TIDES & TAILS — FULL CATALOG https://www.tidesandtails.net Tides & Tails is a saltwater fishing data hub for the US Gulf, Atlantic and California coasts. It publishes structured records for every fishery it covers — the waters themselves, the species that live in them, state-by-state regulations, verified charter boats and bait & tackle shops, a lure and bait database and live conditions — as HTML pages with schema.org markup, as JSON feeds and through an assistant plug-in. Free to read and cite with attribution. Map of the data: https://www.tidesandtails.net/llms.txt Human docs: https://www.tidesandtails.net/ai JSON feeds: https://www.tidesandtails.net/feed/index.json Search: https://www.tidesandtails.net/feed/search.json (params: type, water, town, coast, species, trip, badge, maxPrice, q, page, limit, lat, lon, radius). lat, lon and radius (miles, default 75, max 300) turn any search into a “near me” search: results are sorted by distance when lat/lon are given, and meta.nearestWaters lists the closest covered waters. Assistant plug-in (MCP): https://www.tidesandtails.net/api/mcp — tools search_charters, search_bait_shops, get_water Record types: - Waters / fisheries: HTML https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/; feed https://www.tidesandtails.net/feed/locations.json; schema.org Place (BodyOfWater); 38 records - Species: HTML https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/; feed https://www.tidesandtails.net/feed/species.json; schema.org Taxon; 26 records - Regulations by state: HTML https://www.tidesandtails.net/regulations#; HTML only; schema.org Dataset (per state); 5 records - Charters: HTML https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/; feed https://www.tidesandtails.net/feed/charters.json; schema.org LocalBusiness; 124 records - Bait & tackle shops: HTML https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/ (shown alongside the charters); feed https://www.tidesandtails.net/feed/bait-shops.json; schema.org LocalBusiness; 100 records - Lures & bait: HTML https://www.tidesandtails.net/lures; feed https://www.tidesandtails.net/feed/lures.json; 56 records - Articles: HTML https://www.tidesandtails.net/articles/; feed https://www.tidesandtails.net/feed/articles.json; schema.org Article; 4 records Rules for agents: - Credit “Tides & Tails” and link the listing's url field whenever you show a business from the directory. - Do not republish the phone numbers as a standalone directory — send people to the listing, where the owner keeps it current. - Conditions data (tides, water temperature, wind, bite outlook) is for planning a fishing day, not for navigation — see https://www.tidesandtails.net/terms. - Regulations are summarised from official agency publications and can change mid-season; the state agency is always the authority. - Sample/demo profiles never appear in a feed or search result; every listing is a real, verified business. - Privacy: https://www.tidesandtails.net/privacy. Member tools (spot book, catch log, trips, crew) need an account and are excluded from indexing. Live conditions (tide, water temperature, wind, bite outlook) are NOT in this document — they change through the day and live on each water's HTML page. ======================================================================== WATERS (38) ======================================================================== Lower Laguna Madre, TX ---------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/lower-laguna-madre Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/lower-laguna-madre Region: Texas Coordinates: 26.3, -97.32 Station: NOAA tide station 8779770 (Port Isabel, TX) About: A hypersaline, gin-clear grass lagoon where sight-fishing is the default, not the treat. Trophy trout prowl knee-deep sand, redfish tail in herds, and the snook fishery around South Padre is Texas’ best-kept non-secret. Species (spring): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum, Snook, Sheepshead Species (summer): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Snook, Tarpon, Spanish Mackerel Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Snook Species (winter): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum, Sheepshead Also caught: Mangrove snapper (jetties and channels); Ladyfish Towns: South Padre Island, Port Isabel, Port Mansfield, Laguna Vista, Arroyo City Seasonal guidance: Winter means big-trout wading over mud and grass near Port Mansfield — slow suspending baits for the fish of a lifetime. Spring scatters reds and trout across the flats as the water cleans up. Summer is prime sight-fishing: tailing reds at dawn, snook at the jetties and passes, tarpon rolling off the beach. Fall stacks flounder in the channels and pulls big strings of reds down the ICW ahead of the fronts. Corpus Christi & Baffin Bay, TX ------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/corpus-christi Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/corpus-christi Region: Texas Coordinates: 27.45, -97.3 Station: NOAA tide station 8775870 (Bob Hall Pier, Corpus Christi, TX) Water-temperature station: 8776139 (S. Bird Island, TX, 3 mi away) About: Corpus Christi Bay, the Upper Laguna Madre and legendary Baffin Bay form Texas’ trophy-trout triangle. Serpulid rock formations found nowhere else on the coast, seagrass to the horizon, and a genuine shot at a 30-inch speck. Species (spring): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum, Sheepshead Species (summer): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Spanish Mackerel, Tarpon Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Black Drum Species (winter): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum, Sheepshead Towns: Corpus Christi, Flour Bluff, North Padre Island, Riviera, Loyola Beach Seasonal guidance: Winter is Baffin’s big-trout season — wade slow, throw Corky-style suspending baits, expect few bites but the right ones. Spring spreads fish across the Upper Laguna grass flats. Summer means dawn topwater on the rocks, sight-fished reds on the sand and bait balls at Packery Channel. Fall drops the crowds and turns on redfish schools and the flounder push through the causeway. Rockport & Port Aransas, TX --------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/rockport-port-aransas Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/rockport-port-aransas Region: Texas Coordinates: 28.05, -96.99 Station: NOAA tide station 8774770 (Rockport, TX) About: Rockport and Port Aransas sit on a web of clear, grassy bays — Aransas, Copano, Redfish, St. Charles — with a working pass to the Gulf. Classic Texas skinny-water fishing with a fishing-village soul, and whooping cranes over the flats in winter. Species (spring): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum, Sheepshead, Southern Flounder Species (summer): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Tarpon, Spanish Mackerel Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Black Drum Species (winter): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum, Sheepshead Also caught: Tripletail (channel markers, summer) Towns: Rockport, Fulton, Port Aransas, Aransas Pass, Ingleside Seasonal guidance: Winter sight-fishing over dark mud flats is quietly world-class — reds sunning themselves on warm afternoons. Spring turns on the back bays as glass minnows flood in. Summer is topwater at dawn, tripletail on the markers and jetty fishing all day. Fall brings bull reds through the pass, flounder in the guts and the year’s best trout numbers under birds. Matagorda Bays, TX ------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/matagorda-bays Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/matagorda-bays Region: Texas Coordinates: 28.55, -96.3 Station: NOAA tide station 8773701 (Port O’Connor, Matagorda Bay, TX) About: East and West Matagorda Bays are big, moody and unbothered — mid-coast Texas water where oyster reefs, guts and a surf that goes green in summer keep the drift-and-wade crowd honest. Port O’Connor and Palacios are the jumping-off points. Species (spring): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum, Sheepshead Species (summer): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Tarpon, Spanish Mackerel Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Black Drum Species (winter): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Sheepshead, Black Drum Also caught: Tripletail (channel markers and crab-trap floats) Towns: Port O’Connor, Palacios, Matagorda, Port Lavaca, Seadrift Seasonal guidance: Winter wading over mud and scattered shell near Oyster Lake produces heavyweight trout. Spring is a drifting game over the reefs between fronts. Summer means 4 a.m. launches, green-surf mornings and tripletail runs down the channel. Fall floods the marsh drains with reds and sends flounder through the Diversion Channel — the mid-coast’s best month is October. Galveston Bay, TX ----------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/galveston Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/galveston Region: Texas Coordinates: 29.31, -94.7933 Station: NOAA tide station 8771450 (Galveston Pier 21, TX) About: Texas’ biggest estuary and one of America’s great trout-and-redfish factories: shell reefs, wells, marsh lakes, jetties and a wade-fishing culture all its own. Species (spring): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum, Sheepshead, Southern Flounder Species (summer): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Spanish Mackerel, Tarpon Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Black Drum Species (winter): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Sheepshead, Black Drum Towns: Galveston, Texas City, San Leon, Kemah, Bolivar Peninsula Seasonal guidance: Winter wade-fishing over mud-and-shell produces the year’s biggest trout. Spring is the black drum run and scattered trout as fronts fade. Summer moves fish to deep shell, wells and the jetties. Fall is the marquee: bull red run at the jetties in October and the November flounder run out of every bayou. Sabine Lake, TX --------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/sabine-lake Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/sabine-lake Region: Texas Coordinates: 29.95, -93.83 Station: NOAA tide station 8770570 (Sabine Pass North, TX) Water-temperature station: 8770475 (Port Arthur, TX, 8 mi away) About: Straddling the Texas–Louisiana line, Sabine Lake is a river-fed estuary with Calcasieu-grade trout genetics and a fraction of the pressure. Marsh drains on the east side, reefs to the south, and a ship channel full of fish. Species (spring): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum, Southern Flounder Species (summer): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Spanish Mackerel, Tarpon Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Black Drum Species (winter): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Sheepshead, Black Drum Towns: Port Arthur, Sabine Pass, Bridge City, Orange, Pleasure Island Seasonal guidance: Winter concentrates trout in the Sabine and Neches river channels — slow-roll swimbaits along the edges. Spring wakes the marsh as shrimp flush out on every falling tide. Summer is birds, drifts and jetty trips when the Gulf lays down. Fall is Sabine’s trophy window: big trout under the birds, bull reds at the Causeway and a flounder run at the pass that draws a crowd for a reason. Calcasieu Lake, LA ------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/calcasieu-lake Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/calcasieu-lake Region: Louisiana–Mississippi–Alabama Coordinates: 29.85, -93.32 Station: NOAA tide station 8768094 (Calcasieu Pass, LA) Water-temperature station: 8767961 (Bulk Terminal, Calcasieu, LA, 24 mi away) About: “Big Lake” is a pilgrimage fishery: a compact, salty Louisiana estuary that grows speckled trout with shoulders. Reefs, weirs and beach-like shorelines make it fish twice its size. Species (spring): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum, Southern Flounder Species (summer): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Spanish Mackerel Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Black Drum Species (winter): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Sheepshead, Black Drum Towns: Lake Charles, Sulphur, Hackberry, Cameron, Grand Lake Seasonal guidance: Winter is quality over quantity — slow suspending baits over the reefs for the biggest trout of the year. Spring is prime: pre-spawn heavyweights, slicks popping on calm mornings and reds on every shoreline. Summer moves the fish deeper and earlier, with the Cameron jetties a reliable fallback. Fall turns the weirs and bayou drains into redfish highways and stacks flounder at the channel edge. The Louisiana Marsh (Venice to Grand Isle), LA ---------------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/louisiana-marsh Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/louisiana-marsh Region: Louisiana–Mississippi–Alabama Coordinates: 29.55, -89.6 Station: NOAA tide station 8761305 (Shell Beach, LA) Water-temperature station: 8761724 (Grand Isle, LA, 29 mi away) About: The Mississippi River delta marsh — Venice, Delacroix, Hopedale, Lafitte, Grand Isle — is the densest redfish habitat on Earth. Ponds, bayous and broken grass in every direction, trout on the outside edges, tarpon off the river mouth. Species (spring): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Black Drum, Southern Flounder, Sheepshead Species (summer): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Tarpon, Spanish Mackerel Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Black Drum Species (winter): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Sheepshead, Black Drum Towns: Venice, Delacroix, Hopedale, Shell Beach, Lafitte, Grand Isle Seasonal guidance: Winter drops the river and clears the marsh — the best sight-fishing of the year for reds stacked in the ponds, with trout deep in the bayous. Spring scatters fish as the river rises. Summer means trout at the barrier islands and rigs, reds in the marsh at dawn and tarpon off the passes. Fall is the everything season: bull reds at the mouths, limits of trout on the edges and ducks trading overhead while you fish. Mississippi Sound, MS --------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/mississippi-sound Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/mississippi-sound Region: Louisiana–Mississippi–Alabama Coordinates: 30.25, -88.95 Station: NOAA tide station 8747437 (Bay Waveland Yacht Club, MS) About: The Mississippi Sound is a barrier-island buffet: marsh rivers and bayous inside, grass-ringed islands — Cat, Ship, Horn — a short run out. Trout and reds split the year, and nobody’s ever far from a pier, a bridge or a jetty. Species (spring): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum, Sheepshead, Southern Flounder Species (summer): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Spanish Mackerel, Tarpon Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Black Drum Species (winter): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Sheepshead, Black Drum Also caught: Tripletail (channel markers and crab-trap floats — a Sound specialty) Towns: Bay St. Louis, Pass Christian, Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, Pascagoula Seasonal guidance: Winter pulls trout up the rivers — the Jourdan and Wolf hold fish through the fronts. Spring spreads them back across the bays and reefs. Summer is island season: trout at first light on the grass, reds in the surf, tripletail runs at midday. Fall turns on the white-shrimp flush — birds, limits and bull reds around the barrier-island passes. Mobile Bay & the Alabama Coast, AL ---------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/mobile-bay Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/mobile-bay Region: Louisiana–Mississippi–Alabama Coordinates: 30.48, -87.98 Station: NOAA tide station 8735180 (Dauphin Island, AL) About: Mobile Bay funnels a huge river delta into the Gulf between Dauphin Island and Fort Morgan, with Gulf Shores and Orange Beach hanging off its eastern shoulder. Gas rigs in the bay, grass in the delta, and the world-famous summer “jubilees” on the Eastern Shore. Species (spring): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Sheepshead, Black Drum, Florida Pompano Species (summer): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Spanish Mackerel, Tarpon, Southern Flounder Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Black Drum Species (winter): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Sheepshead, Black Drum Also caught: White trout (nighttime pier staple) Towns: Dauphin Island, Fairhope, Daphne, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Fort Morgan Seasonal guidance: Winter pushes trout up into the delta rivers where the kayak crowd finds them stacked. Spring lights up the rigs and the causeway. Summer is beach season — Spanish and pompano in the surf, tarpon off Fort Morgan, jubilee mornings on the Eastern Shore. Fall runs bull reds over Dixey Bar in serious numbers while flounder funnel out of the delta. Pensacola Bay, FL ----------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/pensacola-bay Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/pensacola-bay Region: Florida Gulf Coordinates: 30.35, -87.15 Station: NOAA tide station 8729840 (Pensacola, FL) About: Pensacola Bay is deep, green and grand — a natural harbor with grass flats up the lagoons, monster bridge structure and a pass that funnels everything from bull reds to tarpon. Santa Rosa Sound runs east like a fish highway. Species (spring): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Sheepshead, Cobia, Florida Pompano, Spanish Mackerel Species (summer): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Spanish Mackerel, Tarpon Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Florida Pompano Species (winter): Sheepshead, Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum Towns: Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Pensacola Beach, Milton, Navarre Seasonal guidance: Winter is sheepshead on every piling and trout holed up in the bayous. Spring brings the cobia watch off Pensacola Beach and pompano to the surf. Summer means tarpon on the beach, Spanish blitzes and early-morning trout in the sound. Fall is the bull red show at the pass — big schools pushing bait to the surface within sight of the fort. Destin & the Emerald Coast, FL ------------------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/destin Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/destin