately, especially for redfish and trout, with artificial baits stealing the show. Clean water and consistent tides have these fish pushed up skinny, actively feeding and aggressively reacting to well-presented lures. Early mornings and late afternoons have been prime, but even mid-day bites have been strong when the sun helps warm the flats.

For redfish, sight-casting in ankle-to-knee-deep water has been lights out. Soft plastics, paddle tails, and weedless jerkbaits worked slowly in front of cruising or tailing fish are getting instant reactions. Trout have been stacked along potholes, edges, and deeper pockets within the flats, crushing suspending twitch baits and soft plastics worked with a steady retrieve and occasional pause.

The key has been stealth, accurate casts, and matching the retrieve to the fish’s mood. With bait present and water temps just right, artificial anglers are having some of the best action of the season. If you’re looking for explosive strikes, visual eats, and nonstop action, now is the time to get shallow and throw artificials