Port guide / Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida / Florida

Bradenton fishing guide

Bradenton sits on the Manatee River where it meets lower Tampa Bay, with Anna Maria Island, Anna Maria Sound, Palma Sola Bay and Longboat Pass a short run west. Locals split time between the river mouth docks, the Terra Ceia and lower Tampa Bay flats and the island beaches, where tarpon stack up off Bean Point and Bradenton Beach in May and June. The Manatee and Braden rivers fall in FWC's Tampa Bay management region while Palma Sola Bay and the water south of State Road 64 are in the Sarasota Bay region, so check which one you are fishing.

Conditions now
Chart and depths
Fishing reports
What is biting
Seasons and rules
Where to fish
Ramps and piers
Bait and charters
Questions

10 ft, conditions now

Conditions now

Live from NOAA and the National Weather Service. Times show in your own time zone.

Today’s bite

A forecast built from live data and the calendar below. Not a catch report.

Working out today from the tides, water and calendar.

Tides

Loading the next highs and lows from NOAA.

On the water now

Water: Checking
Wind: Checking

Marine forecast

Loading the National Weather Service forecast.

7 day forecast

National Weather Service, for Bradenton. Updates through the day.

Loading the 7 day forecast.

NOAA tides, Bradenton, Manatee River, FL (opens in a new tab) NOAA station Port Manatee, FL (opens in a new tab) NWS 7 day forecast (opens in a new tab) NWS marine forecast, Coastal waters from Englewood to Tarpon Springs FL out 20 NM (opens in a new tab)

12 ft, the chart

Chart and depths

The official NOAA chart, centered on Bradenton. Depths, channels, reefs and markers, live from NOAA.

The NOAA chart loads when you scroll here.

NOAA electronic navigational chart: soundings, depth contours, channels, markers and hazards. Zoom in to see more soundings. Not for navigation. Open NOAA ENC Online

15 ft, fishing reports

Fishing reports

What people are catching, on what, and where. Every report links to whoever wrote it. We do not write these ourselves.

Latest reports

From local captains, shops and outdoor writers. Newest first, last 14 days.

Checking the latest reports.

Report sources: Coastal Angler Tampa Bay Fishing Reports and Forecasts (opens in a new tab)

Straight from the dock

Reports sent to us by shops and captains on this guide. We check each one before it posts.

Checking for reports.

Run a shop or charter here? Send a report

20 ft, what is biting

What is biting, month by month

When each fish is at its best around Bradenton. This month is marked.

What is biting by month around Bradenton. Peak, good and slow months for each species.
Species	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Snook	Slow	Slow	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Slow	Good	Good	Peak	Good	Slow
Redfish	Slow	Slow	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Slow
Spotted seatrout	Slow	Good	Good	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Slow	Good	Slow
Tarpon	Slow	Slow	Slow	Good	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow
Sheepshead	Slow	Peak	Good	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow
Mangrove snapper	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Slow	Slow	Slow
King mackerel	Slow	Slow	Good	Good	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Good	Slow	Slow
Spanish mackerel	Slow	Slow	Good	Good	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Good	Slow	Slow
Cobia	Slow	Slow	Good	Good	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow

Snook
Peak: March, April, May, October
Snook leave the creeks and rivers for the flats around Anna Maria Island in March, spawn at the passes in early summer and feed hard again in October.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Redfish
Peak: August, September, October
Big schools invade the flats of lower Tampa Bay, Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key from late August into October.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Spotted seatrout
Peak: June, July, August
Summer trout sit in 3 to 6 feet on deeper grass edges near moving water in the bays around Anna Maria Island.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Tarpon
Peak: May, June
Look off Bean Point, Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach and Longboat Pass, and at the Skyway, in May and June.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Sheepshead
Peak: February
Fish docks and structure near the mouth of the Manatee River, Anna Maria Sound and Longboat Pass in late winter.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Mangrove snapper
Peak: June, July, August
Snapper move into lower Tampa Bay and Sarasota Bay shallows in summer around markers, grass flats and deeper structure.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
King mackerel
Kings show off the beaches from Longboat Pass to the north tip of Anna Maria Island on the spring and fall runs.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Spanish mackerel
Spanish arrive with the spring and fall bait migrations along the island beaches.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Cobia
Spring cobia travel with the bait and tarpon into the deeper water of Tampa Bay.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)

