Redfish are starting to school in upper Tampa Bay. The best time of day for success is on either side of a high tide. Mangrove shorelines and oyster beds are a good place to anchor and live bait chum to get these drag screamers feeding. Catches of 30 or more redfish per trip are common.

Spanish mackerel, bluefish and sharks are some of the hottest species to target for non-stop action right now. When doing so, try to match the size of your bait to that which the fish are eating. Remember the expression “match the hatch.”

If using live bait, stick with a 30 fluorocarbon leader and long shank hook. When fly-fishing use an imitation glass minnow with a wire trace tied to the tippet with an Albright knot. Spin fishers should use spoons with a single hook to prevent damaging fish that will be released.

Black tip and bonnethead sharks are still abundant on most flats and feeding on a good moving tide. Chum in an area with fresh cut bait to draw them in. For larger sharks like bulls, lemons and hammerheads, fish the edges of the shipping channel.

Tarpon are plentiful along the beaches and inside Egmont Key.

The St. Petersburg / Clearwater / Tampa Bay area of Florida is one of the greatest fishing areas in the United States. The primary reason for this is the idyllic weather. The sub-tropical climate allows fishing charters year round, and the pleasant temperatures make it enjoyable to be out on the water any time of the year.

Highs usually stay between 65 and 95 °F (18 and 33 °C) year round, and lows rarely go below 32°F (0°C). Summer can be humid with afternoon storms, which typically last a very short time. Spring and Fall are perhaps the nicest times of the year, but winter months are generally very pleasant also.

While the fishing certainly varies with the time of year and the weather, a good Tampa Bay fishing guide should be able to put you in fish just about any time of the year. That's the beauty of the St. Petersburg / Clearwater / Tampa Bay area.