Can You Keep Redfish In Tampa Bay?

Florida Redfish Limits For the entire state, redfish must be between 18” and 27” in length to be harvested. The daily bag limits are 2 fish per person or 8 per vessel in the northeast zone and 1 fish per person or 8 fish per vessel in the northwest and south zones.

What fish can I keep in Tampa Bay?

Most anglers are after the “Big 3” – Tarpon, Redfish, and Snook. Other local species include Trout, Jack Crevalle, Grouper, Snapper, Cobia, Ladyfish, Mackerel, Flounder, and a variety of Sharks. All of these and many more call Tampa Bay their home throughout different parts of the year.

Are Red fish legal in Florida?

Red Drum Management
In 1989, the slot limit of 18-27 inches, the bag limit of one fish per person and a closed season from March-May were put in place. Red drum stocks have rebounded and are currently exceeding the FWC’s management goal of 40% escapement in most parts of Florida.

Can you catch redfish year round in Florida?

Florida provides ample destinations to search down beautiful Redfish all year long. Fall may be the best time to catch a large specimen but you can access excellent fishing year round. Redfish spend a majority of their time in backwater estuaries, bays and saltwater lagoons along the coast.

Can you keep speckled trout in Tampa Bay?

May possess one over 19 inches per vessel or, if fishing from shore, one over 19 inches per person, included in the bag limit. SW Florida bag limit: Tampa Bay: Snook, redfish and spotted seatrout have reopened to harvest in Tampa Bay.

What is the most common fish in Tampa Bay?

Fishing for trout in Tampa Bay is without a question a favorite among the locals and people that travel to the area to fish. Trout are very prolific making them one of the most abundant sport fish in Tampa Bay. Also known as the Speckled Sea trout, they can be caught throughout the entire bay and along area beaches.

How many rods can you fish with in Florida saltwater?

Game fish may only be taken with pole and line or rod and reel. There is no limit on the number of rods an angler may use.

Is Florida red fish good eating?

In short, Yes, Redfish are good to eat. But, you may want to focus on Redfish smaller than 24 inches or so. Redfish are a very popular with anglers across the Southeast. Overall, It’s a great food fish and can be prepared in many different ways.

What is the best month to catch redfish?

The best season for redfish is late summer & mid-fall in grassy flats. August & September are particularly good in Tampa Bay area grass flats. During the summer, the larger redfish, called bull reds, come up from the deeper waters to the shoreline and can be found along jetties and bridges around this time.

Where is the best red fishing in Florida?

Specifically, the Indian River, Mosquito Lagoon, and Banana River are most known for their redfish fishing and big bull redfish fishing in New Smyrna. Almost all the coastal water on West Central Florida makes for good flats fishing for redfish. Specifically, Clearwater, Tampa Bay, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs, St.

What is the best bait for redfish?

mullet
During the spring, the best baitfish to use are mullet, pilchards, greenies or pogies. Although redfish also eat shellfish and crabs, they’ll eat the prey that’s easiest. If you’re not able to get some live bait, you also can use dead bait too. Use a 7/0 hook and put some mullet fillet on it.

What is a good size redfish?

This means ounces make the difference, and the perfect size fish is thicker than average. An average Florida 26-inch redfish probably weighs about 6 to 6.5 pounds.
For anglers, rare big reds fuel dreams.

What fish is in season in Tampa Bay?

The best fishing times for Tampa & St. Petersburg are from May through early September for king mackerel, grouper, permit, tarpon, snook, and redfish. Winter is typically the slowest fishing season in these coastal waters. Available year-round; summer until early September is the best time.

Is it legal to keep snook in Florida?

Snook is managed by two regions in Florida: Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Regulations apply in state and adjacent federal waters. No commercial harvest or sale of snook is permitted.

Is snook open in Tampa Bay?

The season runs from March 1 to April 30, north of State Road 64 in Manatee County. This means one snook can be kept per person if measured between 28 and 33 inches. This area includes all of Tampa Bay, the Braden River and the Manatee River and its tributaries.

What is the best bait to use in Tampa Bay?

Live shrimp are the most versatile and widely available live bait for anglers fishing in Tampa Bay and throughout the southeast part of the United States. Every species in saltwater will happily devour a live shrimp.

Is Tampa Bay saltwater or freshwater?

Freshwater inflow to Tampa Bay is about 525 billion gallons on an annual basis, with four major rivers (Alafia, Hillsborough, Little Manatee, and Manatee Rivers) contributing about 70%-85% of this. Salinity generally ranges over 25-38 ppt in Lower Tampa Bay, nearest the mouth of the bay.

Are sharks in Tampa Bay?

About a dozen shark species frequent Tampa Bay. Tenants include hammerheads, bonnetheads, nurse sharks, blacktips, lemon sharks and bull sharks to name a few. Sharks migrate in and out of Florida’s waters each year.

What size redfish can you keep in Florida?

between 18” and 27”
Florida Redfish Limits
For the entire state, redfish must be between 18” and 27” in length to be harvested. The daily bag limits are 2 fish per person or 8 per vessel in the northeast zone and 1 fish per person or 8 fish per vessel in the northwest and south zones.

Is it illegal to fish with corn in Florida?

Chumming With Corn Legal Status By State

Are circle hooks mandatory in Florida?

In Florida, it is required to use non-offset circle hooks when fishing with natural bait for reef fish in Gulf waters. Non-offset circle hooks are those in which the end of the hook is inline with the shank of the hook – rather than being angled sideways, away from the shank.