5.0(1 Reviews)St Petersburg Inshore Fishing Adventure
5.0(1 reviews)
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Target grouper, snapper, redfish, shark, and snook inshoreFall tripletail season offers exciting sight fishing opportunitiesSix or eight hour charters welcome all skill levels
Looking for some serious action on Tampa Bay's legendary waters? Captain and crew at Reel Lucky Fishing Charters have been putting anglers on fish for years, and their 6 and 8-hour inshore trips are exactly what you need to get your line tight. Whether you're a weekend warrior or someone who's never held a rod, these St Petersburg waters will give you stories to tell for years. The fall bite is on fire right now, and with cooler weather rolling in, the fish are more active than they've been all summer. Plus, it's prime tripletail season – and if you've never sight-fished for these unique flatfish, you're in for something special.
Your day starts early, meeting the crew at the dock before sunrise when the water's still glass and the fish haven't been pressured yet. The Reel Lucky Too is set up perfectly for inshore work – shallow draft, quiet trolling motor, and all the tackle you'll need to handle everything from finicky snook to bull redfish. You'll spend your time working the flats, mangrove shorelines, and nearshore structure where Tampa Bay's best gamefish live and feed. The beauty of these longer trips is you're not rushed – when you find active fish, you can work them properly. When one spot goes quiet, there's plenty of time to move and find the next school. Your captain knows these waters like the back of his hand, reading the tides, wind, and bait to put you on the most productive water throughout the day.
Inshore fishing around St Petersburg is all about adapting to conditions and what the fish want on any given day. You'll be throwing live bait like shrimp, pinfish, and scaled sardines around structure and drop-offs where grouper and snapper stack up. For the tripletail action, it's all about sight-fishing – scanning the surface for those distinctive fins as they lay on their sides under floating debris or markers. The crew will have you rigged with medium spinning tackle and baitcasting setups, perfect for handling 20-30 pound fish without being too heavy for the smaller stuff. When targeting snook around the mangroves, you'll be pitching jigs and live bait right into the roots where these ambush predators wait. For redfish on the flats, it's often about working topwater plugs or soft plastics in skinny water where you can see their copper backs cruising. The boat carries everything from light tackle for sheepshead to heavy gear if a big cobia or shark shows up – and trust me, they do.
"My son and I had an incredible trip with Real Lucky and Captain and mate and of course Batman thanks again for a wonderful day on the water" - Bob
Snook are the crown jewel of Florida inshore fishing, and Tampa Bay holds some of the state's best populations. These bronze-backed fighters love structure – docks, mangroves, bridges, and oyster bars where they can ambush baitfish. Fall is prime time because they're feeding heavily before winter, and you'll find them in 2-6 feet of water along the shorelines. What makes snook special isn't just their acrobatic fights, jumping clear of the water when hooked, but their pickiness. They'll follow a lure for 50 feet before deciding whether to eat, making every hookup feel earned. The slot limit keeps the fishery healthy, so you'll see fish from schoolie 15-inchers up to monsters pushing 35 pounds.
Sheepshead are the ultimate test of an angler's finesse, and the structure around St Petersburg holds plenty of these black-and-white striped tricksters. They've got human-like teeth for crushing barnacles and crabs, which means they can steal your bait without you feeling a thing. Fall and winter are peak seasons when they school up around bridges, docks, and rock piles. What anglers love about sheepshead fishing is the challenge – it takes skill to detect their subtle bite and quick reflexes to set the hook before they drop your offering. Plus, they're excellent table fare, with sweet white meat that rivals any fish in the bay.
Redfish are Tampa Bay legends, and for good reason. These copper-colored bruisers patrol the flats year-round, but fall brings some of the best action as they school up for their spawning runs. You'll find them tailing in shallow water, their distinctive black spots visible as they root around oyster bars and grass flats. What makes reds so popular is their willingness to eat almost anything – live bait, artificials, topwater plugs – and their bulldog fights that test your drag and arm strength. The slot limit means most fish you'll catch are perfect eating size, around 18-27 inches, though you might hook into an oversized bull that'll make you question your tackle choices.
Cobia are the wildcards of Tampa Bay, showing up when you least expect them and disappearing just as quickly. These brown sharks with attitude cruise the flats and nearshore waters, often mistaken for sharks until they turn and show their distinctive white bellies. Spring through fall offers the best shots, especially around rays and other bottom-disturbing marine life they follow for easy meals. What gets anglers excited about cobia is their size – most fish run 20-40 pounds – and their surprising speed and power. They're curious fish that will often approach the boat, giving you shots with sight-fishing techniques that make every encounter feel like a hunt.
