UTERTripletail fishing in Tampa Bay
In Tampa Bay, tripletail peak May–September and are around April–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. July: Markers and crab floats.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Tripletail in Tampa Bay, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilArriving
- MayPeak
- JunePeak
- JulyPeakMarkers and crab floats.
- AugustPeakHot and still: the tide is everything. Fish the strongest tide of the day under shade — bridges, docks, mangrove overhangs. Reds start to school on the flats late month.
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberAround
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish tripletail near Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tampa
Florida's biggest open-water estuary, ringed with grass flats, mangrove islands, oyster bars and the Skyway's endless pilings, then the barrier-island passes — Johns, Pass-a-Grille, Longboat, New Pass, Big Sarasota, Venice — and a dense field of artificial reefs a few miles off the beach.
Fish Scouter charts 351 other, 267 marker / buoy, 34 beach / surf spots in the Tampa Bay & Sarasota map area — the kinds tripletail hold on.
What to use for tripletail
- Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
- Blue crabsWhole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia.
- Pilchards (whitebait)Free-lined or under a cork, hooked through the nose on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook. The one bait that catches everything inshore.
- Leader30–40 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook1/0–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/4 oz
- Braid15–30 lb
Feeds in 70–90°F water, best at 76–86°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch tripletail in Tampa Bay?
Peak season is May–September. Tripletail are in Tampa Bay April–October. July: Markers and crab floats.
Where do tripletail hold in Tampa Bay?
Look on beach / surf — around Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Bradenton, Sarasota, Venice.
What is the best bait for tripletail in Tampa Bay?
Live bait: live shrimp, blue crabs, pilchards (whitebait). Live shrimp: Under a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait. Tackle: leader 30–40 lb fluorocarbon, hook 1/0–3/0, jig head 1/8–1/4 oz, braid 15–30 lb.
What are the rules for tripletail in Tampa Bay?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and change — read the current rule at https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/ before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://myfwc.com/license/recreational/.
Fish it with the tide in your pocket
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All about tripletail · Tampa Bay & Sarasota, the whole year