If there’s one thing Tampa is known for, it’s the ocean. Sandwiched between Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay and Tampa Bay, there’s water in almost every direction, making it an integral part of many resident’s lives. Popular attractions include swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, wake boarding, tubing and most prominently, fishing. Despite there being easy access to water pretty much everywhere in Tampa, it’s still hard for many residents, especially those without boats, to find places to fish. However, just because good fishing spots may be elusive, they without a doubt still exist.
1. Ballast Point Park
A prominent feature of Bayshore Boulevard, Ballast Point is home to a pair of piers, a boat launch and a restaurant. Although the larger of the two piers was destroyed after the two hurricanes last year, and there isn’t a known completion date for its repair, the smaller pier and the mangrove line running along the water are still able to be fished. Common species caught there include snook, mangrove snapper, catfish, spanish mackerel and even cobia, making it a premier location for anglers, especially those just learning to fish.
“Ballast Point is always a calm place to go and fish when I need to clear my mind,” Jackson Skijus (’27) said. ” It’s even better at night when the bay is calm and you can see all of Tampa lit up.”
2. Picnic Island Park
Picnic Island may very well be one of the most versatile land-based fishing spots in all of Tampa. Home to a fishing pier, miles of mangrove tunnels, seagrass flats and rocky shores, the park has a huge variety of environments where fish can live. Anglers commonly wade out or cast from shore into the expansive seagrass beds, catching snook, redfish, trout, flounder and even sharks. You can also launch a kayak to get to hard-to-reach areas with bigger fish. Or if you’d rather drop a line and relax, you can go to the fishing pier, where, depending on the tides, you can find just about any species.
“I love fishing at picnic island because of the variety of species,” Mike Rossa (’27) said. “Last time I was there, I caught 3 snook and a redfish.”
3. Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier State Park
The famous sunshine skyway is without a doubt the most popular destination for anglers in Tampa. Consisting of repurposed sections of the old sunshine skyway, the State Park is the longest fishing pier in the world, and holds just as huge fish. Common catches include tarpon, grouper, king and Spanish mackerel, cobia, sheepshead, red snapper, pompano, mangrove snapper, and more, making it an excellent place for any type of fisherman.
4. Weedon Island Preserve Fishing Pier
Located deep in the mangroves of the Weedon Island Preserve, this fishing pier gives fisherman a chance to target some of the fish that make Tampa a world-famous fishing destination. When fishing this pier, you can catch snook, redfish, and trout, some of the hardest fighting and best tasting fish you can find. The mangroves around the pier also attract mangrove snapper, flounder, and when the water gets colder, sheepshead, meaning that no matter when you head to the pier, you have a chance to catch something.
“I’ve gone to the pier for years, and caught some nice snook, especially when the tide was right,” Mason Lucius (’27). “It’s one of those inshore pockets that just holds fish and always has action.”
5. Edward Medard Park
Despite being known for its various bays, Tampa fishing isn’t exclusively limited to saltwater. Edward Medard Park is a great example of Tampa’s excellent freshwater fishing. The park has both a boardwalk and extensive grassy shores surrounding its large lake where visitors can fish for crappie, bluegill, catfish, sunshine and largemouth bass, making it easily accessible to anglers without kayaks or boats.
