Tampa Bay Fishing Excursions are a Year-Round Extravaganza

Traveling to the Tampa Bay this winter and like to fish? It may be chillier outside, but unlike other places, fishing opportunities are still plentiful and abundant. In fact, many locals say it’s their favorite time of the year to fish because of the diverse fish that migrate south for the winter.

As the seasons change from summer to fall, kingfish and flounder can be spotted around John’s Pass Fishing Pier in Madeira Beach, along with Spanish mackerel, karcher, trout, and cobia.

For Spanish mackerel, you can expect to see fish 6-7 lbs and for kingfish, 12-15 lbs. Other fish like karcher, grouper, including 12-16 lb grouper, and cobia are bountiful, but you need to pay attention to the laws that regulate what you are and aren’t allowed to keep. For example, you are limited in how much grouper you can keep in the 20-60 foot range (WOW!) The captain of your fishing charter will be able to tell you what you can and can’t keep so you are in compliance with local fishing laws.

Flounder this time of year can be found right off John’s Pass Village as big as 23 inches long. Not into fish? You can also find boat-loads of shrimp on Madeira Beach across the street. Or you can hop on over to Bubba Gump Shrimp Company if you like the taste of it and don’t actually want to fish it!

You don’t have to have a boat to fish in the area – tons of fishing charters are available, including affordable ones where you can purchase all-inclusive packages with equipment rentals. Some fishing charters also have deals where kids can fish for free, which makes it a fun, affordable experience for the whole family. You may also score deals because even though it’s always fishing season in Tampa Bay, tourists isn’t as big this time of year.

Don’t like to fish but certainly like the taste of it? Many of the areas seafood restaurants offer fresh-caught fish right from the gulf on their “specials” menus. Nothing tastes better than fish caught right from the gulf and grilled or sautéed to perfection.

Speaking of deals – because it’s a slower time of year for vacations, the fall means that many of Tampa Bay beaches’ hotels, motels, and vacation rentals/condos offer cheaper weekly rental rates, including Madeira Beach which is where John’s Pass Village is located in. That means you can stay longer and at a more affordable rate. Check with local vacation condo rental companies to learn more.