Region: Florida Gulf Coordinates: 30.42, -86.45 Station: NOAA tide station 8729511 (East Pass (Destin), FL) Water-temperature station: 8729210 (Panama City Beach, FL, 37 mi away) About: East Pass pours Choctawhatchee Bay into the clearest green water on the northern Gulf. Destin calls itself the world’s luckiest fishing village — inshore, that means pompano beaches, a serious spring cobia tradition and bay grass full of trout. Species (spring): Florida Pompano, Cobia, Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Sheepshead, Spanish Mackerel Species (summer): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Spanish Mackerel, Tarpon Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Florida Pompano Species (winter): Sheepshead, Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum Towns: Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island, Niceville, Santa Rosa Beach Seasonal guidance: Winter is bridge-and-dock season — sheepshead at the Marler Bridge, trout up the bayous. Spring is Destin’s signature: cobia cruising the beach in gin-clear water and pompano runs on the bars. Summer means dawn trout, jetty reds and tarpon sliding down the beach. Fall stacks flounder in East Pass and brings the bull reds in behind the mullet run. Panama City & St. Andrew Bay, FL -------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/panama-city Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/panama-city Region: Florida Gulf Coordinates: 30.1523, -85.6669 Station: NOAA tide station 8729108 (Panama City, FL) About: Deep, clear St. Andrew Bay meets sugar-sand beaches at one of the Gulf’s most reliable passes. Grass flats, jetty rock, piers and a spring cobia run all inside a 20-minute boat ride. Species (spring): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Cobia, Florida Pompano, Spanish Mackerel, Sheepshead Species (summer): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Spanish Mackerel, Tarpon Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Gag Grouper, Florida Pompano Species (winter): Sheepshead, Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum Towns: Panama City, Panama City Beach, Lynn Haven, St. Andrews, Mexico Beach Seasonal guidance: Winter is sheepshead time on the bridges and jetties. Spring brings the famous cobia run down the beach plus pompano in the surf. Summer is a dawn-and-dusk trout game with tarpon offshore of the pass. Fall turns everything on: bull reds at the jetties, flounder stacking in the pass, and gags pushing shallow. Port St. Joe & Cape San Blas, FL -------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/port-st-joe Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/port-st-joe Region: Florida Gulf Coordinates: 29.8119, -85.3027 Station: NOAA tide station 8728912 (Port St. Joe, St. Joseph Bay, FL) Water-temperature station: 8728690 (Apalachicola, FL, 20 mi away) About: St. Joseph Bay is a rare thing: a clear, enclosed, grass-bottom bay with no river input. Sight-fishing for reds, a trout factory, bay scallops in summer — and the cape’s surf out the back door. Species (spring): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Florida Pompano, Cobia, Sheepshead Species (summer): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Gag Grouper, Snook, Tarpon Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Gag Grouper Species (winter): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Sheepshead, Black Drum Also caught: Bay scallops (snorkeling, summer season) Towns: Port St. Joe, Cape San Blas, Simmons Bayou, Indian Pass Seasonal guidance: Winter offers the Gulf’s best shot at a giant "gator" trout in skinny water — go slow, throw big. Spring pompano run the cape surf while cobia round the point. Summer is grass-flat trout, scallops and northern-edge snook. Fall brings keeper gags shallow and redfish schools on the flats. Apalachicola Bay, FL -------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/apalachicola Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/apalachicola Region: Florida Gulf Coordinates: 29.7258, -84.9816 Station: NOAA tide station 8728690 (Apalachicola, FL) About: River-fed, oyster-studded and famously fertile — “Apalach” is old-Florida inshore fishing: marsh drains, bars, and more redfish water than you can cover in a lifetime. Species (spring): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Sheepshead, Black Drum, Florida Pompano Species (summer): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Tarpon, Spanish Mackerel, Southern Flounder Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Gag Grouper Species (winter): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Sheepshead, Black Drum Towns: Apalachicola, Eastpoint, St. George Island, Carrabelle Seasonal guidance: Winter trout stack in the river and deep holes — slow twitchbaits shine. Spring scatters fish across the bars and grass. Summer means tarpon at the passes and a dependable early topwater trout bite. Fall is redfish month: schools flood the bars and marsh mouths ahead of the first fronts. The Big Bend (Steinhatchee to Homosassa), FL -------------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/big-bend Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/big-bend Region: Florida Gulf Coordinates: 29.1, -83.1 Station: NOAA tide station 8727520 (Cedar Key, FL) About: Florida’s Big Bend is the wildest stretch of Gulf coast left — a hundred miles of seagrass, limestone and spring-fed rivers with barely a condo on it. Steinhatchee, Crystal River and Homosassa anchor a trout-and-redfish paradise hiding in plain sight. Species (spring): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Cobia, Spanish Mackerel, Sheepshead Species (summer): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Tarpon, Gag Grouper Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Gag Grouper Species (winter): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Sheepshead, Black Drum Also caught: Bay scallops (Steinhatchee & Homosassa, summer season) Towns: Steinhatchee, Suwannee, Cedar Key, Yankeetown, Crystal River, Homosassa Seasonal guidance: Winter runs the fish up the spring-fed rivers — trout stack in the Steinhatchee and Crystal River holes where the water holds 72°F. Spring spreads trout and reds across a million acres of grass. Summer is scallop season, shallow gags on the rock piles and the historic Homosassa tarpon flat still producing giants. Fall is prime everything — reds schooled big, trout hungry and almost nobody out there. Tampa Bay, FL ------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/tampa-bay Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/tampa-bay Region: Florida Gulf Coordinates: 27.72, -82.55 Station: NOAA tide station 8726520 (St. Petersburg, FL) About: Tampa Bay is Florida’s biggest open-water estuary and maybe its most complete inshore fishery: snook in the mangroves, trout on the grass, redfish schools on the flats and a tarpon parade past the Skyway every summer. Species (spring): Snook, Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Cobia, Sheepshead, Spanish Mackerel Species (summer): Snook, Tarpon, Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Spanish Mackerel Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Snook, Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Florida Pompano Species (winter): Sheepshead, Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum Also caught: Mangrove snapper (docks and rock piles, summer) Towns: St. Petersburg, Tampa, Tierra Verde, Apollo Beach, Ruskin, Palmetto Seasonal guidance: Winter concentrates snook in rivers and canals (watch the cold snaps) while sheepshead blanket every piling and reds pod up on the negative-low flats. Spring pours whitebait into the bay and everything eats. Summer is tarpon at the Skyway and beaches, snook spawning in the passes and dawn trout. Fall reloads: redfish schools a hundred strong, snook feeding back into the bays and Spanish on every bait ball. Charlotte Harbor & Boca Grande, FL ---------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/charlotte-harbor Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/charlotte-harbor Region: Florida Gulf Coordinates: 26.78, -82.15 Station: NOAA tide station 8725577 (Port Boca Grande, Charlotte Harbor, FL) Water-temperature station: 8725520 (Fort Myers, FL, 19 mi away) About: Charlotte Harbor is a vast, mangrove-rimmed bowl fed by the Peace and Myakka rivers, emptying through Boca Grande Pass — the tarpon capital of the world. Inside: snook bars, redfish flats and trout grass that goes on for miles. Species (spring): Snook, Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Tarpon, Cobia, Sheepshead Species (summer): Tarpon, Snook, Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Spanish Mackerel Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Snook, Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Florida Pompano Species (winter): Sheepshead, Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum Also caught: Mangrove snapper (docks and oyster bars, summer) Towns: Boca Grande, Placida, Englewood, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, Bokeelia Seasonal guidance: Winter pulls snook up the canals and rivers, with trout and reds on the negative-low flats — prime poling weather. Spring stages tarpon off the beaches and