Port guide / Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida / Florida

Hudson fishing guide

Hudson is a Pasco County beach town on the open Gulf, where guides run out of Hudson Beach to mangrove shorelines, grass flats and small islands for redfish, snook and trout, with tarpon in summer and nearshore gag grouper and mackerel a short ride out. There is no bay here like at St. Petersburg, the nearest existing guide, just shallow coast broken up by creeks and the salt marsh of Werner-Boyce Salt Springs to the south. Hudson also sits north of Fred Howard Park, so it falls under FWC's Big Bend rules for snook, redfish and trout and in the Pasco scallop zone, not the Tampa Bay rules that apply in St. Pete.

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 Hudson. Updates through the day.

Loading the 7 day forecast.

NOAA tides, Hudson, Hudson Creek, FL (opens in a new tab) NOAA station Clearwater Beach, FL (opens in a new tab) NWS 7 day forecast (opens in a new tab) NWS marine forecast, Coastal waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River FL out 20 NM (opens in a new tab)

12 ft, the chart

Chart and depths

The official NOAA chart, centered on Hudson. 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, New Port Richey Report by Capt. Bill Rutherford (opens in a new tab) Captain Experiences Hudson fishing reports (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 Hudson. This month is marked.

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

Redfish
Peak: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
Guides work the mangrove shorelines, grass flats and islands off Hudson Beach with live bait they catch the same morning.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Spotted seatrout
Peak: April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Drift the grass flats off Hudson Beach, a common half-day catch for local charters.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Snook
Peak: February, March
Caught year-round along the mangroves, but harvest under Big Bend rules is only March, April and Sept. 1 to Nov. 30.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Tarpon
Peak: May, June, July
Local guides run dedicated tarpon and fly trips from May 1 to Aug. 1 off the Pasco coast.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Spanish mackerel
Peak: April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Best from April through October, and local guides list them among their inshore targets alongside reds and trout.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Cobia
Peak: March, April, September, October, November
Spring and fall are best, and guides add them to half-day inshore and nearshore trips.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Gag grouper
Peak: June, July, August, September, October, November
Nearshore rock a short run out holds gags, but in 2026 harvest in Gulf state and federal waters was only open in September.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Mangrove snapper
Peak: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
A regular part of the inshore catch around Hudson's mangroves and on the nearshore grouper rocks.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Sheepshead
Peak: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Fish docks, rocks and other hard structure, and expect more of them once the fall fronts cool the water.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (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.

Snook, Big Bend region
Harvest is closed Dec. 1 through the end of February and May 1 through Aug. 31, so it is open March, April and Sept. 1 to Nov. 30. Keeping one requires a snook permit on top of a saltwater license.
FWC, 2026 (standing rule) Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red drum, Big Bend region
Open year-round. The Big Bend region includes all of Pasco north of Fred Howard Park and the Anclote River. Slot, bag and vessel limits are on the FWC page.
FWC, current Official page (opens in a new tab)
Spotted seatrout, Big Bend region
Open year-round with no closed season under the new 2026 regional rules. Bag and slot are on the FWC page.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Bay scallops, Pasco zone
Closed effective Aug. 6, 2026 after toxin-producing algae (Pyrodinium bahamense) was found above safety limits. FWC will reopen the zone only when tests show safe levels.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red snapper, Gulf state and federal waters (private recreational), fall
Open Sept. 23 to Oct. 4 and every day Oct. 9 to 22, then 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.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gag grouper, Gulf state waters
Recreational season was open Sept. 1 through Sept. 30 and closed at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 1, matching adjacent federal waters.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Greater amberjack, Gulf state waters
Recreational season open Sept. 1 through Oct. 13, closing 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. Closed June 1 to July 31.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)

40 ft, where to fish

Where to fish

Beach
Hudson Beach (Robert J. Strickland Memorial Park)
Small county beach park with about 1,900 feet of waterfront, a seawall and boardwalk where shore fishing is allowed, plus the town's boat ramp.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Marsh
Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park
Four miles of mangrove coastline, tidal creeks and salt marsh just south of Hudson that you fish by kayak from the park launch.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Flats
Hudson grass flats and mangrove islands
The shallow grass flats, mangrove shorelines and local islands off Hudson Beach where guides target reds, snook and trout.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Channel
Anclote River
River in southern Pasco with a county park and ramps at Anclote River Park; FWC counts all of it as Big Bend water for snook.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Reef
Nearshore grouper rocks
Hard bottom a short run off Hudson where local guides run September gag grouper trips and catch mangrove snapper.
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 Hudson
Name	Type	Fee	Where
Robert J. Strickland Memorial Park boat ramp (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	14104 Armand Way, Hudson, FL 34667
Anclote River Park boat ramps (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	1119 Baillies Bluff Rd, Holiday, FL 34691

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 (1)

MarinaLive bait
Hudson Beach Marina
Bait: live bait
6625 Clark St, Hudson, FL 34667
Full-service marina a quarter mile from Hudson Beach with live bait, ethanol-free gas, diesel and a ship store.
Call (727) 863-9093 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 Hudson
Charter	Fishing
Sports Coast Inshore Charters (Capt. Brian Harris) (opens in a new tab)	Inshore and offshore
Blackwater Charters (Capt. Matthew Clough) (opens in a new tab)	Inshore
Epic Tails Charters (Capt. Chris Miller) (opens in a new tab)	Inshore

80 ft, asked and answered

Fishing Hudson, asked and answered

Does Hudson follow the Tampa Bay or Big Bend fishing rules?

Hudson is north of Fred Howard Park, so FWC puts it in the Big Bend region for snook, redfish and trout. Check the Big Bend section of each FWC species page, not the Tampa Bay section.

Can I go scalloping off Hudson?

Hudson is in the Pasco scallop zone, which FWC closed on Aug. 6, 2026 after toxin-producing algae was found above safety limits. It reopens only when tests show safe levels, so check the FWC scallop page first.

When is tarpon season around Hudson?

Local guides run dedicated tarpon trips from May 1 to Aug. 1, and fish are around in smaller numbers from March into the fall. Check FWC's tarpon rules before you go.

Where is the public boat ramp in Hudson?

Pasco County's ramp for Robert J. Strickland Memorial Park, known as Hudson Beach, is at 14104 Armand Way. Pasco County also has boat ramps at Anclote River Park, 1119 Baillies Bluff Rd in Holiday.

When can I keep a snook in Hudson?

Under Big Bend rules snook harvest is open in March, April and from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, and you need a snook permit on top of a saltwater license. The slot and bag are on FWC's snook page.

90 ft, the kit