Best Times & Seasons to Fish the Gulf of Mexico (Full Guide)
The Gulf of Mexico offers some of the best seatrout, flounder, and redfish angling on the east coast but it is home to great tuna, marlin, swordfish, and mahi-mahi angling as well. Knowing the best time & seasons to fish in the Gulf of Mexico can really amp up your catch rates.
The best time to fish the Gulf of Mexico is between April and September in the coastal waters of Mexico, Texas, Cuba, Florida, and Louisiana. Snapper, redfish, tuna, sailfish, and mahi-mahi are best caught during this season.
In this article, we will discuss the best times and seasons to fish in the Gulf of Mexico. We will also talk about where some of the best fishing in the Gulf of Mexico is on a species-by-species basis.
Best Time to Fish the Gulf of Mexico
Fishing opportunities in the Gulf of Mexico’s waters are diverse. That’s why anglers can enjoy fishing in the region year-round. However, fishing is more productive during certain times of the year.
The fishing season in the Gulf of Mexico starts in the late spring and finishes in the early fall. The vast majority of fish species get active during this time of the year. June and July are the best months for fishing the Gulf of Mexico’s waters.
The Gulf of Mexico Species Breakdown: Best Times
Amberjack
Amberjack fishing in the Gulf of Mexico is excellent between April and August. Venice is one of the best places to fish for amberjack in the region.
Black drum
It’s possible to fish for black drum in the waters of the Gulf year-round. However, fishing is the most productive between April and September. Go to New Orleans to enjoy black drum fishing in the Gulf of Mexico.
Cobia
Cobia fishing season starts in the early spring and finishes in the early winter. Cobia bites well during the morning hours. Cobia can be found in the waters near Destin.
Flounder
Flounder is a migratory fish. Anglers in the Gulf get the best results during the fall flounder run. Flounder goes to the Gulf of Mexico between October and December.
That’s why anglers should go fishing during these months. Flounder bites well during early morning and late afternoon hours. Galveston Bay is a good flounder fishing spot in the Gulf of Mexico.
Grouper
Grouper fishing on the Gulf is the most productive between the late spring and early summer. Early morning and late afternoon are the best bite times for grouper. It makes sense to target grouper near Venice.
Jack Crevalle
Jack crevalle gets active in the waters of the Gulf between May and September. Visit the New Orleans area to catch jack crevalle and get an unforgettable fishing experience.
King Mackerel
The season to fish for king mackerel in the Gulf of Mexico starts in April and finishes in November. Oftentimes, king mackerel bites well at dawn and at dusk. The chance to catch king mackerel is high in Venice.
Mahi Mahi
The season to catch mahi-mahi starts in April and finishes in October. Mahi-mahi bites well in the early morning and in the evening. The area between Mobile Bay and the Gulf is a fishing spot that has gained huge popularity among the anglers, who target mahi-mahi.
Permit
The season to catch permit starts in the late winter and finishes in the early spring. Oftentimes, anglers catch permit in the waters of Tampa.
Sailfish
The best time of the year to catch sailfish in the Gulf of Mexico is May–October. Okaloosa Island Pier is the perfect place to target sailfish.
Snapper
Fishing for snapper in the Gulf of Mexico is best between October and March. Snapper actively feeds at dawn and at dusk. South Padre Island is an incredibly popular fishing spot among anglers, who are interested in catching snapper.
Snook
Snook is active during spring, summer, and fall months. The best months to target snook in the waters of the Gulf are April, May, September, and October. Snook bites well in the morning. It’s a good idea to fish for snook near Tampa.
Speckled Trout
The best time of the year to fish for speckled trout is the late fall – early winter. Fishermen usually get bites of speckled trout before and after sunrise. Speckled trout can be found in Galveston Bay.
Tarpon
Tarpon fishing in the waters of the Gulf is productive between May and June. It’s best to fish for tarpon during the early morning and late afternoon hours. Tarpon can be found near the Keys.
