Inshore Fishing

Spring

Action: Snook, redfish, and trout bite well in the mangroves and grass flats; sheepshead around docks; early tarpon show near passes by late May.

Slow: Windy conditions can push fish deeper into creeks and sheltered bays.

Tips: Pilchards or pinfish for snook, soft plastics for trout, shrimp for sheepshead, live crabs for early tarpon.

Action: Tarpon run strong near Boca Grande Pass; snook stack in inlets and along beaches; mangrove snapper are abundant around structure.

Slow: Midday heat slows shallow fishing — early mornings best.

Tips: Live crabs or threadfins for tarpon, pilchards for snook, shrimp for snapper; work moving tides for consistent action.

Action: Redfish schools prowl flats; snook feed hard before winter; trout reliable in potholes; flounder show near passes late fall.

Slow: Tarpon leave by early fall.

Tips: Topwater plugs or cut bait for reds, live baitfish for snook, soft plastics for trout, jigs for flounder.

Action: Sheepshead and black drum bite well on docks; trout move to deeper holes; redfish feed during warming trends.

Slow: Snook slow down during cold snaps.

Tips: Fiddler crabs for sheepshead, cut shrimp for drum, soft plastics or live shrimp for trout and reds.