Best Times & Seasons to Fish in Tarpon Springs, FL (A Guide)
Tarpon Springs is an overlooked fishing Florida fishing spot, but can actually offer some of the best fishing in Florida throughout the year. Knowing the best time of year to fish these rich waters can make a huge difference.
The best fishing times for Tarpon Springs is 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.
| Fish Species | Best Times to Fish in Tarpon Springs |
| King Mackerel | Available year-round; summer until early September is the best time. |
| Tarpon | May through August is the best fishing season for local tarpon. |
| Snook | May through August is the best fishing time for snook in these waters. |
| Redfish | Available year-round; April until early September is the best time. |
| Grouper | June through October is the best fishing season for grouper. |
| Permit | Summer is the best season with mornings being especially good. |
Tarpon Springs is a beautiful area in west-central Florida, just north of Tampa. This area is home to a diverse selection of areas to fish at, making it a great destination for any angler. Tarpon Springs is well known for its tarpon fishing, but there are plenty of other species available in the area.
Best Time to Fish Tarpon Springs
The best season to fish Tarpon Springs is in the summer. There are a ton of species available in the area including, amberjack, barracuda, grouper, shark, tarpon, and plenty more. When deciding on the best time to go for you, you should look at what the peak season is for your target species.
Summer offers the most species, and most of those species’ peak season is in the summer. Those species move north as the water warms up and will move into the areas surrounding Tarpon Springs, including Tarpon Lake and the Saint Joseph Sound.
Species of Tarpon Springs (Best Fishing Times)
Shark
The peak season for sharks runs from June through August, but they can be found in the area during any time of the year, other than in the winter. The shark will migrate north with the warm water and leave the area when the water starts to cool down more.
The best time of day to fish for sharks is in the morning, but the quality of fishing depends more on the tide. High tide is best for sharks, they will be in nearshore waters feeding during high tide.
Sharks exclusively like to eat meat. Good bait for sharks include cut or live baitfish. Sometimes cut bait will work better because the smell will get out further, you will just need to use a bigger baitfish to attract the shark.
Sharks are found everywhere. You can fish for them in open water, on reefs and wrecks, near shore, mouths of rivers, flats, etc. The most popular spots are on reefs or near flats. Flats are popular because you can sight fish for the shark, but they tend to be more scattered. Out in open water, you will want to look for any kind of structure or deepwater currents.
Mackerel
Mackerel are available throughout most of the year, with their peak season being from April to June. They can be found in the area from spring through fall, but outside of their peak season, there will be much less of them.
Mackerel don’t have big enough mouths to feed on large baitfish, so strips of squid or baitfish work very well. If you want to use live bait, thin baitfish like ballyhoo work the best. Another option is to use a jig with plastic on it. Either way, you should change your depth and retrieve with every cast until you find a pattern that works.
Mackerel are normally found in offshore waters, but they can also be found in inshore waters during the spring. While offshore, you should look for reefs and wrecks to fish around. You will probably get a mixed bag by fishing near these structures, but they give you the best chance to catch a mackerel.
Permit
There is very good permit fishing in this area for most of the year, their peak season runs from May-December, but they may be easier to catch in the summer and early fall. Time of day doesn’t matter as much as the tides for permit. Permit will be much easier to catch during high tide, they will be more active and easier to sightfish for.
Permit have a few different types of food in their diets, but they usually feed the most on crab and shrimp. You can rig a live bait of either of those, or you can use artificial bait. You should use a light jig so that you don’t spook the fish, but have enough weight to cast.
Permit are found in the flats. They can usually be found away from shore and near sandy areas. They look into the sand for their food, so leaving a crab on the bottom can work very well. Rarely will you find a permit that is hanging around structure, most of the time they will be cruising around the flats looking for food.
I recommend this Penn Pursuit Spinning Rod & Reel combo (available on Amazon) for inshore and nearshore fishing. It can handle everything from redfish to snapper and king mackerel. The Penn Battalion Series Spinning Rod and the Penn Battle Spinning Reel are fantastic if you want to create your combo.
Recommended Fishing Charters near Tarpon Springs
These Tarpon Springs-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. The captains are knowledgeable, friendly, and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.
| Recommended Fishing Charters | Type of Fishing Offered |
| Capt Ben Fishing Charters | Backcountry, Wreck, Nearshore, Inshore & Offshore |
| Patriotic Guide Service | Backcountry, Wreck, Nearshore, Inshore & Flats |
| Bottoms Up Fishing Excursions | Nearshore, Offshore, Reef & Wreck |
| Reel Runner Gulf Adventures | Inshore, Nearshore, Offshore, Reef & Wreck |
| Fishing With Matt – Lake Tarpon | Lake & River |
| Wet Lines Fishing | Backcountry, Wreck, Nearshore, Inshore & Flats |
| Wet Lines Fishing 20′ | Inshore, Nearshore & Flats |
| Full Throttle Fishing Charters | Backcountry, Nearshore, Inshore & Flats |
Best Time of Day to Fish Tarpon Springs
The best time to fish in Tarpon Springs is generally in the morning. This is because of the low sun and the amount of baitfish moving around. Baitfish will usually start moving around as soon as the sun begins to rise, they usually move into shallower areas, and predators will follow. The morning is also good because the water will be much cooler than it will be in the afternoon.
This makes it so that fish don’t need to stay under cover to stay cool and they’ll start moving out into more open, easier-to-fish areas. Fishing in the evening can also be very good for the same reasons, but the water will take a while to fully cool down, and at that point, it will be close to dusk.
Tidal Impacts on Tarpon Springs Fishing
Tides can have a big impact on whether or not you will limit out or only catch a few fish. Tides are controlled by the lunar cycle and will push water into shallower areas or pull it out of those areas. High tide is the best for fishing.
