Port guide / Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida / Florida

St. Petersburg fishing guide

St. Pete sits between the mouth of Tampa Bay and the Gulf beaches, so you can fish grass flats and mangroves in Boca Ciega Bay and around Weedon Island in the morning and the Skyway bridge, Egmont Key and Bunces Pass in the afternoon. Fort De Soto and the passes hold snook, redfish and trout most of the year, tarpon roll through in late spring and summer, and kings and Spanish mackerel show on the spring and fall bait runs. Offshore boats run the Gulf for grouper and snapper, and the Skyway pier puts shore anglers on deep water and bridge structure.

Conditions now
What is biting
Seasons and rules
Where to fish
Ramps and piers
Bait and charters
Events
Questions

10 ft, conditions now

Conditions now

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

Tides

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On the water now

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Marine forecast

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NOAA tides, St. Petersburg, Tampa Bay, FL (opens in a new tab) NWS marine forecast, Tampa Bay waters (opens in a new tab)

20 ft, what is biting

What is biting, month by month

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

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

Snook
Peak: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Work the passes, Fort De Soto shorelines and the beach troughs in summer, then the bays and bridges as water cools.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Redfish
Peak: January, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
Fish the grass flats and oyster edges of Boca Ciega Bay and Tierra Verde, with bull reds schooling on the deeper flats in late summer.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Spotted seatrout
Peak: January, April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Drift the deeper grass flats with a popping cork and shrimp or a soft plastic.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Tarpon
Peak: May, June, July
Look for them along the Gulf beaches, Bunces Pass and the Skyway in May through July.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
King mackerel
Peak: April, October
Kings follow the spring and fall bait runs around Egmont Key and the nearshore reefs, slow trolled live bait is the local standard.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Spanish mackerel
Peak: April, October
Throw spoons or small jigs around Egmont Key, the Skyway and the Fort De Soto piers when bait is thick.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Sheepshead
Peak: January, February, December
Fish fiddler crabs or shrimp tight to the Skyway pilings and other hard structure in the cold months.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Mangrove snapper
Peak: July, October, November
Fish structure and nearshore wrecks with small live bait and light leader.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Grouper (red and gag)
Peak: October, November, December
Offshore and nearshore hard bottom, and remember gag harvest in 2026 was only open in September.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Cobia
Peak: March, April
Spring fish travel with rays and turn up around markers and the Egmont area.
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), summer
Summer season ran May 22 (Memorial Day weekend) through July 31. Private-vessel anglers must hold the free State Reef Fish Angler designation.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red snapper, Gulf state and federal waters (private recreational), fall
Open Sept. 1 to Oct. 4, then every day Oct. 9 to 22 (eight days added in September), 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.
FWC, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gag grouper, Gulf federal waters
Opened 12:01 a.m. Sept. 1 and closed 12:01 a.m. Oct. 1.
NOAA Fisheries, 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)
Snook, Tampa Bay region
Harvest is closed Dec. 1 through the end of February and May 1 through Aug. 31. In 2026 harvest closed May 1 and reopened Sept. 1. Keeping one also requires a snook permit.
FWC, 2026 (standing rule) Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red drum, Tampa Bay region
Open year-round. Bag and slot vary by region, check FWC.
FWC, current Official page (opens in a new tab)
Spotted seatrout, Tampa Bay zone
Open year-round with no seasonal closure.
FWC, current Official page (opens in a new tab)
Tarpon
Catch and release only statewide. Fish over 40 inches must stay in the water unless you hold a tarpon tag for a record attempt.
FWC, current 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 saltwater license to keep a snook.
Anglers 16 and older fishing for certain reef fish from a private vessel need the free State Reef Fish Angler designation.
Tarpon is catch and release only, and fish over 40 inches must stay in the water.
Florida offers a free resident shoreline-only saltwater license, which is not valid from a boat.
St. Petersburg is in FWC's Tampa Bay region for snook, red drum and spotted seatrout, which runs from Fred Howard Park south to State Road 64 in Manatee County.
The Skyway Fishing Pier requires a free online course every year before you fish it.
Admission to the Skyway, St. Pete, Merry and Pier 60 piers includes a one-day fishing pass, so no separate license is needed there.