lights up the pre-spawn snook bite. Summer is Boca Grande: the pass fills with tarpon May through July, snook line the beaches and mornings mean thunderheads by ten. Fall is redfish month — big schools crawling the bars — with snook falling back to the creeks. Ten Thousand Islands & the Everglades, FL ----------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/ten-thousand-islands Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/ten-thousand-islands Region: Florida Gulf Coordinates: 25.85, -81.45 Station: NOAA tide station 8724948 (Everglades City, Barron River, FL) Water-temperature station: 8725520 (Fort Myers, FL, 61 mi away) About: South of Marco Island the road runs out and the mangroves take over — thousands of islands, rivers and oyster mouths draining the Everglades into the Gulf. It’s the last frontier of Florida inshore fishing: snook, redfish, tarpon and total solitude. Species (spring): Snook, Redfish (Red Drum), Tarpon, Speckled Trout, Cobia Species (summer): Snook, Tarpon, Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout Species (fall): Snook, Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Tarpon, Southern Flounder Species (winter): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Snook, Sheepshead, Black Drum Also caught: Goliath grouper (catch-and-release brutes in the rivers); Mangrove snapper; Jack crevalle Towns: Marco Island, Goodland, Everglades City, Chokoloskee, Port of the Islands Seasonal guidance: Winter sends everything to the backcountry — reds, trout, snook and black drum stack in the dark-bottom bays and rivers, and Chokoloskee shines after fronts. Spring pulls snook and tarpon back toward the outside. Summer is tarpon in the rivers, snook spawning at the passes and afternoon lightning you plan around. Fall might be the best of all: fat snook feeding hard, redfish schools on the outside bars and the dry-season crowds still weeks away. The Florida Keys, FL -------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/florida-keys Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/florida-keys Region: Florida Atlantic Coordinates: 24.8, -81.1 Station: NOAA tide station 8724580 (Key West, FL) About: A 120-mile arc of islands between the Atlantic and Florida Bay, the Keys are the light-tackle and fly capital of the planet. Tarpon pour up the oceanside in spring, bonefish and permit haunt the flats, and winter brings the whole food chain to the backcountry. Species (spring): Tarpon, Snook, Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout Species (summer): Tarpon, Snook Species (fall): Snook, Tarpon, Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout Species (winter): Spanish Mackerel, Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Sheepshead, Cobia Also caught: Bonefish; Permit; Barracuda; Mangrove snapper; Yellowtail snapper Towns: Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine Key, Key West Seasonal guidance: Winter turns the Gulf-side backcountry on: Spanish mackerel blitzes, trout over the mud, cobia riding stingrays and sharks thick behind them. Spring is the migration — tarpon strings running the oceanside from Islamorada to Key West. Summer means early tarpon, bonefish on the flood and snapper for dinner. Fall is quiet-season magic: bones and permit with nobody around, and the first fronts firing the backcountry. Biscayne Bay & Miami, FL ------------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/biscayne-bay Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/biscayne-bay Region: Florida Atlantic Coordinates: 25.58, -80.23 Station: NOAA tide station 8723214 (Virginia Key, FL) About: A clear, grassy bay squeezed between Miami’s skyline and the reef — bonefish and permit flats in sight of downtown, tarpon in the cuts all winter, and dock-light snook up the residential canals. Urban saltwater fishing without equal. Species (spring): Tarpon, Snook, Speckled Trout Species (summer): Snook, Tarpon Species (fall): Snook, Tarpon, Speckled Trout Species (winter): Tarpon, Snook, Spanish Mackerel, Sheepshead Also caught: Bonefish; Permit; Jack crevalle; Peacock bass (freshwater canals) Towns: Miami, Miami Beach, Key Biscayne, Coconut Grove, Cutler Bay, Homestead Seasonal guidance: Winter is the famous night-tarpon window at the cuts on the shrimp runs, plus mackerel and jacks piling into the bay. Spring stages migratory tarpon down the beaches and wakes the bonefish flats. Summer means dawn snook on the beaches and bones early before the heat glasses over. Fall is the mullet run down Miami Beach — snook, tarpon and jacks crashing bait against the groins. Indian River Lagoon & Mosquito Lagoon, FL ----------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/indian-river-lagoon Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/indian-river-lagoon Region: Florida Atlantic Coordinates: 27.86, -80.46 Station: NOAA tide station 8721604 (Trident Pier, Port Canaveral, FL) About: The Indian River Lagoon system — Mosquito Lagoon, the Banana River, the Indian River proper — runs 150 miles down Florida’s east coast and grows the biggest speckled trout in America. No real tide in the northern basins: it’s all sight-fishing, wind and water clarity. Species (spring): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Snook, Black Drum, Tarpon Species (summer): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Snook, Tarpon Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Snook, Southern Flounder, Black Drum Species (winter): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Black Drum, Sheepshead Towns: Titusville, Cocoa Beach, Melbourne, Sebastian, Vero Beach, Stuart Seasonal guidance: Winter is giant-trout season — calm cold mornings, black-mud flats, fish over ten pounds for those who move slow. Spring spreads reds across the flats in big schools. Summer means dawn topwater, mangrove snook down south near Stuart and tarpon at the inlets. Fall is the mullet run: everything with fins stacks at Sebastian and Fort Pierce inlets, and the lagoon reds feed like it’s their job. Jacksonville & the First Coast, FL ---------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/jacksonville Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/jacksonville Region: Florida Atlantic Coordinates: 30.4, -81.45 Station: NOAA tide station 8720218 (Mayport (Bar Pilots Dock), FL) About: Where the St. Johns River meets the Atlantic, spartina marsh runs unbroken from Amelia Island to St. Augustine. Classic Southeast creek fishing — flood-tide reds, docks stacked with sheepshead, and a jetty system that fishes all year. Species (spring): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Southern Flounder Species (summer): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Tarpon, Southern Flounder, Spanish Mackerel Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Black Drum Species (winter): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Sheepshead, Black Drum Also caught: Bluefish (fall run) Towns: Jacksonville, Mayport, Amelia Island, Ponte Vedra Beach, St. Augustine Seasonal guidance: Winter drops the water clean and stacks trout and reds deep in the creeks — dead-slow presentations win. Spring wakes the whole marsh and brings spawning sheepshead to the jetties. Summer is flood-tide tailing season with tarpon on the pogies outside. Fall is the run of runs: bull reds at the jetties, a beach full of mullet and the creeks emptying shrimp on every falling tide. The Georgia Coast (Savannah to St. Simons), GA ---------------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/georgia-coast Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/georgia-coast Region: Southeast Atlantic Coordinates: 31.6, -81.12 Station: NOAA tide station 8670870 (Fort Pulaski, GA) About: Georgia’s hundred miles of coast hide behind barrier islands — Tybee, Ossabaw, Sapelo, St. Simons — laced with the biggest tides in the Southeast. Eight-foot swings make it a timing game, and the reward is untouched marsh full of reds and trout. Species (spring): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Southern Flounder Species (summer): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Tarpon, Southern Flounder, Spanish Mackerel Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Black Drum Species (winter): Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Sheepshead, Black Drum Also caught: Whiting (bottom rigs in the sounds) Towns: Savannah, Tybee Island, Richmond Hill, Darien, Brunswick, St. Simons Island Seasonal guidance: Winter schools reds huge and clear in the shallow creeks — some of the Southeast’s best sight-fishing with nobody watching. Spring brings sheepshead off the reefs into the sounds and wakes the trout bite. Summer is tarpon in the sounds and flood-tide reds in the short spartina. Fall is bull reds at the sandbars, trout limits in the creeks and the marsh turning gold. The SC Lowcountry (Charleston to Hilton Head), SC ------------------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/sc-lowcountry Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/sc-lowcountry Region: Southeast Atlantic Coordinates: 32.45, -80.4 Station: NOAA tide station 8665530 (Charleston, SC) About: Spartina marsh, pluff mud and shrimp boats: the Lowcountry from Charleston through Beaufort to Hilton Head is flood-tide redfish