Tampa Bay
Spotted Seatrout in Tampa Bay
Popping corks over grass flats in 2 to 6 feet, topwater at dawn, and deeper holes and canals in cold snaps.
Next three days
| Day | Bite | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, Sep 13 | 7 | New Moon feeding boost. Light wind. Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky |
| Mon, Sep 14 | 6 | Light wind. Heat, fish early or late. Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky. Strong tide swing 2.0 ft |
| Tue, Sep 15 | 6 | Heat, fish early or late. Storms possible, fish early and watch the sky. Strong tide swing 2.1 ft |
Seasonal pattern
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Editorial baseline for Florida. Green months are prime, yellow fair, red slow. Preferred water temperature 55–80°F.
Regulations that apply here
Applies to: inland, state and adjacent federal waters
| Species / zone | Season | Size | Bag | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spotted Seatrout Panhandle Region boundaryThe western boundary is located at the Florida-Alabama border, and the region extends to the eastern coastal boundary at 84°20.800ꞌ West Longitude in Franklin County near Alligator Point. Includes all inland waters of the counties named and highlighted in yellow. Does not include Ochlockonee Bay or the Ochlockonee River and its tributaries. | open now Closed season: February Open season: March 1 – Jan. 31 | Slot limit: Not less than 15” or more than 19” total length May possess one fish over 19 inches per vessel or, if fishing from shore, one fish over 19 inches per person, included in the bag limit. | Bag limit: Three fish per person per day | Allowable gear: Hook and line; cast net Prohibited gear: Cannot harvest using any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait; snatching prohibited Must remain in whole condition until landed ashore For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit while on a for-hire trip |
| Spotted Seatrout Big Bend Region boundaryAll Florida Waters and adjacent federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico lying east of 84°20.800ꞌ West Longitude in Franklin County and north of a line running due east and due west from the westernmost point of Fred Howard Park Causeway (28°09.350’N, 82°48.398’W). Includes all waters of Pinellas County north of 28°09.350’ North Latitude and all waters of the counties highlighted in yellow, as well as Ochlockonee Bay and the Ochlockonee, Withlacoochee, and Anclote rivers and their tributaries. | open now Open year-round | Slot limit: Not less than 15” or more than 19” total length May possess one fish over 19 inches per vessel or, if fishing from shore, one fish over 19 inches per person, included in the bag limit. | Bag limit: Five fish per person per day | Allowable gear: Hook and line; cast net Prohibited gear: Cannot harvest using any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait; snatching prohibited Must remain in whole condition until landed ashore For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit while on a for-hire trip |
| Spotted Seatrout Tampa Bay Region boundaryAll Florida Waters and adjacent federal waters lying south of the westernmost point of Fred Howard Park Causeway in Pinellas County and north of the western terminus of State Road 64 in Manatee County, all waters of Manatee County north of State Road 64, and all waters of Hillsborough County. Includes the Alafia, Braden, Manatee, and Hillsborough rivers. Does not include Palma Sola Bay or the Anclote River and its tributaries. | open now Open year-round | Slot limit: Not less than 15” or more than 19” total length May possess one fish over 19 inches per vessel or, if fishing from shore, one fish over 19 inches per person, included in the bag limit. | Bag limit: Three fish per person per day | Allowable gear: Hook and line; cast net Prohibited gear: Cannot harvest using any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait; snatching prohibited Must remain in whole condition until landed ashore For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit while on a for-hire trip |
| Spotted Seatrout Sarasota Bay Region boundaryAll Florida Waters and adjacent federal waters lying south of the Tampa Bay Region and north of 27°04.727’ North Latitude in Sarasota County, all waters of Manatee County south of State Road 64 and west of 82°22.500’ West Longitude, and all waters of Sarasota County west of 82°22.500’ West Longitude and north of 27°04.727’ North Latitude. Includes Palma Sola Bay, Phillippi Creek, Cow Pen Slough Canal, and Curry Creek. Does not include the Braden or Manatee rivers. | open now Open year-round | Slot limit: Not less than 15” or more than 19” total length May possess one fish over 19 inches per vessel or, if fishing from shore, one fish over 19 inches per person, included in the bag limit. | Bag limit: Three fish per person per day | Allowable gear: Hook and line; cast net Prohibited gear: Cannot harvest using any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait; snatching prohibited Must remain in whole condition until landed ashore For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit while on a for-hire trip |
| Spotted Seatrout Charlotte Harbor Region boundaryAll Florida Waters and adjacent federal waters lying south of the Sarasota Bay Region and north of a line extending due west from a point located at 26°15.227’N, 81°49.412’W in Collier County, all waters of Collier County north of 26°15.227’ North Latitude, all waters of Manatee and Sarasota counties east and south of the Sarasota Bay Region, all waters of the counties highlighted in yellow, including all waters and tributaries of the Caloosahatchee, Myakka, and Peace rivers, excluding all waters of Lake Okeechobee. | open now Open year-round | Slot limit: Not less than 15” or more than 19” total length May possess one fish over 19 inches per vessel or, if fishing from shore, one fish over 19 inches per person, included in the bag limit. | Bag limit: Three fish per person per day | Allowable gear: Hook and line; cast net Prohibited gear: Cannot harvest using any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait; snatching prohibited Must remain in whole condition until landed ashore For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit while on a for-hire trip |
| Spotted Seatrout Southwest Region boundaryAll Florida Waters and adjacent federal waters lying south of the Charlotte Harbor Region and all Florida Waters and adjacent federal waters lying south of the Southeast Region, all waters of Collier County south of 26°15.227’ North Latitude, all waters of Monroe County, and all waters of Everglades National Park. | open now Open year-round | Slot limit: Not less than 15” or more than 19” total length May possess one fish over 19 inches per vessel or, if fishing from shore, one fish over 19 inches per person, included in the bag limit. | Bag limit: Three fish per person per day | Allowable gear: Hook and line; cast net Prohibited gear: Cannot harvest using any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait; snatching prohibited Must remain in whole condition until landed ashore For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit while on a for-hire trip |
- New spotted seatrout regional management regulations are now in effect
- In 2026, FWC adopted a new regional management approach that brings a holistic view to management decisions by using multiple metrics (spawning potential ratio, relative abundance, habitat, harmful algal blooms, fishing effort, and stakeholder feedback) to evaluate the fishery on a smaller regional scale.
Source: FWC, extracted 2026-09-12. Review flags: The Panhandle Region closed season is listed as 'February'. Per instructions, this is interpreted as 02-01 to 02-28.; The Southeast Region note mentions special regulations for Biscayne National Park, but specific details for that park are not provided on this page.