Size and bag limits Fishing licenses

Last checked 2026-10-26

40 ft, where to fish

Where to fish

Pier
Skyway Fishing Pier State Park
Deep bridge structure for snook, tarpon, mackerel, cobia and sheepshead, but vehicle and foot access past the bait shop has been closed since Oct. 27, 2025, so check the park page.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Beach
Fort De Soto Park
Gulf and Bay piers plus beach and pass shorelines that hold redfish, snook and Spanish mackerel.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Pass
Egmont Key
Spring and fall hot spot for kings, Spanish mackerel and cobia at the mouth of Tampa Bay.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Pass
Bunces Pass
Tarpon in late spring and summer and snook and redfish on moving tides.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Marsh
Weedon Island Preserve
Shallow mangrove-lined water with oyster bars in north St. Pete, good for redfish, snook and trout from a kayak or skiff.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Flats
Boca Ciega Bay and Tierra Verde flats
Grass flats for trout and redfish, with bull reds on the deeper flats in late summer.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Flats
Shell Key Preserve
Winter pompano and sheepshead plus redfish and trout around the shallows.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Beach
Pass-a-Grille Beach
Wade fishing along the south end of the beaches for snook and other inshore fish.
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 St. Petersburg
Name	Type	Fee	Where
Maximo Park boat ramp (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	Pinellas Point Dr. and 34th St. S, St. Petersburg, FL 33711
Fort De Soto Park boat ramp (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Paid	3500 Pinellas Bayway S, Tierra Verde, FL 33715
Demens Landing boat ramp (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	Bayshore Dr. and 1st Ave. SE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Gandy Wayside Park ramp (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Free	West end of Gandy Bridge, south side of Gandy Blvd., St. Petersburg, FL 33702
Bay Vista Park boat ramp (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Check	7000 4th St. S, St. Petersburg, FL 33705
Skyway Fishing Pier State Park (opens in a new tab)	Pier	Paid	4905 34th St. S #5000, St. Petersburg, FL 33711
Fort De Soto Gulf Pier and Bay Pier (opens in a new tab)	Pier	Paid	3500 Pinellas Bayway S, Tierra Verde, FL 33715

60 ft, bait, tackle and charters

Bait, tackle and charters

Local shops and guides. We are not paid to list anyone here.

Bait and tackle

Bait and tackle shops around St. Petersburg
Shop	Where	Phone
Skyway Bait Shop (Skyway Fishing Pier State Park) (opens in a new tab)	4905 34th St. S #5000, St. Petersburg, FL 33711	727-865-0668
St. Pete Fishing Outfitters (opens in a new tab)	3450 34th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33713	727-317-4949
O'Neill's Marina bait shop (opens in a new tab)	6701 Sunshine Skyway Ln S, St. Petersburg, FL 33711

Charters and guides

Fishing charters and guides around St. Petersburg
Charter	Fishing
Reel Coquina Fishing Charters (opens in a new tab)	Inshore and offshore
Fish The Burg Charters (Capt. Seth Hale) (opens in a new tab)	Inshore
Hubbard's Marina (John's Pass, Madeira Beach) (opens in a new tab)	Inshore and offshore

70 ft, on the calendar

Tournaments and events

Annual events on this water. Dates move, so confirm with the organiser.

Suncoast Kingfish Classic (opens in a new tab)
usually April
2026: April 9 to 11 (33rd annual, SkyBeach Resort, St. Petersburg)
Old Salt Fall King of the Beach Kingfish Tournament (Madeira Beach) (opens in a new tab)
usually November
2026: November 12 to 14, awards November 15

80 ft, asked and answered

Fishing St. Petersburg, asked and answered

When is the best time to catch kingfish around St. Pete?

April and October are the top months, when kings follow the bait runs past Egmont Key and the nearshore reefs. March can produce early fish.

Can I keep a snook in St. Petersburg?

St. Pete is in FWC's Tampa Bay snook region, where harvest is closed Dec. 1 through February and May 1 through Aug. 31. In the open months you need a saltwater license plus a snook permit, and the slot and bag are on FWC's snook page.

Do I need a license to fish the Skyway pier?

Pier admission includes a one-day fishing pass, so you do not need a separate license there, but the Skyway requires a free online course each year. Vehicle and foot access past the bait shop has been closed since Oct. 27, 2025, so check the state park page before you go.

When do tarpon show up around St. Pete?

Tarpon are around from March through October, with May, June and July the peak months along the beaches, Bunces Pass and the Skyway.

Is red snapper open right now in the Gulf off Florida?

For private recreational anglers in 2026 the fall season is open on set days from Sept. 1 into Jan. 4, 2027, including every day Oct. 9 to 22. You also need the free State Reef Fish Angler designation.

90 ft, the kit