Fish Species

Tampa is home to some of the world’s finest inshore, flats and back country fishing, with great catches of a number of sport fish species. But what really draws anglers to Tampa Bay, Clearwater, St. Petersburg and Sarasota is the quality and reputation of the 4 biggest fishing targets of this area-tarpon, redfish, snook, and cobia.

	Tarpon The hottest fishing for tarpon in the Tampa Bay are is from early spring through the summer, when huge numbers of these “silver kings” converge in the flats to feed. Tarpon are a highly prized sport fish target with a reputation for hard-fighting, leaping, running action. Tarpon are big fish, ranging in size from 50 up to 200 pounds in these waters, and during the peak of the season, multiple hookups are common. There is no greater thrill for an angler than to spot that flash of silver from up in the tower, and know you are in for an epic battle. Tarpon are not caught for food, they are only targeting for one reason-the excitement. And the tarpon fishing from Clearwater, to Tampa through St. Petersburg to Sarasota is some of the best and most exciting in the world.

	Snook Snook are known for their speed and strength and have developed a huge reputation as an exciting and hard-fighting sport fish target. Leaping and diving, snook will run with unbeatable strength and speed. Found inshore around bridges and mangrove shorelines, as well as on the flats, snook are targeted in the spring and fall and average 8 pound in the Tampa Bay area. Snook are also a tasty fish when prepared skinless.

	Redfish In winter, the best place to target redfish is in the rivers and back country. During the spring, they begin to move more into the flats to feed, leading up to the summer where redfish fishing reaches its prime. Sightfishing for large schools of redfish can promise hours of rod-bending excitement. Redfish have a reputation as hard fighters and are a really fun fish to target. Redfish are a great eating fish, and the average size of a redfish catch in Tampa/ St. Petersburg/ Clearwater is 16-35 inches. Their hard-fighting attitude makes them a real thrilling catch on light tackle.

	Cobia Cobia often cruise the flats searching for shrimp, crab, or small eels stirred up by stingrays. In fact, if you spot stingrays along the flats, you will likely find a cobia in its wake looking for an easy meal. Pound for pound, cobia's are some of the hardest-fighting fish in the water with a fight to the death reputation that promises lots of exciting action. Cobia's reach sizes up to 30 pounds and are a prized food fish, with a sweet and delicate meat.