30 ft, seasons and rules

Seasons and rules

Open and close dates we could confirm from official sources, plus where to check limits before you keep a fish.

Red snapper, Gulf state and federal waters (private recreational), fall
Remaining 2026 schedule: Sept. 23 to Oct. 4, every day Oct. 9 to 22, Oct. 23 to 25, Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, Nov. 7 to 8, 14 to 15 and 21 to 22, Nov. 26 to 29, Dec. 5 to 6, 12 to 13 and 19 to 20, Dec. 25 to 27, and Jan. 1 to 4, 2027. Also applies to charter boats without a federal permit, in state waters only.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gag grouper, Gulf state waters
2026 recreational season was Sept. 1 through Sept. 30 and closed at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 1, matching the NOAA season in adjacent federal waters.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Greater amberjack, Gulf state waters
2026 recreational season was Sept. 1 through Oct. 13 and closed at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 14, matching adjacent federal waters.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gray triggerfish, Gulf state and federal waters
Open March 1 to May 31 and Aug. 1 to Dec. 31.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Snook, Tampa Bay (Manatee and Braden rivers, north of SR 64) region
Harvest closed Dec. 1 through the end of February and May 1 through Aug. 31. Keeping one also requires a snook permit with your saltwater license.
FWC, current (standing rule) Official page (opens in a new tab)
Snook, Sarasota Bay (Palma Sola Bay and south of SR 64) region
Harvest closed Dec. 1 through the end of February and May 1 through Aug. 31. Keeping one also requires a snook permit with your saltwater license.
FWC, current (standing rule) Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red drum, Tampa Bay and Sarasota Bay region
Open year-round. Slot, bag and vessel limits are set by region, check FWC.
FWC, current Official page (opens in a new tab)
Spotted seatrout, Tampa Bay and Sarasota Bay region
Open year-round under the new regional seatrout rules that took effect in 2026.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)

Rules change. Check before you go.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)

A snook permit is required on top of a recreational saltwater license to keep a snook.
Anglers fishing for gag, amberjack, triggerfish and other listed reef fish from a private boat must sign up each year as a State Reef Fish Angler.
On for-hire trips the captain and crew may not keep a bag limit of snook, redfish or seatrout.
Snook, redfish and seatrout must stay whole until landed ashore.
FWC's Tampa Bay region for snook, redfish and seatrout runs south to State Road 64 in Manatee County and includes all of the Manatee and Braden rivers.
The Sarasota Bay region starts at State Road 64 and includes Palma Sola Bay, so Bradenton anglers can fish two regions in one trip. Both regions share the same snook closed seasons.
Manatee County's Coquina Bayside, Kingfish and Palma Sola Causeway ramps do not allow overnight parking.
The Anna Maria City Pier has been closed since storm damage in 2024 and as of August 2026 was expected to reopen in fall 2026. The Rod and Reel Pier was destroyed by Hurricanes Helene and Milton and was still raising money to rebuild as of May 2026.

