Fishing Tampa Bay in the Spring
| Month | Avg. Air Temps °F (Hi/Lo) |
| March | 79° / 55° |
| April | 84° / 60° |
| May | 89° / 65° |
The spring brings warmer waters and more fish into this area. Anglers catch plenty of redfish, sheepshead, sea trout, flounder, whiting and black drum, but they also see other fish migrating into this area. Bluefish, tarpon, cobia, pompano, jacks and sharks are just some of the fish you may catch as waters warm up in the spring. Nearshore and offshore, anglers target snapper, grouper and many other fish too.
Fishing Tampa Bay in the Summer
| Month | Avg. Air Temps °F (Hi/Lo) |
| June | 91° / 71° |
| July | 92° / 72° |
| August | 92° / 72° |
In the summer, fishing is in full swing here with so many different fish to target. Inshore, expect to see the usual redfish, sea trout, flounder, black drum and sheepshead plus migratory species such as tarpon, snook, jacks, pompano and more. Tarpon and snook get a lot of attention in the summer. The red snapper season is also very popular in the summer.
Fishing Tampa Bay in the Fall
| Month | Avg. Air Temps °F (Hi/Lo) |
| September | 90° / 71° |
| October | 85° / 64° |
| November | 79° / 57° |
As the water temperatures cool in the fall, the bite stays strong in this area for so many different species of fish. You can catch many of the migratory species into October, but as water temperatures cool off into November, the migratory species are limited. If you’re looking to come here and target the usual resident fish, plan on having good fishing opportunities for redfish, black drum, sheepshead, trout and flounder when fishing inshore. Nearshore and offshore, anglers target snapper, grouper and other fish too.
Fishing Tampa Bay in the Winter
| Month | Avg. Air Temps °F (Hi/Lo) |
| December | 74° / 52° |
| January | 71° / 49° |
| February | 74° / 51° |
The cooler winter months provide tougher fishing when cold fronts move in. There are still plenty of fish that will eat, but you will not be able to target as many different species of fish as you can in the summer and fall. This is the time of year to target redfish, sheepshead, flounder and trout inshore. Some of the backcountry areas can hold some of the best fishing during the winter months, so don’t rule out some of the shallower backcountry areas from December through February. Nearshore and offshore, anglers target snapper, grouper and many other fish too.
