Best Times & Seasons to Fish Bradenton, FL (Complete Guide)

Bradenton 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 Bradenton 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.

Fish Species	Best Times to Fish Bradenton
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.

Bradenton is located on the south side of Tampa Bay. This city has very unique areas to fish including, Tampa Bay, smaller bays south of the city, and inland lagoons and inlets. There is also a wide variety of fish to be caught here, both inshore and offshore.

Best Time to Fish Bradenton

Deciding on when to fish Bradenton, you first must think about what kind of fish you’d like to catch. You should try to go during your target species’ peak season.

If you aren’t looking to target a certain species, the best time of year to catch as many fish as possible is in the spring and summer. There are plenty of fish in this season, including inshore and offshore species, and largemouth bass as well.

Species of Bradenton (Best Times & Seasons)

Marlin

Marlin are one of the most popular fish to target in Bradenton. They are an offshore, open water fish that is at their peak fishing from June to August. They are available year-round but are much less common to find in the offseason as most of them migrate to deeper and warmer water.

Marlin mainly like to feed on ballyhoo, a thin, silvery baitfish found throughout Florida. An effective way to use ballyhoo is by trolling them in the top of the water column. Most charters will use this setup, along with heavy gear because of how hard marlin can fight.

Marlin are open water fish, meaning that they like to be away from structure, and in deeper water. They usually feed close to the surface, so a way to find them is by following flocks of seagulls. Seagulls will gather around schools of baitfish, and so will marlin.

Tarpon

Tarpon are a long, silverfish that can grow up to a couple of hundred pounds. The average tarpon weighs around 50-70 pounds. Tarpon are most active during the summer but can be found in the spring and fall as well. The only true down season that they have is during the winter.

Tarpon like the sun, just not too much of it, tarpon will be active in the morning, but slow down and scatter when the sun hits its peak.

Tarpon like to feed on a few different kinds of baitfish and shrimp. Casting flies or artificial bait in the flats is a very popular way to bring them in the boat, but in deeper water, using a live bait rig is the most effective way to catch them.

Tarpon are mainly found in the flats. They cruise around in 4-10 feet of water most of the day and can be found around drop-offs and grassy areas within the flats. During the day, they’ll move a bit deeper, but not completely off the flats. Some tarpon do live deeper water, but not necessarily offshore water. They may be found in the deeper parts of some bays, usually around reefs.

Dolphin (Mahi-Mahi)

Mahi mahi are also a very popular fish in Florida. The fish is great tasting and is one of the coolest-looking fish in Florida. Mahi mahi are a bright green and blue color and have a unique shape to them, so it’s hard to mistake them for another fish.

Their high season is from June to August, you can still catch them outside of their peak season as well. The best time of day to target mahi mahi is in the morning, more baitfish will be active during this time, making the gamefish active as well.

Mahi mahi have similar diets to other offshore fish, they mainly feed on ballyhoo. Trolling is also the most popular way to catch mahi mahi, you will also want to keep your bait at the top of the water column.

Mahi mahi are found in open water and can be found by looking for patches of floating seaweed or by looking for flocks of seagulls. Mahi mahi like seaweed because it gives them some cover while they feed and seaweed attracts baitfish as well.

Snook

Snook are available year-round, but the best fishing is from April to June. Snook like warm water, but not the hot sun. This is why fishing in the morning will be the most productive.

There will also be more baitfish moving through the shallow areas that snook are in, making them feed more actively.

Snook like baitfish and shrimp. Almost any kind of baitfish will work, but the most popular ones are pinfish and pogie. Whether you’re using fresh or artificial bait, you’ll want to have some weight on your line, but not too close to your hook. This will allow your bait to move more freely, making it look more natural.

Snook are found in inshore waters and are normally around structure. They are commonly found under docks, around weedlines, or on the deep side of a dropoff. They sometimes feed on food that is on the top or bottom, but they usually like to sit right in the middle of the water column.

Jack Crevalle

The high season for jack crevalle generally runs from May to September, with the low season being from January to February.

The times outside of those seasons have decent fishing, but you will not find fishing of the same quality as the high season. The best time of day to fish for jacks is either in the morning or evening. They don’t like to sit in the hot sun, so they move deep and scatter during the day.

Jack Crevalle mainly like to feed on baitfish. The most popular are mullet, herring, and sardines. You can rig them with some weight, but make sure that it’s not overkilled, big weights can spook the fish. You should cast out and either let it sit, or do a slow jig back to the boat or shore.

Jack crevalle can be found in both in and offshore waters, normally the deeper you go, the bigger the fish. They are commonly found around reefs, but can also be found in sandy and grassy flats inshore and are sometimes even in reach of shore and surf anglers.

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 Bradenton

These Bradenton-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
Chasin’ Tail Fishing Charters	Inshore & Offshore
Wet Lines Fishing	Inshore & Nearshore
Leisure Life Charters	Inshore & Offshore
Deep Color Fishing	Inshore & Offshore
Outlaw Gunner Charters	Inshore & Offshore

Best Time of Day to Fish Bradenton

The best time of day to fish Bradenton will usually be in the morning. More fish will be active since the sun isn’t nearly as hot as it is during the day. Baitfish will also be on the move during the morning, usually moving through shallow water close to shore.

