Stop 08 of 09 · Shop by region
Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida fishing apparel
UPF 50+ fishing shirts, hats and gloves for Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota and the rest of Southwest Florida.
Where it sits
Stop 08 on the run
Stop 08 of 09, Texas to Key West
Nine fisheries from the Lower Laguna to Key West. Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida is number 8 heading east and south.
The water
Fishing Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida
Southwest Florida is where a slam is genuinely on the table. Snook in the mangroves, reds on the bars, tarpon rolling off the beaches at Boca Grande. Mangrove fishing means you are casting into cover and brushing branches, so sleeves take abuse as well as sun.
Ports and launches
- Tampa
- St. Petersburg
- Sarasota
- Boca Grande
- Fort Myers
- Naples
- Chokoloskee
- Everglades City
What you are chasing
- Snook
- Tarpon
- Redfish
- Speckled trout
- Permit
The reading
What to wear
Sleeves that survive the mangroves and dry after a wade. Tarpon season means long days holding a rod in open sun, which is where a hood and a high collar stop being about looks.
The season
When to go
Tarpon peak from May into July. Snook fish year round with the best months either side of summer. Winter is the calm, clear, sight-fishing stretch.
The kit
What we would take to Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida
Asked about Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida
Questions answered
What should I wear fishing in Southwest Florida?
A hooded UPF 50+ long sleeve, a hat and sun gloves. Sleeves that survive the mangroves and dry after a wade. Tarpon season means long days holding a rod in open sun, which is where a hood and a high collar stop being about looks.
When is the best time to fish Southwest Florida?
Tarpon peak from May into July. Snook fish year round with the best months either side of summer. Winter is the calm, clear, sight-fishing stretch.
What do people catch around Tampa?
Mostly snook, tarpon, redfish, speckled trout and permit, depending on the season and how far out you run.
From the journal
Read before you launch
Tarpon season at Boca Grande, dressed for the fight
What to wear for tarpon season at Boca Grande and around Charlotte Harbor. Long fights, open sun and gear that has to move with you.
Tarpon and snook
Where the southern Gulf fisheries run, from Boca Grande to the Keys, and why long fights change what you want to be wearing.
Along the coast
Island hop
Red Dirt 2 Reefs
Gear up for Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida
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