The Speckled Trout, also known as the Spotted Seatrout or Specks, has been a client favorite this month here in Tampa Bay. Their bite inshore and on the flats has been unbeatable, making for some action-packed and nonstop fun charters lately! As their name implies, the Speckled Trout native to Tampa and the gulf coast of Florida are easy to identify thanks to the black spots that line their sides, backs, dorsal fins, and tail. They also have a nice, shiny pair of large canine teeth at the tip of their upper jaw, so watch where you put your fingers! An average adult trout can easily reach lengths of up to 24 inches and typically weighs between 10 - 12 pounds. The record for the biggest trout in Florida weighed in at a whopping 17 pounds! To keep a Speckled Trout caught in Tampa Bay and the surrounding waterways, it needs to be between 15” - 19” and each angler is allowed up to 3 per day. Luckily for us, their season is open year round! The best places to reel in a Speckled Trout are in the shallow waters of the flats and seagrass beds. They prefer to stick close to the mangroves near the shore, although you can also find them hiding out in deeper grassy holes. During the winter months when the inshore waters cool off a bit, they will sometimes venture into water as deep as 15 feet. However, the best time of year to target them is from March to November because this is when they congregate inshore to spawn. Dangle any live baitfish, shrimp, or crabs in front of them and you’ll be sure to get a bite!

Come one, come all - royalty is back in town! One of the most popular offshore fish species in the Gulf of Mexico, the Kingfish, are showing up in Tampa Bay’s backyard RIGHT NOW! They are most active in the spring and fall months, so if you are up for the fight of your life, you won’t want to miss your chance to reel in one of these monsters while they are here! Kingfish, or the King Mackerel, are a highly active migratory mackerel species that visits Tampa Bay in the months of March, April, and May as they are making their way north to spend the summer off the coast of Mississippi. They visit us again in September, October, and November as they make their way south to spend the winter down near the Florida Keys. They are in season year round in the gulf with a minimum size limit of 24” and a daily bag limit of 3 per angler. If you are ready for a tough yet rewarding fight, you’ll definitely want to put Kingfish on your bucket list! They are fast swimmers and aggressive eaters, so once they’re on the line, your reel will be screaming. While Kingfish typically prefer deeper water with sustained temperatures around 70 degrees, they can be found within Tampa Bay and even near the beaches. They tend to congregate around bridge pilings, large piers, rock piles, and wrecks, but they also travel within the channels to move between the gulf and the bay. They can be attracted by using live bait, such as Threadfins, Greenbacks, or Mullet, while either still fishing or trolling. The trickiest part about getting a Kingfish into the boat is their extra sharp teeth - they love to cut bait in half due to their aggressive nature. Tampa anglers LOVE Kingfish so much that they dedicate two fishing tournaments every year to them! The “King Of The Beach” Kingfish Tournament is held twice annually at the end of April and again at the beginning of November. They have divisions for anglers of all ages and skill levels. Book an offshore fishing charter with Poseidon to see what the frenzy is all about!

January has been treating us well! Both inshore and offshore fishing have been on fire. We’ve been reeling in some massive Snook and Redfish in the river and mangroves, and have even been targeting Jack Crevalles in the bay. Offshore species such as Snapper, Grouper, and Sharks have been moving in search of warmer water and a place to spawn.

As we head into this week leading up to Christmas, it’s time to target those toothy critters! The temperatures have continued to cool down, meaning that sharks have been migrating into the bay in search of warmer, shallower water. Our captains have been reeling in some early Christmas presents, including Blacktip, Bull, and Lemon sharks. Check out this monster that we caught last week. It gave us a two and a half hour fight!

Inshore fishing has been non-stop action lately and our Captains are like kids on Christmas morning! Almost all inshore species are in season right now, including Redfish, Snook, and Snapper. Additionally, Sheepshead are starting to show up! Best of all, inshore fishing is fun for all ages. Whether you have never fished a day in your life or you are a seasoned professional, you will surely have a blast.

Fishing Report Monday, November 8th We may not be in October anymore, but the Tampa Bay pumpkin patches are still thriving! Some of our captains’ all-time favorite inshore fish to catch, the Redfish and Snook, are continuing to move into the river and mangroves in search of shallower water. Additionally, the Shark bite in the bay has been on fire and the Triple Tail (an excellent eating fish) has been showing up offshore.