Best Fishing Trips and Top Fishing Guides in Sarasota Florida
Fishing in Sarasota.
A fishing trip to Sarasota provides an abundance of fishing opportunities unique to the area. Widely known for its outstanding inshore fishing, Sarasota Bay and its encompassing flats host an extensive population of several prominent species including flounder, redfish, and sea trout, all of which are available to catch year-round. If you visit in the summer, you can expect to see schools of tarpon and snook as they pass through during their yearly migration. If you’re targeting tarpon, be sure to visit during May and June. While you’re at it, you can try your luck catching Silver King during the early summer months in Sarasota as well.
Best Fishing Spots in Sarasota
Head to Stephen’s Point in the morning to reel in trout. But if your searching for more diverse waters, check out Sarasota’s Pol Jantzen Reef, which is full of bluefish, sheepshead and snapper. When you go a bit farther to fish in Big Sarasota Pass, you can anticipate coming across a selection of jacks, snook, and tarpon.
In addition to inshore fishing opportunities, Sarasota has a number of offshore fishing hot spots. The area’s artificial reefs are prime locations to catch grouper, black bass, amberjack, tripletail during the colder months. In the summer, these reefs are visited by kingfish, sharks, and barracuda as well.
If you are hoping to go far offshore during your next trip to Sarasota, you’ll also have the chance to catch tuna, wahoo, billfish, and mahimahi.
Sarasota Fishing Seasons by Month
January is the height of grouper season in Sarasota. Scamp, gag, red, and black groupers are biting almost everywhere. If you’re lucky, you may see goliath groupers if you decide to venture offshore.
February
February is a great month to check out the reefs for tripletail, sheepshead, cobia, and grouper.
You can also stay inshore to catch some of the local staples, including redfish, trout and flounder. Take a trip offshore and you may come across amberjack and kingfish.
March
Triggerfish, black seabass, and barracuda arrive in the reefs during March in Sarasota. Redfish and sea trout are also promising catches.
April
The fishing scene begins to pick up as kingfish, bonito, and barracuda are biting strong. Head offshore to find pompano, snook, and bluefish.
May
As permit and tarpon season begins, May is an ideal month for fly fishing. Check out the Sarasota Tarpon Tournament for the ultimate fishing experience.
June
June marks the beginning of red snapper season in Sarasota, so be sure to book your fishing trip in advance, as boats tend to fill up quickly.
July
Tuna, billfish, wahoo, and mahimahi are all prominent offshore. As for inshore, tarpon, snook, permit and pompano are biting strong.
August
Even though August is the rainiest month in Sarasota, the fishing scene is still alive and well. Head out to the reefs to catch fish in the shallow waters or participate in the Sarasota Slam offshore.
September
September is ideal for catching barracuda, tuna, amberjack, bluefish, and kingfish. Best of all, you won’t have to go too far offshore to reel in these species during August.
Connect With These Top Fishing Guides to Optimize Your Next Fishing Trip to Sarasota
Fishing in Sarasota is best done with the support of a top fishing guide who knows all there is to know about the local waters. Connect with one of the options on our list of the best fishing guides in Sarasota for the best fishing experience in the area.