Complete Guide to Fishing in St Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, on the Gulf Coast. It is part of the Tampa Bay area and less than an hour from Clearwater Beach. St. Petersburg, FL, is known for its beautiful tropical weather, earning the nickname “Sunshine City.” The area is famous for boating, fishing, golfing, and beachgoing on the famous St. Pete Beach. This city is a paradise for fishermen, offering some of the best angling action in West Florida. At St. Petersburg, you will find many fishing spots. With the Gulf of Mexico to the west and Tampa Bay to the east, visitors have endless angling opportunities.
St. Petersburg has endless sunny days, hundreds of professional guides, and prolific fishing grounds; it’s the Mecca for all the country’s enthusiastic anglers. Mangrove-lined shores, productive flats, barrier islands, and canals are home to inshore species such as tarpon, redfish, and snook. These happen to be the preferred catches of the area. However, if you are craving for some offshore action, the Gulf of Mexico is on the city’s west coast to go offshore fishing for different Snapper, King Mackerel, Mahi Mahi, Grouper Galore, and more.
St Pete Fishing Charters
Fishing in St Petersburg, FL, offers easy access to Clearwater, Tampa, and other nearby areas. This provides endless opportunities to catch some Florida fish with a local captain, regardless of your preferred angling method. The west coast of Florida offers bottom and flats fishing, as well as offshore trips. A bottom fish trip includes grouper, snapper, sheepshead, white grunt, sea bass, porgy, and triggerfish. A flats trip includes trout, red drum, flounder, and tarpon, while an offshore trip includes mackerel, cobia, billfish, grouper, and mahi-mahi. Fishing in St Petersburg is excellent year-round for all types of trips.
Fishing In St Petersburg Fl is also close to some of the top trophy bass fishing lakes on the Florida peninsula, including Lake Tarpon, Winter Haven Chain, Lake Panasoffkee, Tsala Apopka Lake, and Lake Thonotosassa. About a two-and-a-half-hour drive are the famous Lake Toho and Lake Okeechobee.
Saltwater Fishing In St Petersburg, FL
Inshore Trips
St Petersburg, FL, is one of the best places for an inshore fishing trip with its productive flats, Intracoastal waterway, mangrove shorelines, and barrier islands all full of fish. Fishing with a local captain will provide the best chance at a West Coast Slam, hooking Snook, Trout, Red drum, and the silver king all in a single trip.
Other popular fish species roaming the flats and beaches that are common catches while onboard inshore fishing charters are jack crevalle, sheepshead, flounder, and sharks. There are numerous productive spots to fish, but some of the top locations in St. Pete include Fred Howard Park, Fort De Soto Park, Pinellas Point, Honeymoon Island, and Skyway Fishing Pier. Madeira Beach, Clearwater Beach, and the Intracoastal waterway are all great places for tarpon fishing, snook, and trout.
Top Inshore Fish On St Pete Beach
An inshore fishing charter is often at the top of the list for anglers who visit St Pete, thanks to its incredibly scenic views and abundant fish species throughout the year. The most popular species fishermen come to target while on an inshore fishing charter are red drum, snook, tarpon, and trout.
Redfish: Redfish are among the most targeted fish in St. Petersburg because of their availability and strength. Tampa Bay is home to redfish of all sizes, ranging from 10 to over 40 pounds. Anglers can catch redfish throughout the year, but the best time to grab one is from August to early fall. Many anglers on board a Tampa Bay charter have the goal of seeing a tailing redfish in the grass flats, making for the ultimate redfish experience.
The best fishing spots for redfish are the grass flats, barrier islands with strong currents, and mangrove shorelines. Redfish will bite most shrimp or crab baits.
Tarpon: Tarpon fishing is excellent year-round in Tampa Bay and St Pete Beach with residential fish, but the giant migratory fish are around from May to late July. While on a charter during these months, your chance of hooking a 200-pound tarpon is at its best. The best tarpon fishing spots include grass flats, underwater structures, and back bays.
This game fish thrives in St. Pete Beach’s warm waters, as it prefers water temperatures of 75 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Almost any baitfish or crustacean can effectively catch tarpon, including pinfish, threadfins, and live crab.
Maybe, maybe…
Snook: Snook are brilliant and hard-fighting fish, making them one of the favorite inshore sport fish among anglers. Snook are also around year-round, with Spring and Summer being peak seasons for large ones. The best fishing spots for snook are mangrove shorelines, structures, oyster bars, and wrecks. Snook prefer warm brackish water and are very easily spooked.
Snook can be found in residential canals and estuaries in the winter and around St Pete Beach and flats as spring comes around. Fishing for snook is best on a solid outgoing tide with sardines and pilchards. Florida anglers love sight fishing for snook during the day and finding snook at night as they come to the surface for dinner.
Sea trout: St Petersburg has one of the most robust sea trout populations in the state. The Tampa Bay sea trout are known for being relatively big for this species and abundant. This fish is around year-round, with peak season from April to September. The best fishing spots for trout are the thick grass on the flats and oyster bars. Sardines and Shrimp tend to be effective lure choices.