This makes the shelf of a drop-off a very effective spot to put your bait. Game fish will sit in these areas waiting for baitfish to swim too deep. The evening is also a great time to fish, but the fish may not be feeding as much if the water cools down too much.

Affect of Rain & Tropical Storms on Fishing in Bradenton

Tropical storms are usually only a factor during the fall, but heavy rain and strong winds can be something to look out for year-round. This doesn’t mean that you should avoid planning during tropical storm season, you should just be extra cautious with the weather.

Tropical storms can make fish scatter and become timid, but there are some bright sides. After the storm is over and everything is much calmer, the fish will start moving back into their normal habitat and be hungry. It might take a couple of days for this to happen, but when it does happen, fishing can be great.

A tropical storm doesn’t have to directly hit the area to affect it, a tropical storm down the coast can send strong winds and currents to Bradenton. This can throw some fish off, but if you’re fishing inshore or inland, you’ll be affected by it much less when compared to offshore anglers.

For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish Tampa & St. Petersburg, please check out this helpful article. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish Tierra Verde, please check out this helpful article.

For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish Sarasota, please check out this helpful article. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish St, Augustine, please check out this helpful article. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near Treasure Island, please check out this helpful article I wrote.

Night Fishing in Bradenton

There are a few piers in Bradenton that are open and well-lit at night. Piers like these will usually see some traffic at night, but not enough to make the spot unfishable. They also take out the need for extra lighting as well. There is also the option of surf fishing at night, you will need to bring lights, but sometimes the fish are more active at night than the day, so it may be worth your time.

Finally, there is also the option of going out on a boat at night. Since there is quite a bit of artificial light from the city, fish will be able to feed all night long if they’d like. Spots with lots of light are usually bays, but even the Braden River can be well lit in some areas as well.

Shore & Surf Fishing in Bradenton

Bradenton has a ton of shore and surf opportunities. From largemouth bass to jack crevalle, you can catch plenty of species as well. Just north of Bradenton is the Manatee River and Terra Ceia Bay. Both of these have plenty of spots to set up from the shore and have snook, shark, snapper, jack crevalle, and more available to catch.

The same species are also present in Palma Sola Bay and Sarasota Bay, both are just outside of Bradenton. Fishing these spots in the morning or at night will produce the most fish and have the least amount of traffic when compared to other days.

Tides are also important at these spots, you should aim to get there just before high tide and you can expect to catch fish until the tide starts going back down.

As for spots that are further inland, there are plenty of ponds and small lakes that are available, as long as there is public land on the body of water, you shouldn’t need to worry about trespassing.

There is also the Braden River. This river holds saltwater species towards the mouth of the river, and largemouth bass are available as you go further inland. There are plenty of public accesses on the river and most aren’t too far away from each other, so you could have a whole day dedicated to fishing this river if you wanted.

Best Fishing Spots in Bradenton

Surf/Shore Fishing

Emerson Point

Emerson point is on the end of Snead Island, this is also where the Manatee River and Terra Ceia Bay meet the Gulf of Mexico. There are mainly inshore species found here, but some offshore species make their way to the point every once in a while. The most common species are snook, trout, and snapper.

Ward Lake

Ward Lake is located at the end of the Braden River and is a small freshwater lake. The lake is home to largemouth bass and crappie, offering some familiarity for anglers traveling from other parts of the country. The main spot to fish is called Jiggs Landing, which includes a dock and boat launch. Shore fishing is available around most of the lake as well.

Robinson Preserve

This preserve is located on the west side of Bradenton, on the north side of Palma Sola Bay. This area is classified as a salt marsh and offers a wide variety of species including tarpon, snook, trout, and small species of snapper. This is one of the most approachable saltwater spots in the area, the water is relatively shallow and good spots will be easy to identify.

Inshore

Palma Sola Bay

This bay is located to the west of Bradenton and connects with both Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. There are some small islands and reefs in the bay, giving some structure to fish by. The most productive area in the bay is right by the mouth of the bay. There is an island and two peninsulas right by the mouth, and the fish have a steady source of food and clean water coming from Sarasota Bay. Trolling is a popular way to fish the area, but there are shallower flats areas within the bay that you can cast in.

Terra Ceia Bay

Terra Ceia Bay is located northwest of Bradenton and has a very unique shape, with plenty of inlets and smaller bays with the bay. There are plenty of productive spots within the bay, but the most popular are near Snead Island, and the saltwater flats and lagoon area to the north, inside the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve.

Offshore

Offshore fishing is one of the most popular ways to fish in Bradenton. 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.

Most of these species live in open water or around reefs and wrecks. 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

When deciding on what time to book a charter, you should think about your target species’ peak season and how busy the charters will be during this time. Generally, Florida charters are busy year-round, but see a big uptick in customers around spring break, winter and summer.

The fall and spring are also busy times, but not nearly as busy as those times. There should be enough charters in the area to keep up with demand, but you should try to book your charter as early as possible, especially if your trip falls into one of the busier times of the year.

For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near Tarpon Springs, please check out this helpful article I wrote. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near Clearwater, please check out this helpful article I wrote.