Tuna
It’s possible to possible to fish for tuna in the Gulf of Mexico year-round. Tuna bite well between dusk and dawn. Go to Venice if you would like to catch tuna during your fishing trip.
Redfish
Redfish is active during the summer months. Go fishing for redfish in the early morning. Gulfport is an ideal place to fish for redfish.
Wahoo
Wahoo fishing in the Gulf of Mexico is the most productive between the late winter and the early spring. Wahoo starts feeding actively at first light. Tampa has gained huge popularity among anglers due to its great wahoo fishing spots.
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 Gulf of Mexico Fishing Charters
These Gulf of Mexico-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 | Location |
| Reel Easy Charters | Key West, FL |
| Line Check Charters | Galveston, TX |
| Galveston Offshore Charters | Galveston, TX |
| Maximus Fishing Charters | Destin, FL |
| Captain Jay Get Reelin’ | Fort Myers Beach, FL |
| East Pass Inshore Charters | Destin, FL |
| MM Charters | Englewood, FL |
| Wet Lines Fishing | Clearwater, FL |
| Sure Shot Fishing Charters | Orange Beach, AL |
| Fish Key West – The Coolcast | Key West, FL |
| Leisure Life Charters | St. Petersburg, FL |
| Olivia J Charters | Freeport, TX |
| Cowboy Fishing Charters | Key West, FL |
The Gulf of Mexico Regions: Best Fishing Times
Texas
Summer is the best time of the year to fish the Gulf of Mexico in Texas. So, plan your fishing adventures for June and July.
Louisiana
Fishing the Gulf Coast in Louisiana is good during spring and summer months. A lot of fish arrive to Louisiana during this time of the year.
Mississippi/Alabama
Summer and fall months are the best time of the year to fish the waters of the Gulf in Mississippi/Alabama. So, plan fishing adventures between June and September.
Florida
The best season to fish in the Gulf of Mexico in Florida is between May and September.
Cuba
Fishing the Gulf of Mexico in Cuba is excellent between April and September.
Best Time of Day to Fish the Gulf of Mexico
Every fishing trip requires meticulous planning. Anglers need to select the best time of day to go fishing. The best time of day to fish in the Gulf of Mexico depends on the season of the year, weather conditions, tidal movement, and target fish species.
The vast majority of fish species are active in the waters of the Gulf at dawn or at dusk. So, anglers should fish the waters of the Gulf either in the morning or evening.
Is Winter Fishing Bad in the Gulf of Mexico?
Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico is slow due to cold water temperatures. Many fish species are inactive during the winter months. However, it’s possible to enjoy fishing in the winter.
Among fish species that anglers can catch in the Gulf of Mexico during the winter months are black drum, cobia, red drum, red snapper, seatrout, and striped bass.
Top Fishing Spots in the Gulf of Mexico
Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay is a unique place where salt water and fresh water meets. The bay impresses anglers with its beautiful spots. Fishing in Galveston Bay is excellent year-round.
During a deep-sea fishing trip, anglers can catch different species of fish such as black drum, flounder, sheepshead, sharks, speckled trout, and redfish.
Venice
A lot of anglers prefer to fish near Venice and they do this for a good reason. Venice is one of the best fishing locations in the Gulf of Mexico. The destination is well-known among anglers due to its productive fisheries.
Anglers can book a half-day fishing trip to explore the waters of Venice and enjoy fishing. Among fish species, you can fish during your trip are amberjack, grouper, kingfish, blue marlin, white marlin, mahi-mahi, sailfish, snapper, blackfin tuna, and yellowfin tuna.
Gulfport
Gulfport is the perfect place to fish the waters of the Gulf. There are bays, reefs, barrier islands, and wrecks in the region. Anglers should go to deep-sea waters to get the most out of fishing near Gulfport.