Deep-sea Fishing Gulf Of Mexico
The Gulf is right on the west coast of St Petersburg, making this an excellent place to experience deep-sea fishing charters. The nearshore fishing in the Gulf is incredible with its thriving mahi-mahi, Amberjack, pompano, flounder, 15 different snapper species, grouper, and King mackerel.
Fishermen can find record-breaking Spanish and King Mackerel in the Bay’s water on fall nearshore fishing charters. Fishermen can catch Cobia, grouper, and snapper during charters throughout the year.
Nearshore fishing is typically done near deep reefs and wrecks closer to shore than on open-ocean offshore charters. Some of the top species caught on offshore fishing charters in the Gulf include sharks, sailfish, Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, and blackfin tuna. The Gulf of Mexico, off the west coast of St Petersburg or Clearwater Beach, is one of the best places for large shark fishing.
Saltwater Seasons
Winter
The Gator trout are abundant in the flats, and reef fishing charters are full of action. Winter is an excellent season to fish the canals of St Pete Beach and the Intracoastal waterway for various species that prefer warmer water.
Spring
Starting in mid-March, the variety of fish in the Bay of Tampa is incredible. Big redfish and trout are biting in the flats. The snook are emerging and making their way to the beaches where they will be in abundance from St Pete up past Clearwater Beach come May. The giant tarpon are starting to show up on St Pete Beach in April.
Summer
Summer is peak tarpon season. Blacktip shark fishing bite is hot in the shallow flats, and the Red snapper season is open for charter boats. It’s an excellent time for a fishing trip targeting pelagic giants such as Mahi Mahi, Kingfish, Tuna, and Billfish. Come August, when the Florida summer season is at its hottest, reef fishing for deepwater fish like Grouper and Snapper is fantastic. Summer is also suitable for the silver king and shark in the shallows inshore.
Fall
The giant King Mackerel arrives close to the St Pete beaches, and gag grouper are in shallower waters come September. Tarpon season is ending, but fishermen can still get a bite over rocky bottoms.
Top Targeted Fish Species
Largemouth Bass
Black Crappie
Bluegill
Snook
See all fish species >>>
Freshwater Fishing In St Petersburg, FL
The best lake for bass fishing in St Petersburg is Lake Tarpon. Lake Tarpon is a hidden gem and a secret honey hole for largemouths. Tarpon is often referred to as the “jewel of Pinellas County” because it consistently produces high-quality Florida bass for decades. This fishery is not as well-known as many other Florida bass lakes, which helps keep it from becoming overfished and always action-packed.
The other top and closest bass fishing destinations near St Petersburg are Winter Haven Chain, Lake Panasoffkee, Tsala Apopka Lake, and Lake Thonotosassa.
Lake Okeechobee and Lake Toho, both known for their trophy bass, are over two hours away. These lakes are farther away, but definitely worth the drive for a fishing trip and to experience these famous Florida lakes.
Freshwater fishing in St Petersburg, FL, is always good, with bass biting year-round, but the peak season for Florida bass is late November through May. These lakes hold numerous panfish, such as crappie and bluegill, as well. The winter and early spring seasons are the best times for fishermen to go on crappie charters, and the best time for bluegill charters is in the summer.
Local St Pete Fl Bass Fishing Guides
Meet the team of local St Petersburg fishing guides, we know the best spots, baits, and techniques to give you the most incredible fishing experience for fishing in St Petersburg, FL.
Current Local St Pete Fl Fishing Reports
Fishing Piers In St Petersburg, Florida
There are many unique fishing piers in St. Petersburg, Florida. It is a town designed for incredible angling for solo fishermen, friends, and family.
- Skyway Piers: This is one of the biggest and most famous piers in town. It is also known as the world’s longest fishing pier. But it also costs more than the other spots in town.
- Merry Pier: If you are looking for the best fishing spot near me where you can be loved by the locals and relax, Merry Pier is the perfect spot. Even though it is a small pier, it has a lot to offer.
- Fort De Soto Park Pier: This pier has the best of both worlds. A short pier stretches on for fishing in Tampa Bay, while the more extended pier stretches out to the Gulf.
Area Things To Do
The waterfront adventure of St Petersburg is covered with award-winning beaches, museums, and top-rated restaurants. On a trip to St Petersburg, some of the top attractions include The Dali Museum, Chihuly Collection, Sunken Gardens, Downtown St Petersburg, Fort De Soto Park, and the Duncan McClellan Gallery.
Fort De Soto is more than just a beach; it’s a highly praised county park with excellent boating opportunities and numerous onshore adventures. Fort De Soto’s water is part of the Tierra Verde community covering five islands and 1136 acres on the open ocean and the Bay, offering various activities, amenities, and entertainment. Fort De Soto provides canoeing, kayaking, park trails to explore, and fishing piers.
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