Tampa Bay Fishing Report – April 2024

Caldesi – Honeymoon Island – Anclote Island

These islands have been nothing short of on fire. The pompano are moving up and down the beaches and inlets, while there has also been a major influx of gator trout mainly being caught on pinfish. The redfish are hit and miss on the island right now, but the ones that have been caught are mainly in the slot size. There are also many nice black drum cruising the beaches right now, nothing giant but some to take home to eat for sure.

All three of these islands have been seeing the beginning of the snook heading up on the beaches. Many people have been catching these snooks as well. The bait of choice right now is live pinfish or grunt. Start working some structure on the beach like jetties or deep drop-offs and you will get into some action.

Intracoastal Anclote to Indian Rocks

Well, there have been a lot of reports of dead zones in the Intracoastal, so let me help you out!

The spoil islands around Clearwater Beach have all been biting, especially the ones with a good mangrove overhang. But you NEED GREENBACKS so you can chum these fish up, and lots of snook are hiding deep back in the groves. Also, if they have any oysters around them, you will find some redfish and lots of rats. The spoil islands are the right place to be though. Flats have mainly been showing lots of trout but good-sized ones.

Clearwater Beach Pier 60 has been nothing short of a good time. From wide-open Spanish mackerel and even a shot at kingfish. Also, many people have been catching pompano off the pier so keep that in mind when fishing this pier. All pompano came on the pompano rig!

Sand Key Bridge has been a great snook zone with lots of pompano running through. Pompano jigs have been catching most of the pompano on the jig. While the snook have been caught mainly at dark on greenbacks and swim baits.

Bellaire Bridge has been quiet lately, small mangrove snapper and a very slow sheepshead bite!

The Indian Rocks area has had some good dock fishing. The bait of choice is greenbacks, and the snook and reds have been coming out of the docks to eat! You are going to have to grind through many docks to find the one that is holding the majority of the fish.

Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay has been nothing short of interesting, everything from Redfish to kingfish being caught so let me break it down for you right now!

Upper Tampa Bay

All the way back by Courtney Campbell, the snook have been biting amazingly on any bridge. Once again, all you need is white bait. Threadfin has been the bait of choice, as soon as it hits the water you are on. Many sea trout have also been hanging around while the redfish are also biting well. The bigger reds are coming on the cut bait.

Middle of Tampa Bay

Gandy and Howard Franklin bridges have been mediocre fishing. There have been a decent amount of snook cruising around the flats around these bridges. But there have been some cobia around and some reports of keepers getting caught!

Lower Tampa Bay

This is where all the action has been happening. So, I would recommend fishing it immediately because it’s HOT. The spoil islands have had no shortage of redfish or trout. Some of these redfish are really nice size, but they have been very skittish so get your power poles ready and approach silently! Also, some of the islands are jam-packed with juvenile snook that will eat about anything that swims as long as you chum!

Starting off with the Skyway Bridge, the mini gag grouper are everywhere here. SO be ready to weed through them while mangrove snapper fishing. The mangrove snapper has been nothing short of interesting on the rock piles, some days they are wide open and others they are dead. A Lot of this has to do with the dolphins. Random fish running right now would have to be decent-sized jacks. They have been seen circling the rock piles anywhere from 5-15 pounds! Also, the tarpon are starting to show up in good numbers so get ready to break out your heavy tackle.

Skyway Pier

Lots of Spanish mackerel and bonito being caught. You need white bait, so bring a cast net since sabikis are banned! Also, get a big bait out there for kingfish because they are ready to roll, many have been caught! I would recommend going now because these three fish have been hot around this pier!

Tierra Verde Bridge

Lots of threadfin hanging around here and a few tarpon. If you’re fishing it from shore you have a good shot at snook! On greenbacks or live shrimp So definitely head down there because these snooks are eating. The mangrove snapper has also been eating well and is very hungry.

Thank you so much for being a part of the first fishing report. These reports will only grow and keep getting better. If you have a report you would like to submit, do it via email and send in your photo!