country, with a bonus cobia run up the Broad River every May. Fishing here is a tide chart with a city attached. Species (spring): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Cobia, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Southern Flounder Species (summer): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Tarpon, Southern Flounder Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Black Drum Species (winter): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Sheepshead, Black Drum Towns: Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Folly Beach, Edisto Island, Beaufort, Hilton Head Island Seasonal guidance: Winter schools reds by the hundred in gin-clear shallows — pick a school apart slowly and quietly. Spring means the Broad River cobia run and trout waking up on the grass banks. Summer is flood-tide tailing on every big high, with sharks and tarpon behind the trawlers. Fall is the Lowcountry’s finest: bull reds at the inlets, trout on every point and oyster roasts when you’re done. The Grand Strand (Murrells Inlet & Georgetown), SC -------------------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/grand-strand Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/grand-strand Region: Southeast Atlantic Coordinates: 33.42, -79.1 Station: NOAA tide station 8661070 (Springmaid Pier, Myrtle Beach, SC) About: South of Myrtle Beach’s neon, Murrells Inlet and Winyah Bay at Georgetown do the actual fishing: tight tidal creeks, jetty rock and one of the East Coast’s great river-delta estuaries. Reds and trout inside, pompano and Spanish on the beach. Species (spring): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Southern Flounder Species (summer): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Spanish Mackerel, Florida Pompano Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Black Drum Species (winter): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Sheepshead Also caught: Bluefish (jetties and surf) Towns: Murrells Inlet, Pawleys Island, Georgetown, North Myrtle Beach, Little River Seasonal guidance: Winter pods reds up in the clear creeks behind the inlet — sight-fishing between fronts. Spring turns on sheepshead at the jetties and scatters trout up Winyah Bay’s rivers. Summer means beach pompano, jetty Spanish and creek reds at dawn before the boat traffic. Fall is the payoff — trout limits in the inlet, bull reds at the Georgetown jetties and flounder stacking on the drops before they leave. Cape Fear (Wilmington & Southport), NC -------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/cape-fear Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/cape-fear Region: Southeast Atlantic Coordinates: 33.9, -78.02 Station: NOAA tide station 8659084 (Southport, NC) Water-temperature station: 8658120 (Wilmington, NC, 23 mi away) About: The Cape Fear River pours past Wilmington into a maze of spartina creeks, ICW docks and inlet bars between Wrightsville Beach and Bald Head Island. North Carolina’s southern corner — reds year-round, a proper fall trout run, flounder culture deep in the bones. Species (spring): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Black Drum, Sheepshead, Southern Flounder Species (summer): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Spanish Mackerel, Florida Pompano Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Black Drum Species (winter): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Sheepshead Also caught: Bluefish Towns: Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Southport, Oak Island Seasonal guidance: Winter schools reds on the clear shallow flats — long leaders, slow days, big numbers. Spring brings sheepshead to the docks and the first Spanish up the beach. Summer is flounder on every creek mouth (mind the season), reds in the flooded grass and pompano in the surf. Fall is speck season proper: October fronts fire the trout run through the inlets, with bull reds off the Cape Fear shoals. Pamlico Sound & Outer Banks, NC ------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/pamlico-sound Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/pamlico-sound Region: Southeast Atlantic Coordinates: 35.2226, -75.6905 Station: NOAA tide station 8654467 (USCG Station Hatteras, NC) About: America’s largest lagoon: shallow, wind-tided and wild. Home of the world-record red drum and genuine gator trout, backed by the Outer Banks surf and inlets. Species (spring): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Black Drum, Striped Bass Species (summer): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Spanish Mackerel, Sheepshead, Cobia Species (fall): Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Southern Flounder, Striped Bass Species (winter): Speckled Trout, Striped Bass, Redfish (Red Drum) Also caught: Bluefish; Sea mullet (whiting) Towns: Hatteras, Ocracoke, Manteo, Oriental, Engelhard, Swanquarter Seasonal guidance: Wind tides rule here — a hard southwest blow can empty a flat regardless of the lunar tide. Spring wakes trout and puppy drum in the creeks. Summer brings cobia to the inlets and old drum to the shoals. Fall is legendary: trophy drum, speck limits, and the flounder bite before closure. Winter trout hole up in the creeks — handle fish gently after cold snaps. Chesapeake Bay (Annapolis & Lower Bay), MD ------------------------------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/chesapeake Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/chesapeake Region: Mid-Atlantic Coordinates: 38.9833, -76.4816 Station: NOAA tide station 8575512 (Annapolis, MD) About: The nation’s largest estuary and the northern edge of Tides & Tails’ coverage. Rockfish (striped bass) headline, but reds, specks, Spanish and sheepshead push farther up the bay every warm year. Species (spring): Striped Bass, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum Species (summer): Striped Bass, Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Spanish Mackerel, Cobia, Sheepshead Species (fall): Striped Bass, Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum) Species (winter): Striped Bass Also caught: White perch; Bluefish Towns: Annapolis, Kent Island, Deale, Solomons, Crisfield, Cambridge Seasonal guidance: Spring is trophy rockfish season (tight regulations — always verify current MD rules) plus giant black drum in May. Summer spreads Spanish, cobia and bull reds through the lower bay; heat pushes stripers deep — fish dawn. Fall is the classic: birds, blitzes and topwater rock. Winter is largely closed/catch-and-release for stripers — check before you go. San Diego & Mission Bay, CA --------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/san-diego Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/san-diego Region: California Coordinates: 32.7142, -117.1736 Station: NOAA tide station 9410170 (San Diego, San Diego Bay, CA) About: SoCal’s protected bays are a light-tackle playground: eelgrass flats, channel edges and docks holding spotted bay bass, halibut and cruising corbina — West Coast inshore at its best. Species (spring): Spotted Bay Bass, California Halibut, White Seabass Species (summer): Spotted Bay Bass, California Halibut, California Yellowtail, Pacific Bonito Species (fall): Spotted Bay Bass, California Yellowtail, Pacific Bonito, Barred Sand Bass Species (winter): Spotted Bay Bass, California Halibut, Barred Sand Bass Also caught: California corbina (surf/sight-fishing, summer); Shortfin corvina (evening bait schools); Bonefish (rare but real in south bay) Towns: San Diego, Point Loma, Coronado, Mission Beach, Chula Vista Seasonal guidance: The bays fish year-round. Spring wakes the halibut on the flats. Summer is corbina season in the surf and corvina at dusk. Fall keeps bass and halibut steady, and winter means slower retrieves in the channels — but the spotties never really quit. Oceanside & Carlsbad, CA ------------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/oceanside-carlsbad Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/oceanside-carlsbad Region: California Coordinates: 33.2, -117.45 Station: NOAA tide station 9410396 (Oceanside Harbor, CA) Water-temperature station: 9410230 (La Jolla, CA, 28 mi away) About: North San Diego County's working harbor and its kelp coast. Agua Hedionda Lagoon feeds bait to the beach, the kelp forests off Carlsbad hold calico bass and white seabass, and summer corbina tail in the surf line within sight of the pier. Species (spring): White Seabass, California Halibut, Calico Bass Species (summer): Calico Bass, California Yellowtail, Pacific Bonito Species (fall): California Yellowtail, Pacific Bonito, Calico Bass, Rockfish Species (winter): California Halibut, Rockfish Also caught: California corbina (surf sight-fishing, summer); Barracuda (fall bait schools) Towns: Oceanside Harbor, Carlsbad, South Oceanside Seasonal guidance: Spring is the sneaky season: white seabass slide along the kelp on the squid, and halibut stack on the sand outside the harbor mouth. Summer means calico bass in the forest, corbina in the surf and yellowtail when the warm water pushes in. Fall keeps the yellows around and adds bonito and barracuda under the birds. Winter turns back to halibut drifts and rockfish on the deeper structure — seasonal closure applies, so check current CA rules before you drop. Newport & Dana Point, CA ------------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/newport-dana-point Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/newport-dana-point Region: California Coordinates: 33.58, -117.85 Station: NOAA tide station 9410580 (Newport Beach, Newport Bay Entrance, CA) Water-temperature station: 9410660 (Los Angeles, CA, 25 mi away) About: Orange County's blue-water doorstep. The shelf drops away fast off Newport and Dana Point, so bluefin, yellowtail and dorado run closer to the harbor mouth here than almost anywhere on the coast — with calico bass and bay fishing waiting when the offshore lies down. Species (spring): White Seabass, Rockfish, Spotted Bay Bass Species (summer): Calico Bass, California Yellowtail, Spotted Bay Bass Species (fall): California Yellowtail, Pacific Bonito, Calico Bass Species (winter): California Halibut, Spotted Bay Bass Also caught: Bluefin tuna (fall, sometimes shockingly close to shore); Dorado (summer paddy fish in warm-water years) Towns: Newport Beach, Dana Point, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach Seasonal guidance: Spring belongs to the squid: white seabass ghost the nests at night and rockfish bite on the local banks when the season is open — seasonal closure applies, verify before you go. Summer lights up the kelp with calicos and yellowtail, and warm years float dorado under every paddy. Fall is the headline act — bluefin tuna within sight of the headlands some years, yellowtail until the water cools. Winter turns inward: halibut on the bay flats and spotties on every dock line. LA & Long Beach Harbors, CA --------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/la-long-beach Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/la-long-beach Region: California Coordinates: 33.72, -118.23 Station: NOAA tide station 9410660 (Los Angeles, CA) About: The biggest harbor complex on the West Coast is also one of its best-kept bass fisheries. Miles of breakwater — 'The Wall' — hold trophy calicos in lake-calm water, spotted bay bass own the inner harbor structure, and yellowtail and bonito crash the outside in fall. Species (spring): Spotted Bay Bass, Barred Sand Bass, Rockfish Species (summer): Calico Bass, Barred Sand Bass, Spotted Bay Bass Species (fall): California Yellowtail, Pacific Bonito, Calico Bass Species (winter): Spotted Bay Bass, California Halibut Also caught: Barracuda (spring–summer bait schools) Towns: San Pedro, Long Beach, Huntington Harbour, Wilmington Seasonal guidance: Spring wakes the spotted bay bass first, with rockfish outside when the season allows — seasonal closure applies, check the current CA dates. Summer is Wall season: sand bass gang up on structure and the biggest calicos of the year eat swimbaits in flat-calm water. Fall sends yellowtail and bonito down the breakwater chasing bait. Winter goes quiet and technical — spotties on the docks and halibut in the channels for the patient. Santa Monica Bay, CA -------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/santa-monica-bay Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/santa-monica-bay Region: California Coordinates: 33.96, -118.55 Station: NOAA tide station 9410840 (Santa Monica, CA) About: LA's home water: a broad, sandy crescent from Malibu to the Palos Verdes kelp. The flats make it a premier halibut drift fishery, the summer 'Short Bank' barracuda bite is a local institution, and white seabass haunt the kelp edges for those who put in the time. Species (spring): California Halibut, Rockfish Species (summer): Calico Bass, White Seabass, Pacific Bonito, California Halibut Species (fall): California Yellowtail, White Seabass, Pacific Bonito Species (winter): California Halibut, Barred Sand Bass Also caught: Barracuda (the Short Bank, summer) Towns: Marina del Rey, Redondo Beach, Malibu, Santa Monica, Hermosa Beach Seasonal guidance: Spring pairs rockfish on the deeper reefs — seasonal closure applies, check current CA rules — with the first good halibut drifts of the year on the flats. Summer is the bay at full song: calicos in the kelp, white seabass for the dawn-patrol crowd, and the Short Bank barracuda bite that fills sportboat decks. Fall brings yellowtail through on the warm water and keeps the seabass honest. Winter slows to halibut and sand bass on the structure — pick your weather windows. Santa Barbara & Ventura, CA --------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/santa-barbara-ventura Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/santa-barbara-ventura Region: California Coordinates: 34.35, -119.65 Station: NOAA tide station 9411340 (Santa Barbara, CA) Water-temperature station: 9410840 (Santa Monica, CA, 65 mi away) About: The gateway to the Northern Channel Islands — Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and San Miguel — where the cold California Current meets SoCal. IGFA-record halibut water, serious rockfish and lingcod grounds, and white seabass on the island squid. Species (spring): Rockfish, White Seabass, California Halibut Species (summer): Calico Bass, California Yellowtail, California Halibut, Rockfish Species (fall): California Yellowtail, White Seabass, Rockfish Species (winter): California Halibut Also caught: Lingcod (hard bottom and pinnacles); California sheephead (reef and kelp); Sand dabs (deep sand, the off-season standby) Towns: Santa Barbara Harbor, Ventura Harbor, Channel Islands Harbor (Oxnard) Seasonal guidance: The islands set the calendar here. When rockfish season is open — seasonal closure applies, always verify current CA dates — the reefs give up quality reds and lingcod. Spring squid draws white seabass to the island grounds. Summer and fall add yellowtail runs and calico bass in the island kelp, with halibut on the sand flats all the while — this is genuine record-class halibut water. In the off-season, sand dab droppers and sheephead keep the rail busy between weather windows. Monterey Bay, CA ---------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/monterey Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/monterey Region: California Coordinates: 36.605, -121.8884 Station: NOAA tide station 9413450 (Monterey, CA) About: Cold, rich and dramatic: kelp lines, surf breaks and a summer striped bass run that surprises Gulf transplants. The northern anchor of our California coverage. Species (spring): California Halibut, Rockfish Species (summer): Striped Bass, California Halibut, Rockfish Species (fall): Striped Bass, White Seabass, Rockfish Species (winter): Rockfish Also caught: Surfperch (barred surfperch, year-round surf staple); Kelp greenling and lingcod (kelp-edge rock) Towns: Monterey, Moss Landing, Marina, Capitola, Santa Cruz Seasonal guidance: Winter is surfperch season between swells. Spring warms the flats for halibut. Summer is the headline striper run in the surf — dawn patrol with big swimbaits. Fall brings squid runs that can fire the white seabass bite along the kelp. Always watch the swell forecast; this is big-water surf fishing. Brite Lake, CA -------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/brite-lake Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/brite-lake Region: California (freshwater) Coordinates: 35.1065, -118.5431 Station: inland freshwater lake — no tide station About: High-desert mountain water at 4,000 feet. Brite Lake is a managed fishery with a surprisingly robust bass population and seasonal trout stockings — a small Tehachapi reservoir that fishes far bigger than its acreage. Species (spring): Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill Species (summer): Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Bluegill Species (fall): Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass Species (winter): Rainbow Trout Towns: Tehachapi, Golden Hills Seasonal guidance: Spring and fall are the peak for trout — stockings land when the water is cool and the fish stay shallow for weeks. Summer bass fishing is best at dawn before the sun gets on the water; catfish take over after dark. Winter is slow but holds the biggest trout of the year for the angler willing to soak bait in the cold. Lake Isabella, CA ----------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/locations/lake-isabella Charters & bait shops: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/lake-isabella Region: California (freshwater) Coordinates: 35.6383, -118.4845 Station: inland freshwater lake — no tide station About: The Kern River's massive reservoir. Known for heavy wind and heavyweight crappie, Isabella is the southern Sierra's big water — miles of coves, flooded timber and river channel holding bass, panfish, catfish and stocked trout. Species (spring): Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Bluegill Species (summer): Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Bluegill Species (fall): Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Black Crappie Species (winter): Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout Towns: Lake Isabella, Kernville, Wofford Heights, Bodfish Seasonal guidance: Spring crappie run is legendary — live minnows in the timber can fill a cooler. Summer wind makes the main body tough; fish the coves for bass at dawn and switch to catfish after dark. Fall brings a solid trout bite near the Kern inflow as the water