Best Times & Seasons to Fish in Clearwater, FL (A Guide)

Clearwater is one of the best fishing destinations on the Florida Gulf Coast. Knowing the best times, seasons, and tides to fish near Clearwater can really help improve your catch rates.

The best time to fish Clearwater for seabass, cobia, king mackerel, redfish, black drum, and barracuda is April through October. Flounder and grouper fishing are best targeted in winter.

Fish Species	Best Times to Fish in Clearwater
Black Seabass	April through August is the best fishing window.
Cobia	Year-round availability; March to October offers the best fishing.
Grouper	November through February is the best fishing window.
King Mackerel	The best fishing time is April through November.
Red Drum	February through September is the best fishing window.
Black Drum	June through October is the best fishing window.
Barracuda	Year-round availability; April to September offers the best fishing.
Sea Trout	Year-round great fishing.
Flounder	The best fishing time is November through April.
Mahi-Mahi	Year-round availability; June to August offers the best fishing.

Clearwater is a city on the Gulf Coast of Florida near Tampa. On the west side is Clearwater Bay and two barrier islands called Clearwater Beach and Sand Key. Beyond the barrier islands is the Gulf of Mexico.

With the bays and access to the Gulf, it’s no secret that Clearwater offers outstanding fishing. Black sea bass, barracuda, cobia, mahi-mahi, black drum, red drum, flounder, grouper, mackerel, sea trout, mangrove snapper, and snook are just a few of the fish you can catch here. 

Best Times to Fish Clearwater

Black Sea Bass

Black sea bass are dark scaly fish that dwell on the bottom near rock jetties, oyster reefs, and other structures available around the coastline. The best time to fish for them in Clearwater is April-August. In the colder months, they migrate south and into deeper water.

The Gulf of Mexico population is slightly smaller is size than the Atlantic population. Black sea bass get up to 9lbs and are a popular, sustainable fish to eat. 

Barracuda

It’s possible to catch barracuda year-round out of Clearwater. The optimal months are April to September. It’s best to target them inshore and from a boat. They reside near the surface above reefs and other structures where they wait to catch prey.

Barracuda are known to be good eating. However, many people are skeptical of eating them because they may cause ciguatera poisoning. However, Ciguatera poisoning is more common in south Florida, past Tampa. 

Cobia

Fish for cobia inshore and offshore around structures like floating sargassum mats and buoys or near any kind of natural or artificial reef. They are migratory fish and swim through the waters around Clearwater from March to October. The peak months are April to June.

Cobia are an excellent game fish reaching sizes of up to 150 lbs. Most are within the 30-50 lbs range. Bait them with crabs, squid, or baitfish.

Mahi Mahi

Mahi mahi or dolphin fish are found in open waters, often around floating sargassum mats. They are very popular among anglers. A good method to catch them is by trolling.

The peak months in Clearwater are June to August. Dolphin fish reach up to over 80 lbs with most being around 20 to 30 lbs.

Black Drum

Fish for black drum in Clearwater Bay or Tampa Bay around any kind of structure such as piers, jetties, mangroves, oyster reefs, or seagrass beds. The best times are June through October. Black drum are delicious fish with sweet, white, flaky flesh when cooked. 

Red Drum

You will find red drum in similar habitats as black drum. Look for them in the bays around structures and seagrass beds. The best months for red drum are February through September.

Red drum have a similar flavor as black drum, they are closely related after all. Check the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission website to be sure about the regulations and season for keeping red drum. 

Sea Trout

Sea trout are inshore fish abundant year-round. Fish for them from docks, piers, jetties, and around mangroves.  

Flounder

Flounder are a flatfish with eyes on one side of their compressed bodies. They lie and wait, hidden under sediment on shallow sea beds, to ambush prey that swim above them.

Target flounder in sandy areas around docks, piers, or sandy patches in seagrass beds. Your best bet would be somewhere in the bays or near creek and river mouths. The prime time to find a flounder is November-April. 

Grouper

There are many different species of grouper that can be caught out of Clearwater. Two of the most popular, red and gag grouper, are best to catch between the months of November and February. The best way to acquire grouper is to go offshore via a charter boat. 

Goliath grouper are a massive species that can weigh up to 800lbs. Fishing for goliath grouper is popular in Clearwater.

Anglers like to test their strength and endurance reeling these big guys in. Goliath grouper are catch-and-release only. They are good to fish all year with the peak time being April to July. 

