Primary Target Species on Florida's West Coast
 Tarpon
Best Months: May through September
Ranging in size from 20 to 200 pounds or more, the Tarpon is the largest and
most spectacular gamefish found in inshore/nearshore waters. Fished with live
and dead bait and lures on 20-40 pound spinning and conventional gear or on Fly,
the "Silver King" displays jumps and drag melting runs that rival even
Marlin and Sailfish. May through July, they can be sight fished as they move down
area beaches in "pods" of 5 to 50 fish or more. May through September
they are caught in the passes to the gulf and around the grassflats and bigger
bridges in Tampa Bay. The fight is adrenaline fueled and an experience you will
never forget. Guaranteed. They have no food value and a $50 tag is required to
kill one, not recommended.
 Snook
Best Months: April through October though they can be caught
year round, depending on severity of Winter.
Open Seasons: February 1- April 31 and Sept 1 - December 15
Averaging 5-7 pounds and reaching weights in excess of 25 pounds in the Tampa
Bay area, the Common Snook is considered Florida's most popular inshore game fish.
Fished on light to medium spinning and baitcasting tackle as well as fly, they
eat live bait, jigs, plugs and flies. Violent strikes, sizzling runs, surface
headshakes and even jumps punctuate a battle with the Snook. Plentiful in the
Tampa Bay area, you'll catch Snook along mangrove shorelines, oyster bars, grassflats,
bridges and even residential docks depending on the time of year. Though prized
for their fillets, most are released due to State Regulations which have proven
successful in keeping the Snook stocks up for all to enjoy. The daily bag limit
is one fish per person between 26" and 34."
 Redfish
Best Months: July through November, and a dependable target
year round.
Although attaining weights exceeding 50 pounds in large breeding schools in
the gulf of Mexico, Redfish on the flats and along mangrove shorelines average
3-5 pounds with fish over 10 pounds common. On light to medium spinning and bait
casting tackle and fly, Redfish are absolute bullies. On shallow grassflats, their
fight is marked by long dogged runs and just plain stubbornness. They eat just
about anything from live and cut bait to spoons, jigs, plugs and flies. The strike
of a nice Redfish on a topwater plug is literally explosive. Try it once and you'll
be hooked for life. I know I am. Catches numbering in double digits are common
during the best months, sending many anglers home with big smiles and tired arms.
They're pretty good eating with a daily bag limit of one fish per person between
18" and 27."
 Spotted
Seatrout
Best Months: March and April for the very biggest Trout, otherwise,
all sizes dependable year round.
Closed Season: November & December
No doubt the best known fish to Tampa Bay flats fisherman, the "Trout"
is also one of the most popular. They readily take live bait, jigs, plugs, flies,
and the big ones absolutely explode on topwater plugs. Artificial lures often
out fish livebait and spinning tackle in the ultralight to light class makes it
a genuine hoot. Trout average about 1 1/2 pounds with 2-4 pounders fairly common.
four or five pounds is a big one here and over five pounds is a real trophy. Although
they don't freeze all that well, they are splendid tablefare when eaten fresh.
Daily bag limit is 4 fish per person between 15" and 20".
 Cobia
Best Months: April through September in the Bay and Gulf.
December through February in the warm water run-off at the power plants.
Resembling Sharks when swimming, these "Brown Bombers" cruise the
flats during Spring and Summer, often following large Southern Sting Rays. They
are also found around structure of any kind in the Bay and Gulf and will usually
take live, dead or artificial baits readily. Although many are around 30",
the legal size is 33" to the fork of the tail and fish exceeding 50 pounds
are not uncommon. They make long, powerful runs, surface headshakes, sometimes
even jumping, and seemingly never give up. They are considered excellent tablefare
(I prefer the smaller ones) and the bag limit is one per person and 2 per boat.
 Spanish
Mackerel
Best Months: April through October.
Readily taking live bait, lures and flies, these speedsters scream drag off
the reel and are often caught one after the other till your arms are sore. They
average 2-3 pounds with 5-6 pounders fairly common and are quite good eating.
The Best of the Rest
Sheepshead, Gag and Goliath Grouper, Mangrove Snapper, King Mackerel, Pompano,
Permit, Jack Crevalle, Bluefish, and Ladyfish among others round out the mix of
hard fighting and, for the most part, good eating species common to the Tampa
Bay Area.
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