Florida Fishing in Spring Is Near! What Can You Catch?

Florida Fishing in Spring Is Near! What Can You Catch?

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Florida fishing in springtime is about to kick off, with March’s rising temperatures welcoming in tons of hungry fish!

Many species will be spawning and foraging for something to satisfy their increased metabolism.

Every year St. Pete Beach and its surrounding inshore areas provide the perfect place for anglers to catch huge fish!

Here’s what you can catch on your own private Florida fishing charter this spring:

What Can You Catch While Florida Fishing During Spring?

Florida inshore fishing and flats fishing is a challenge, but a fun one! These fish are skittish and will require a patient and precise kind of angling skill! We’ll sneak up on the fish with live bait fish, lures and flies.

Then the action will begin with heart-pounding stuff, lower clear water levels and sight fishing this time of year. Best of all, you can see fish in action so close that you could reach out and touch them.

Snook

Snook are one of the most sought after inshore fish you can catch. They’re super fun, thanks to a fighting spirit and explosive behavior.

As the cold fronts leave, you’ll find Snook waiting around structures, beaches and flats. We’ve even seen anglers try to catch Snook by foot while wading on the flats.

Snook don’t have any teeth, so they strike hard and aggressively to swallow the bait. These hungry beauties love live bait and put up a major fight, so be prepared for line ripping off your reel.

Here in Florida, Snook can grow up to 48 inches and 38 lbs!

Redfish

Florida fishing in spring also gives us a great chance to catch stunning, fat Redfish! After all, the West Coast of Florida is the Redfish capital of the world and March is when the action begins!

Redfish are relentless fighters with a pit-bull-like attitude. Spook them and you might hear their famous ‘drumming sound’.

This spring, we’ll be using a variety of fishing techniques inshore to get big catches! Using live bait such as Crab, Shrimp and Cigar Minnows, we guarantee a catch!

Here in Florida, we regularly catch Redfish between 12 and 30 inches!

Trout

Spotted Sea Trout and Speckled Trout will be hot too this spring in Florida!

Every year we catch plenty of Trout, using fishing techniques such as a noisy float under a live Shrimp.

If you want to catch Trout this spring in Florida, we welcome you to experience one of our private Florida fishing charters!

St. Petersburg, FL Spring Fishing Report

From March through June, you’ll find excellent fishing for the following species near St. Petersburg:

  • Amberjack
  • Black Drum
  • Redfish
  • Trout
  • Tripletail
  • Snook
  • Mackerel
  • Grouper
  • Jack Crevalle
  • Permit
  • Tarpon
  • Barracuda
  • Cobia
  • Snapper

Shallow Florida Flats Are Teaming in Spring!

Florida fishing in the spring sees the flats come alive! Baitfish, Shrimp and Crabs are abundant, meaning the game fish move into the inshore areas to feed.

That’s great news for anglers, as we’ll be surrounded by fish in shallow waters.

If you’re interested in a private fishing charter on Florida’s shallow flats, give us a call!

Spring Fishing off the Florida Beaches

As spring progresses, migratory fish species will move along the Florida beaches – especially St. Pete Beach. In skinny water just a few miles offshore, we’ll see the waters teaming with Redfish, Trout, Snook, Spanish Mackerel, Cobia, Tarpon, Jack Crevalle, Shark and so much more!

Don’t think you need to wait until summer for a Florida fishing charter; spring is action-packed!

Spring brings the action to the surface. The bite is a certainty, as schools of fish head for our lures and live bait.

If we don’t see the fish on the surface, we can use other fishing techniques such as plugs and drift with live and cut bait near structures like ledges, reefs and wrecks. Game fish are always nearby!

Florida Bottom Fishing in Spring

Bottom fishing is also a great option for fishing in Florida during spring. Anglers drop live or dead bait to the bottom, near a structure and wait for the hungry fish to pounce.

This technique can lure in Grouper, Snapper and plenty of other species of fish!

In early spring, you might even catch Sheepshead or Mangrove Snapper – especially around the bays and passes.

Pretty much every bridge or structure will yield satisfying results – from Sea Bass and Grunts to Flounder and Red Drum.

Passes and Inlets Won’t Disappoint During Spring Fishing!

The passes and inlets around St. Pete Beach are also great for fishing in Florida during spring. The currents and structures form an ideal environment to hold fish. Anglers can find species in these inshore areas with jigs, bait and bottom fishing techniques.

You can drift along with the current, with a jig on the bottom while bumping it up and down vertically for an effective spring fishing technique. The action is thick and fast!

Is Offshore Fishing Good During Spring in Florida?

Deep-sea offshore fishing in Florida in the spring is great when the weather is friendly. Windy days will make things a bit rougher, but on calmer days you can be sure to find a wide variety of bottom and pelagic fish!

Thankfully, on the west coast of Florida the spring provides ideal water temperatures for bottom fish like Grouper, Snapper and Amberjack – without the need to go too far out. Think you’re brave enough?

Though our spring fishing charters will be mostly inshore-focused, we welcome anyone ready to go hunt offshore beasts to give us a call.

Book Your Private Inshore Fishing Charter This Spring in St. Petersburg, FL

Experience the adventure of a lifetime on our inshore fishing charters. We guarantee a catch!

If you’re interested or have any questions, give us a call today. Our private fishing charters make the perfect day out for families and friends to enjoy the clean salt air, beautiful weather and fighting fish. And can allow you to live out your fishing dreams, whether you’re an amateur or an expert.

Warning: All our spring and summer spots are going fast, so advanced booking is highly recommended.

CALL or TEXT YACHTFISH Fishing Charters today at: (727) 433-4200

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About the Author...
Matt Douglas

Matt Douglas

Captain Matt Douglas is the founder of YACHTFISH and is a licensed United States Coast Guard 100 ton Master Captain. Captain Matt grew up on the waters of Tampa Bay and lived and worked in Costa Rica for over 11 years. He has extensive experience in Central America, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas and Florida. Captain Matt is a tournament-winning captain who has an intense passion for boating, fishing and creating life time memories for his Clients. These passions, combined with his experience, were the catalysts for YACHTFISH. Captain Matt is laser-focused on what he enjoys the most, and knows the best, in Tampa Bay and Costa Rica.
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