Tripletail are Tampa Bay's quirkiest gamefish, and fall is absolutely prime time for these flatfish that look like floating debris until they come alive on your line. They lay on their sides under anything that floats – crab traps, markers, weed lines – perfectly camouflaged until you learn to spot their fins. What makes tripletail fishing so addictive is the sight
The Reel Lucky Too is a custom-built 2019 C Hawk center console that's perfectly rigged for St. Petersburg's inshore waters. This sleek fishing machine runs on a powerful 250HP Suzuki outboard, cruising at 35 knots to get you to the hotspots fast. Whether we're chasing redfish in the shallows or targeting grouper near structure, this boat handles it all with ease. The center console design gives you 360-degree fishing access, while the fish finder helps locate schools and structure where snapper and snook like to hang out. GPS and radar keep us on course and safe in changing conditions. An icebox keeps your catch fresh and drinks cold during those long 8-hour trips. Built for serious anglers, this boat accommodates up to 2 guests comfortably. Perfect for sight fishing tripletail or working the flats for that trophy snook. The shallow draft gets us into backcountry spots where bigger boats can't reach, giving you access to some of the best fishing grounds around Tampa Bay.
Rachycentron CanadumCobia are the brown sharks that aren't sharks - these powerful fish cruise near the surface and often get mistaken for their toothy cousins. Most run 20-40 pounds and 3-4 feet long, but 50+ pounders show up regularly. Look for them around buoys, channel markers, and wrecks in 15-50 feet of water. Spring migration from March through May gives us the best shot at sight-fishing these giants. Guests love cobia because they're curious fish that will swim right up to the boat, plus they fight like freight trains with long, powerful runs. The meat is fantastic too - firm and white like premium grouper. Best technique is sight-casting with live bait or bucktail jigs when you spot their dark shadows cruising the surface. Stay quiet and make your first cast count.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are the perfect inshore target - aggressive, beautiful, and always ready to eat. These copper-colored bruisers with distinctive black spots near their tail typically range from 18-30 inches, with the bigger "bull" reds hitting 40+ inches. They love super shallow flats, grass beds, and oyster bars in 1-4 feet of water. Fall is prime time when they school up and feed heavily before winter. What makes redfish so popular is their willingness to hit topwater plugs and their bulldogging fight - they'll pull drag and make long runs in skinny water. They're also great on the table when kept within slot limits. The key to success is watching for "waking" fish or tailing in shallow water, then making quiet, accurate casts ahead of their path with live shrimp or gold spoons.
Archosargus ProbatocephalusSheepshead are the sneaky thieves of our local waters, earning the nickname "convict fish" for their black and white stripes. Most run 2-5 pounds and 14-18 inches, though we occasionally hook into 8-10 pounders around deeper structure. You'll find them glued to any hard bottom - bridge pilings, docks, rocks, and oyster bars where they munch on barnacles and crabs. They bite year-round but really turn on during cooler months from November through March. What guests love is the challenge - these fish have human-like teeth and will steal your bait if you're not paying attention. The reward is some of the best table fare in the Gulf with sweet, flaky white meat. My advice: use small hooks with fresh shrimp and feel for that subtle tap-tap-tap, then set the hook hard.
Centropomus UndecimalisSnook are one of our most sought-after species here in St. Pete waters. These golden-colored fish with that distinctive black lateral line typically run 18-24 inches, but we regularly see 30+ inchers that'll test your drag. They love hanging around mangroves, docks, and bridge pilings in shallow water, especially during moving tides. Spring through fall gives us the best action when water temps stay above 70 degrees. What makes snook special is their aggressive strike and powerful runs - they'll jump and fight hard right to the boat. Plus, they're excellent eating with firm, white meat. Here's a pro tip: cast tight to structure and work your bait slowly. Snook are ambush predators, so they won't chase a fast-moving lure very far from their hideout.
Lobotes SurinamensisTripletail are the oddball favorites that look like floating leaves until they explode on your bait. These chunky fish average 5-15 pounds with their trademark three-fin appearance from their rounded tail and extended dorsal fins. Find them suspended under crab trap floats, channel markers, and weed lines in 10-30 feet of water. Fall is absolutely prime time - that's when they stack up and become easier to spot. What hooks anglers is the sight-fishing challenge and their surprising acrobatics for such a bulky fish. The meat rivals snapper with sweet, firm fillets that make great table fare. Pro tip: approach them quietly and cast well past the structure, then slowly work your shrimp or jig back toward them. They spook easily but once hooked, they'll give you a memorable fight.
5.0 out of 5.0My son and I had an incredible trip with Real Lucky and Captain and mate and of course Batman thanks again for a wonderful day on ...
St. Petersburg, FL