The main reasons for that are because it brings in more food, adds current, and adds water with high levels of oxygen. The current can bring in more food by pushing baitfish up close to shore, trapping them between shore and predators.
This also means that predators will be in water that is closer to shore during high tide, making it easier to catch big fish from the shore or a pier during high tide. Peak high tide is the best time to go because the current will have died down a bit, making it easier to hold your bait in one spot, but the times surrounding high tide are also good.
Affect of Rain & Tropical Storms on Fishing in Tarpon Springs
Tarpon Springs has seen its fair share of tropical storms, but so has most of Florida. This shouldn’t deter you from booking a trip in the area, just be conscientious of when most storms happen and what they mean for your trip.
Tropical storm season in Florida runs from late summer through the end of fall, there isn’t a guarantee that there will be on during this time, but it is common. Tropical storms can make fishing hard, even if the storm is down the coast a ways.
These storms can send winds and rains across the gulf and make ocean conditions very rough. If your trip is to Tarpon Springs, you may be in luck. With all of the bayous and Tarpon Lake, there are plenty of areas that give cover from those winds.
This doesn’t mean you should be out on the water in the middle of a tropical storm, but it gives you options if the area is expected to get one soon, or if there is one further away sending winds up the coast.
Night Fishing in Tarpon Springs
There are a few areas where night fishing is available in Tarpon Springs. The most popular include fishing from the surf, or fishing from well-lit piers that are open overnight. While fishing from the surf, make sure that you have plenty of light and live bait.
Live bait will put out vibrations and scent into the water, attracting predators from a further distance than artificial bait would. While fishing at night, look for areas with plenty of artificial light.
Artificial light makes it so that fish can see much better at night, extending the amount of time that they are able to feed. Most of the time artificial light will be found near cities, but even light as small as dock lights can bring in fish.
Shore & Surf Fishing in Tarpon Springs
Fishing from the shore is a very popular pastime in all of Florida, Tarpon Springs included. There are piers, shore fishing spots, beaches, and docks all available to the public in the area. While fishing from the shore, you should use a medium-heavy setup with strong line, depending on what species you will be targeting.
Most fish will bite on cut bait or shrimp, but if you want to target species, using live bait that matches their diet is the best way to go for most fish. You should rig it with an appropriate weight for the current and depth you will be fishing in and aim for spots on the deep side of sandbars, or shelves of a dropoff.
Best Fishing Spots in Tarpon Springs (Best Times)
Surf/Shore Fishing
Sunset Beach
Sunset beach is located west of Tarpon Springs, facing out towards the Saint Joseph Sound. This spot is so good because there is plenty of shoreline available for fishing. The area is also relatively shallow, it has its own peninsula and is located straight across from another, making a bay-like area.
You can find a wide variety of species in this area including tarpon, permit, snook, and cobia. This spot is good year-round but is at its best during the spring and early summer when more fish are moving into shallow areas.
Anclote River Park
The Anclote River Park is located at the mouth of the Anclote River, which is a saltwater river with a chain of islands running through the middle of it. The river runs into the mainland until it hits salt lake, which is also a good spot for fishing.
Anclote River Park is such a good spot because it is located near the open ocean, but has enough cover from the wind to make fishing much easier. Cobia, shark, and sometimes tarpon are the most popular fish to target in the area, but there are plenty more species available to catch here.
Lake Tarpon
Unlike its name suggests, Lake Tarpon is home to some great freshwater bass fishing. This lake is located east of Tarpon Springs and connects to Tampa Bay by a small river.
The lake has plenty of structure and is open year-round for fishing. You can also catch crappie at this lake, most of which are bigger than crappie found in other parts of the country.
Inshore
Anclote Anchorage
Anclote Anchorage is located in the Gulf of Mexico, straight out from the Anclote River. This area holds tons of fish, mainly because it has a long, thin island protecting some of the areas from big waves and wind.
This also creates a channel between the mainland and island, making it a great spot to find migrating fish. You can find almost any fish in this area, so expect a mixed bag for your day.
Saint Joseph Sound
Saint Joseph Sound is located directly south of Anclote Anchorage, but offers different kinds of fishing. On the north side of the sound, the fishing is similar, mainly open water or reef fishing.
On the south side of the sound, you will find flats and fishing near islands to be most productive. On the north side, you can expect to catch a very mixed bag, but on the south side, you can expect to find tarpon, permit, shark, and cobia.
Offshore
Offshore fishing is one of the most popular ways to fish in Tarpon Springs. Offshore fishing offers the biggest fish in the area and you can catch a wider variety of species.
Some of the species you can find offshore include marlin, sailfish, tuna, dorado, and barracuda. If you are planning on going offshore, your charter will take care of the bait, tackle, and finding spots, giving you a relaxing day on the water.
Best Seasons to Book a Charter
The best season to book a charter depends on what fish you will be targeting. It wouldn’t make much sense to book a charter for a certain species in its offseason. Another thing to think about is how busy will the charters be. Most charters will be busy for most of the year, but the busiest times are during the spring and summer.
The winter and fall offer less species, but charters will usually not be as busy. If you’re looking to catch as many fish as possible, you should book your trip in the summer. You will need to book as early as possible to make sure that you get the charter you want.
In the summer, you can target certain species, or take a multispecies trip for a couple of species, or plan an offshore reef trip to target a wider variety of species. Whenever you go, you will most likely catch fish, but it’s probably going to be much better if you manage to book a trip in the summer.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near Tierra Verde, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near Bradenton, please check out this helpful guide.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near Fort Walton Beach, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Delray Beach & Crystal River, please check out this helpful guide.