Mackerel (King & Spanish)

King mackerel and Spanish mackerel are both found in the Gulf of Mexico. The optimal months to land one is April to November when the water is at least 70^o F.

King mackerel can weigh up to 100 lbs. Spanish mackerel weigh significantly less only reaching around 12 pounds.

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 in Clearwater

These Clearwater-based guides 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 & Guides	Location
Wet Lines Fishing	Clearwater, FL
Outlaw Gunner Charters	Clearwater, FL
Rebel Coast Charters	Clearwater, FL
Rockstar Charter Fishing	Clearwater, FL
Bait House Charters	Clearwater, FL
Fish Slapped Charters – Clearwater	Clearwater, FL
Custom Fishing Charters	Clearwater, FL
Coastal Chaos Fishing Charters	Clearwater, FL
Neptune Fishing Charters	Clearwater, FL
Gulf to Bay Fishing Charters	Clearwater, FL

Best Fishing Spots in Clearwater & Recommended Fishing Times

Pier 60

Pier 60 is a very popular place to fish on Clearwater Beach. It is especially good for families. For $20 a person you get fishing equipment and bait. The pier is over 1,000 feet, has pavilions, a shop with snacks, and knowledgeable staff available for assistance.

It’s not uncommon to land trout, red drum, snook, and Spanish mackerel here. Weekends and summer are the busiest times to be on Pier 60. If possible, go during the week before school lets out for summer or during the fall when school is back in. 

Courtney Campbell Causeway Beach

Courtney Campbell Causeway Beach doesn’t have any pavilions or facilities but is a good place to wade out and surf fish or fish off the rocks. Daytime is best because new rules are in place that enforce no fishing at night. 

Cooper’s Bayou Park

Cooper’s Bayou Park is located on the Tampa Bay side of Clearwater. It is a good place to launch a canoe or kayak and fish the mangroves.

Mangroves are a great habitat for a lot of fish species including sea trout, red drum, snook, black drum, and mangrove snapper. There are no restrooms so be prepared.

Sand Key Park

Sand Key Park has small fishing piers in a channel that leads from the bay to the Gulf. Sand Key Park has restrooms and picnic areas as well.

Locals like it because the fishing is good and it is less crowded than the famous Pier 60. If you want to surf fish, Sand Key Beach is just on the other side of the park. It also has a rock jetty that extends out into the ocean.

Magnolia Street Fishing Dock

At the end of Magnolia Drive, going out into Clearwater Bay is a hidden gem—the Magnolia Street Fishing Dock. The dock offers you a covered area for shade, benches, and rod holders. 

Coachman Park Fishing Pier

The fishing pier at Coachman Park is open 24 hrs. The best time to fish is at sunset or early morning when the fish are most active. For snook, it’s best to fish late at night using pinfish as bait.

There are cleaning stations available and plenty of parking but no bathrooms. This park is on the Clearwater Bayside near the Causeway Bridge.

Edgewater Drive Park

Edgewater Drive Park is located on Clearwater Bay too. It is a narrow pathway along the road with a fishing pier located at the northern reaches of the park.

The parking area is small and there are no restrooms, but it has been known as a great place to catch snook and mullet. 

Booking Charters in Clearwater

Best season to go

There is something to catch year-round in Clearwater so any season can be a good season. As far as seasons go, summer can be very hot and busy since school is out.

If you book a trip in the summer bring lots of sun protection and be prepared for sweltering heat and crowds. Hurricane season also falls within summer so the chances of a storm canceling your trip is greater.

Red tide is more likely to occur in the summer too. Red tide is caused by toxic algae that bloom when the weather is warm and there are high amounts of nutrients in the water. In past years, dead fish have littered the beaches of Clearwater due to this toxic alga.

That being said, some of the best species like mahi mahi and mackerel are most abundant in the summer. The spring and fall have milder temperatures. Fall is still within hurricane season but charter companies will refund you if a storm cancels the trip. 

Winter tends to have rougher winds and waves but is still a great time to fish. Mackerel and mahi mahi won’t be around but there will be plenty of grouper, sea trout, and red drum to catch.

Types of Charters

Charter companies in Clearwater are very accommodating. You can book charters for a half-day (4 hrs),  ¾ day (6hrs), all day (8hrs), or extended day trips (12+ hrs). Charter companies will take you out on special trips targeting tarpon, sharks, or goliath grouper if you desire.

For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Tampa, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Bradenton, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Treasure Island, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Sarasota, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to catch snapper in Florida, check out this guide.