Gulfport’s nearshore reefs also attract a lot of fish. When fishing in the Gulfport area, anglers can catch billfish, black drum, cobia, flounder, mahi-mahi, redfish, sheepshead, speckled trout, and tuna.
Dauphin Island
Fishing opportunities near Dauphin Island are very diverse. Anglers can enjoy fishing in inshore, nearshore, and deep-sea waters. There are also many reefs near the island. The reefs attract fish and provide anglers with endless fishing opportunities.
Here, fishing is very productive and anglers can catch such fish species as billfish, grouper, flounder, mahi-mahi, mackerel, marlin, redfish, snapper, speckled trout, tuna, and wahoo.
Tampa
Tampa is another good fishing destination in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s the perfect place to spend time fishing with a family. There are reefs and wrecks in the area.
Among fish species that anglers can catch during their Tampa fishing adventures are mahi-mahi, grouper, flounder, permit, redfish, sheepshead, snapper, snook, spotted seatrout, tarpon, tuna, and wahoo.
New Orleans
New Orleans attracts so many anglers, who give a preference inshore fishing. There are a lot of bayous, marshes, and estuaries in the region. The place has the ideal inshore fishing conditions and provides anglers with an unforgettable experience.
New Orleans impresses with the diversity of fish. Anglers can catch black drum, jack crevalle, flounder, speckled trout, and other fish species.
Destin
Destin is a good place to visit if you would like to catch trophy fish during your angling adventures. The chance to land a trophy fish in the waters of Destin is high. There are many fishing spots in the region where anglers can enjoy pier fishing.
The fishing location is famous for its deep waters. Among fish species that anglers can catch in Destin are cobia, grouper, mahi-mahi, snapper, sailfish, and others.
Pensacola
Pensacola is another popular fishing destination. The ideal fishing conditions are created in this area. Anglers can enjoy fishing on bays, beaches, grassy flats, and reefs.
Pensacola fishing charters make it possible for anglers to target such fish species as amberjack, cobia, grouper, flounder, mackerel, snapper, spotted sea trout, and tarpon. It’s worth noting that anglers have a good chance to land a trophy fish during their Pensacola trips.
Booking Guides & Charters in the Gulf of Mexico
– Best season to go
Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico is the most productive in June and July. However, the busiest season is July. That’s why it would be better to experience fishing in the Gulf of Mexico in June. Anglers have less competition, but fishing is excellent this month.
– Morning vs. afternoon
The big question is – morning vs. afternoon fishing which is better? The answer depends a lot on such two factors as the time of the year and the fish species that you are targeting.
In the summertime, it’s recommended to go fishing in the early morning. Water cools down early in the morning and fish begin to feed actively. It’s getting hotter and the temperature of the water increases in the afternoon. So, fish go too deep waters.
Afternoon fishing is more productive during the colder months. The water heats up in the afternoon during the spring, fall, and winter months. So, the activity of fish increases during the afternoon hours.
-1/2 day, full-day, multi-day charters
Half-day fishing trips are suitable for beginners. Such trips last 8 hours, so anglers have enough time to practice basic skills and enjoy fishing. It’s the cheapest option. However, your fishing time will be limited if you book a 1/2 day trip.
Full-day trips are the perfect choice for those anglers, who want to spend a day on the water. Such a trip gives anglers more fishing time and increases the anglers’ chance to land a trophy fish. It’s worth noting that full-day trips are more expensive than 1/2 day ones.
If you would like to spend more than one-day fishing, then think about booking a multi-day charter. Such a fishing trip lasts several days, so you’ll manage to spend a lot of time fishing during your Gulf of Mexico trip. Multi-day charters are the most expensive option. So, it’s not suitable for anglers on a budget.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Galveston, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Texas, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in the Texas Gulf Coast, please check out this helpful guide.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in the Florida Keys, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Marathon, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Key West, please check out this helpful guide.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Fort Myers, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Mexico, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Louisiana, please check out this helpful article I wrote.