Size and bag limits Fishing licenses

Last checked 2026-10-27

40 ft, where to fish

Where to fish

Beach
Bean Point (north tip of Anna Maria Island)
Tarpon stage here in May and June, and kings and Spanish pass on the spring and fall runs.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Pass
Longboat Pass
Snook spawn here in early summer, tarpon stage in May and June, and snapper and sheepshead hold on the structure.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Channel
Manatee River mouth docks
Winter sheepshead country, fished with shrimp or crabs around docks and pilings.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Bay
Anna Maria Sound
Sheltered water with docks for sheepshead in winter and flats for snook, reds and trout in spring.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Flats
Terra Ceia Bay
Shallow flats that warm first in winter for trout and reds, and deeper edges that hold snook in summer.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Bay
Lower Tampa Bay and the Skyway
Deeper water for tarpon, cobia, kings and grouper in spring, and big redfish schools in late summer.
Source (opens in a new tab)

50 ft, launch and piers

Ramps and piers

Public launches and fishing piers. Fees and hours change, so check the link before you tow.

Public boat ramps and fishing piers around Bradenton
Name	Type	Fee	Where
Warner's Bayou Boat Ramp (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	5800 Riverview Blvd, Bradenton, FL 34209
Kingfish Boat Ramp (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	752 Manatee Avenue, Holmes Beach, FL 34217
Palma Sola Causeway Boat Ramp (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	9500 Manatee Ave, Bradenton, FL 34209
Coquina Bayside South Boat Ramp (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	1465 Gulf Dr S, Bradenton Beach, FL 34217
Coquina Bayside North Boat Ramp (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	Gulf Drive S, Bradenton Beach, FL 34217
State Route 64 Boat Ramp (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	3020 Manatee Ave E, Bradenton, FL 34208

60 ft, bait, tackle and charters

Bait, tackle and charters

Where to get live and fresh bait, tackle and a guide. We are not paid to list anyone here.

Bait and tackle (2)

Showing all 2 shops

Bait and tackleLive bait
Island Discount Tackle (Keyes Marina)
Bait: live bait, frozen bait
5503 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, FL 34217
Anna Maria Island tackle shop at Keyes Marina, open 7 days at 7am; sells fishing licenses, non-ethanol fuel and has charter captains.
Call (941) 779-2838 Directions (opens Google Maps)
Source (opens in a new tab)
Store
Cortez Bait & Seafood
12110 Cortez Rd. W, Cortez, FL 34215
Cortez fish house with a retail seafood market (Mon to Sat 10am to 6pm, Sun 10am to 5pm) and a wholesale bait business.
Call (941) 794-1547 Directions (opens Google Maps)
Source (opens in a new tab)

Live bait comes and goes with the weather and the season. Call before you drive.

Charters and guides

Fishing charters and guides around Bradenton
Charter	Fishing
Anna Maria Inshore Fishing (Capt. Kyle Taylor) (opens in a new tab)	Inshore
Island Discount Tackle charter captains (Keyes Marina) (opens in a new tab)	Inshore and offshore

80 ft, asked and answered

Fishing Bradenton, asked and answered

Which FWC region is Bradenton in for snook and redfish?

Both. The Manatee and Braden rivers and water north of State Road 64 are in the Tampa Bay region, while Palma Sola Bay and water south of SR 64 are in the Sarasota Bay region. Snook harvest is closed Dec. 1 through February and May 1 through Aug. 31 in both.

When do tarpon show up around Bradenton and Anna Maria Island?

Tarpon show up in April, and May and June are the best months, with fish off Bean Point, Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach, Longboat Pass and the Skyway. Some fish are still around in July and August.

When is the best redfish fishing?

Late August through October, when big schools move onto the flats of lower Tampa Bay, Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key.

Are the Anna Maria Island fishing piers open?

Check before you go. As of August 2026 the Anna Maria City Pier, closed since storm damage in 2024, was expected to reopen in fall 2026, and the Rod and Reel Pier, destroyed by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, was still raising money to rebuild as of May 2026.

Where can I launch a boat in Bradenton?

Manatee County ramps include Warner's Bayou on the Manatee River, Kingfish and Palma Sola Causeway on Manatee Avenue, the Coquina Bayside ramps in Bradenton Beach and the State Route 64 ramp. Coquina Bayside, Kingfish and Palma Sola do not allow overnight parking.

90 ft, the kit