cools. Winter is for the patient catfisherman. ======================================================================== SPECIES (26) ======================================================================== Speckled Trout (Cynoscion nebulosus) ------------------------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/speckled-trout Lineup: Gulf & Atlantic saltwater Also known as: Spotted seatrout, specks, gator trout (25"+) Summary: The signature light-tackle fish of the Gulf and Southeast. Aggressive, schooling, and honest about conditions — when tide, temp and light line up, specks eat. Habitat: Seagrass flats in 2–6 ft, sand potholes in grass, channel edges, oyster bars and dock lights at night. In winter they stack in deep holes, rivers and dredged canals where water is a few degrees warmer. Water temperature: 58–82 °F (ideal 65–75°F) Light: Classic low-light fish: first two hours of daylight and last hour before dark are prime. Overcast skies stretch the topwater window all day. Bright bluebird high-pressure days after a front push them deep and tight-lipped — downsize and slow down. A moving tide (incoming or outgoing) matters more than the clock. Spring: Bait: Live shrimp under a popping cork; mud minnows Lures: Soft-plastic jerk shads, 3" paddle tails on 1/8–1/4 oz jigheads Notes: Fish move from winter holes onto flats as water passes 62°F. Work the transition edges first. Summer: Bait: Live croaker or pigfish for big trout; live shrimp early Lures: Walk-the-dog topwater at dawn, then jigs in 4–8 ft grass by mid-morning Notes: Bite compresses to low light. Night fishing dock and bridge lights is the reliable pattern. Fall: Bait: Live shrimp — the white shrimp flush turns the whole bay on Lures: Paddle tails, popping-cork rigs, suspending twitchbaits Notes: Best numbers of the year. Birds working over shrimp = trout (and ladyfish) underneath. Winter: Bait: Fresh dead shrimp fished dead-slow on bottom Lures: Suspending twitchbaits (MirrOlure-style) with long pauses; scented plastics crawled in deep holes Notes: Find 8–15 ft holes and river bends. Warmest, calmest afternoon of a warming trend is the window. Redfish (Red Drum) (Sciaenops ocellatus) ---------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/red-drum Lineup: Gulf & Atlantic saltwater Also known as: Reds, puppy drum (slot), bull reds (oversize) Summary: The people’s champion of inshore fishing — tailing in inches of water, crushing topwaters, and pulling like a truck from CA transplants’ dreams to the Chesapeake. Habitat: Marsh edges, oyster reefs, flooded spartina grass on big high tides, sand flats, surf troughs and pier pilings. Slot fish live shallow year-round; bull reds stage at passes and inlets in fall to spawn. Water temperature: 52–88 °F (ideal 62–78°F) Light: Far less light-shy than trout. Sunny, calm days are an advantage for sight-fishing tailers and cruisers. In wind-churned muddy water, switch to vibration and scent (gold spoons, cut bait) — they feed by smell and feel as much as sight. Spring: Bait: Live shrimp or mud minnows under a cork; fresh cut mullet Lures: Gold weedless spoons over grass, 3.5" paddle tails, spinnerbaits in stained water Notes: Fish push shallow with warming water. Watch for wakes and nervous bait on protected shorelines. Summer: Bait: Live finger mullet, cracked blue crab for bigger fish Lures: Topwater at dawn along marsh edges, weedless soft plastics in flooded grass Notes: Flood-tide tailing season in spartina marshes — hunt fins, cast past the fish, drag into view. Fall: Bait: Cut mullet or menhaden on fish-finder rigs at passes and jetties Lures: Big paddle tails and bucktails for bulls; spoons and corks for slot fish Notes: The bull red spawning run is the event of the year at Gulf passes and mid-Atlantic shoals. Winter: Bait: Fresh dead shrimp fished slow on clean bottom Lures: Scented soft plastics hopped slowly; small gold spoons on sunny afternoons Notes: Clear water and big schools on shallow dark-bottom flats that warm in the sun. Long casts, light line. Southern Flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) -------------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/flounder Lineup: Gulf & Atlantic saltwater Also known as: Flatfish, doormat (5 lb+); summer flounder/fluke fill the niche in MD Summary: The ambush specialist. Slow, methodical bottom presentations near current and structure. Habitat: Sand and mud bottom next to structure — channel edges, drop-offs, creek mouths, jetty rocks and dock pilings. They lie buried facing into the current waiting for bait to wash past. Water temperature: 62–78 °F (ideal 65–74°F) Light: Less light-driven than trout; tide and current position matter most. Moving water across a drop is the trigger. Clear water helps them see a slowly dragged bait. Spring: Bait: Mud minnows on a jighead or Carolina rig Lures: Scented swimming-mullet soft baits dragged slow Notes: Fish return inshore from winter offshore spawn. Summer: Bait: Live finger mullet, mud minnows Lures: White or chartreuse paddle tails hopped along bottom Notes: Spread through creeks and bay edges. Fall: Bait: Finger mullet — the run bait Lures: Heavier jigheads at passes and jetties Notes: October–November migration to the Gulf/ocean is the peak. Seasons often close — verify regs. Winter: Bait: Mostly offshore Lures: — Notes: Adults spawn offshore; inshore catch is incidental. Sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus) ---------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/sheepshead Lineup: Gulf & Atlantic saltwater Also known as: Convict fish, sheepies Summary: Human-toothed structure bandit. The classic cold-month inshore target. Habitat: Anything vertical with barnacles: bridge and dock pilings, jetties, seawalls, channel markers, oyster reefs. Late winter they gather on nearshore reefs and at passes to spawn. Water temperature: 55–74 °F (ideal 58–68°F) Light: Clear, slower-moving water makes the subtle bite easier to detect. Slack-ish tide windows around structure are workable; heavy current makes them hug pilings tighter. Spring: Bait: Fiddler crabs, shrimp pieces Lures: Small jigs tipped with shrimp Notes: Post-spawn fish scatter back to inshore structure. Summer: Bait: Fiddlers, barnacle scrapings as chum Lures: — Notes: Steady pier/dock fishery, smaller average size. Fall: Bait: Shrimp, fiddlers Lures: Jig-and-shrimp near pilings Notes: Bite improves as water cools below 72°F. Winter: Bait: Fiddler crabs — the money bait Lures: — Notes: Peak season. Spawning schools at jetties and nearshore reefs; set the hook on anything unusual. Black Drum (Pogonias cromis) ---------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/black-drum Lineup: Gulf & Atlantic saltwater Also known as: Puppy drum (small), big uglies (30 lb+) Summary: Redfish’s bottom-feeding cousin. Puppies eat great; giants pull hard and get released. Habitat: Muddy flats, oyster bars, bridge and dock pilings, deep holes in bays. Feeds by feel and smell with chin barbels — dirty water bothers them least of any inshore fish. Water temperature: 55–82 °F (ideal 60–75°F) Light: Light matters little; scent and current matter a lot. A dead-stick natural bait on bottom beats any lure. Great muddy-water, post-front backup plan. Spring: Bait: Half blue crab, fresh shrimp Lures: Rarely — scented plastics fished dead slow Notes: Spawning run of big fish at passes and bay bridges. Summer: Bait: Shrimp on bottom rigs Lures: — Notes: Puppy drum around bars and docks. Fall: Bait: Shrimp, crab chunks Lures: — Notes: Mixed with sheepshead and reds on structure. Winter: Bait: Fresh dead shrimp Lures: — Notes: Deep holes and canals; slow, reliable bite. Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) ------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/snook Lineup: Gulf & Atlantic saltwater Also known as: Linesider, robalo Summary: The glamour fish of Florida inshore — ambush predator with a drag-melting first run. Habitat: Mangrove shorelines, passes, beaches in summer, dock and bridge lights at night. Historically south of the big bends, but the range keeps creeping north along the Gulf — St. Joseph Bay now holds fish most years. Water temperature: 68–88 °F (ideal 72–84°F) Light: Night and low light around lighted structure is the classic pattern. Cold fronts shut them down hard — below ~60°F they go lethargic and below the mid-50s cold kills are a real risk. Fish warming trends only in the cool months. Spring: Bait: Live pilchards, threadfins Lures: Jerk shads and swimbaits along mangroves Notes: Fish slide from rivers toward passes as water warms. Summer: Bait: Live bait at passes Lures: Flair-hawk-style jigs at night, topwater at dawn on beaches Notes: Spawning at passes; heavily regulated — check seasons before keeping anything. Fall: Bait: Pilchards, pinfish Lures: Paddle tails, twitchbaits Notes: Feeding up before the first fronts. Winter: Bait: Slow-fished jumbo shrimp Lures: Suspending twitchbaits, dead slow Notes: Rivers, canals and dark-mud backwaters that hold heat. Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) ---------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/tarpon Lineup: Gulf & Atlantic saltwater Also known as: Silver king, poon Summary: A 100 lb fish that jumps like a bass. The Gulf beach migration is a bucket-list bite. Habitat: Beach troughs and bars during the May–July migration, passes and bay mouths, river mouths late summer. Rolls on the surface to gulp air — look before you cast. Water temperature: 74–88 °F (ideal 76–84°F) Light: Dawn glass-calm beach mornings are prime for sight-casting rolling schools. They spook badly in bright midday sun and boat traffic. Fish the edges of light around bridges at night. Spring: Bait: Live crabs on the hill tides Lures: Swimbaits, DOA Baitbuster-style plugs Notes: First pushes arrive as water crosses 74°F. Summer: Bait: Pass crabs, threadfins, mullet Lures: Big soft plastics presented ahead of rolling fish Notes: Peak migration. Circle hooks, heavy leader, revive fish fully. Fall: Bait: Mullet during the run Lures: Swimming plugs at river mouths Notes: Stragglers follow the mullet run south. Winter: Bait: — Lures: — Notes: Gone south / offshore. Juveniles winter in warm backwaters. Gag Grouper (Mycteroperca microlepis) ------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/gag-grouper Lineup: Gulf & Atlantic saltwater Also known as: Gags, grass grouper (juveniles) Summary: Yes, a grouper on the inshore list — juveniles prowl Gulf grass flats and rock edges within sight of land. Habitat: Juveniles in seagrass and around inshore rock piles (St. Joseph Bay is famous for it); keeper fish on nearshore hard bottom and ledges in 20–60 ft. First run for the rocks — heavy leader or lose. Water temperature: 62–80 °F (ideal 66–75°F) Light: Structure and current over light. Overcast helps shallow-water gags roam off the rocks. Fall cool-down pulls keeper fish surprisingly shallow. Spring: Bait: Live pinfish Lures: Deep-diving crankbaits over rock Notes: Check season dates — Gulf gag seasons shift year to year. Summer: Bait: Pinfish, sardines Lures: Big paddle tails on 1 oz heads Notes: Juveniles thick in the grass; most are shorts. Fall: Bait: Live pinfish or mullet Lures: Trolled lipped plugs along ledges Notes: The shallow-water run — best inshore shot at a keeper. Winter: Bait: Cut and live bait deeper Lures: Slow-pitch style jigs nearshore Notes: Fish slide deeper; seasons usually closed — verify. Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) ------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/striped-bass Lineup: Gulf & Atlantic saltwater Also known as: Rockfish (Chesapeake), stripers, linesides Summary: The mid-Atlantic icon — and a genuine West Coast surf target in Monterey Bay. Habitat: Chesapeake: channel edges, light lines at night, bridge pilings, tributary mouths. California: surf troughs and river mouths in summer. Follows bait and comfortable temps religiously. Water temperature: 50–70 °F (ideal 55–68°F) Light: Dawn, dusk and night are the money hours; big fish feed after dark around lights and current seams. Midsummer heat pushes Chesapeake fish deep and stresses them — fish early, land fast, or leave them alone above 80°F. Spring: Bait: Bloodworms, cut menhaden (where legal) Lures: Bucktails, swim shads on channel edges Notes: Trophy season around the spawn — heavy regulation, check current MD rules. Summer: Bait: Live spot, eels Lures: Topwater at first light; CA surf: 5" swimbaits Notes: Chesapeake heat = fish deep or early. Monterey surf bite peaks. Fall: Bait: Live eels at night Lures: Walk-the-dog topwater, jigging spoons under birds Notes: Best all-around season on the bay. Winter: Bait: Cut bait deep Lures: Big soft plastics jigged slow Notes: Ocean-run fish off VA/MD; bay fishery mostly catch-and-release — verify regs. Spanish Mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus) ------------------------------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/spanish-mackerel Lineup: Gulf & Atlantic saltwater Also known as: Spanish, macks Summary: Speed in a yellow-spotted wrapper. Find diving birds, cast anything shiny, retrieve fast. Habitat: Beachfronts, piers, passes and open bays wherever glass minnows and menhaden ball up. A warm-season migrant that shows when water passes ~68°F and leaves with the first cold snaps. Water temperature: 68–84 °F (ideal 70–80°F) Light: Bright sun and clear water actually help — flash triggers strikes. Morning and evening see the biggest surface blitzes. Long casting distance beats finesse; add 40–50 lb fluoro or light wire against the teeth. Spring: Bait: Live glass minnows rarely needed Lures: Silver casting spoons, Gotcha plugs Notes: First arrivals with 68°F water. Summer: Bait: Free-lined greenbacks off piers Lures: Spoons behind a trolling weight, jigs under birds Notes: Everywhere there’s bait. Fast retrieve, then faster. Fall: Bait: Bait schools along beaches Lures: Spoons, small topwater during blitzes Notes: Feeding frenzy before the exit — best size of the year. Winter: Bait: — Lures: — Notes: Migrated south to FL/warmer water. Florida Pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) --------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/pompano Lineup: Gulf & Atlantic saltwater Also known as: Pomps Summary: Pound for pound the surf’s hardest fighter, and arguably its best dinner. Habitat: Surf zone sandbars and troughs, sandy passes and clean-water beaches, digging sand fleas (mole crabs) and coquina clams off the bottom. Runs the beach in spring and fall migrations. Water temperature: 65–80 °F (ideal 68–75°F) Light: Water clarity is the big variable — they want clean, green, sandy-clear surf. An incoming tide through mid-morning is classic. After big blows, wait for the surf to clean up. Spring: Bait: Live sand fleas, fresh peeled shrimp, Fishbites strips Lures: Pompano jigs (banana style) tipped with shrimp Notes: Main migration along Gulf beaches. Summer: Bait: Sand fleas early morning Lures: Small jigs in the swash Notes: Scattered resident fish; dawn is best before swimmers. Fall: Bait: Sand fleas, shrimp on 2-drop rigs Lures: Jigs bounced through troughs Notes: Second run as water cools back through the low 70s. Winter: Bait: Shrimp/Fishbites on calm warm spells Lures: — Notes: South FL holds the winter fishery; northern Gulf is spotty. Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) ---------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/cobia Lineup: Gulf & Atlantic saltwater Also known as: Ling, lemonfish, crab eater Summary: The brown bomber of the spring beach run — sight-fished from towers, hooked within sight of the sand. Habitat: Cruises the beach in spring migration, shadows rays and turtles, holds on buoys, wrecks, and channel markers. Chesapeake fish summer over lower-bay shoals. Water temperature: 68–82 °F (ideal 70–78°F) Light: A sight-fishing game: high sun (10am–3pm) and clean water are your friends for spotting fish. Dirty water after fronts kills the run for days. Keep a pitch rod rigged and ready — the shot lasts seconds. Spring: Bait: Live eels, big shrimp Lures: 2–3 oz bucktails with eel-style trailers Notes: Beach migration east-to-west along the Gulf. Regulations tightened recently — check limits. Summer: Bait: Live eels, croaker over shoals Lures: Bucktails pitched to markers and rays Notes: Chesapeake peak; Gulf fish scatter to structure. Fall: Bait: Live bait on wrecks Lures: Jigs over nearshore structure Notes: Reverse migration; incidental inshore catches. Winter: Bait: — Lures: — Notes: Offshore/south. Plan for the spring run. Calico Bass (Paralabrax clathratus) ----------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/calico-bass Lineup: West Coast saltwater Also known as: Kelp bass, calicos, bull bass (5 lb+) Summary: The West Coast's resident light-tackle king. Calicos live in the kelp their whole lives, hit like fish twice their size, and reward the angler who can put a swimbait a foot off the stringers without hanging up. Habitat: Kelp forests, boiler rocks and breakwater walls — anywhere hard structure meets moving water. Big fish hold on the up-current corners of the kelp and the wash around boiler rocks. Harbor walls like the LA breakwater grow genuine trophies in flat-calm water. Water temperature: 58–74 °F (ideal 62–70°F) Light: A gray-light and edge-of-day fish. Overcast mornings keep calicos loose and hunting off the kelp; bright midday sun pins them deep in the stringers where only a weedless bait reaches them. A little current beats any light condition — slack water is the real bite killer. Spring: Bait: Live squid when the nests form Lures: Weedless swimbaits, hard jerkbaits off the kelp edge Notes: Fish wake up with the water. Squid in the count means calicos in the game. Summer: Bait: Live anchovies and sardines fly-lined at the kelp Lures: 4–6" weedless swimbaits in the stringers, surface iron over bait Notes: Peak season. Big fish shallow in the kelp and on the boilers — this is the window for a legitimate bull calico. Fall: Bait: Sardines on the kelp line Lures: Swimbaits and jerkbaits as the bait schools push through Notes: Steady fishing until the water drops through the low 60s. Winter: Bait: Live squid fished slow and deep Lures: Heavier swimbaits crawled along deep structure Notes: Fish slide deeper on the same structure. Slow down and go to the 20–40 ft zone. California Halibut (Paralichthys californicus) ---------------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/california-halibut Lineup: West Coast saltwater Also known as: Flatties, barn doors (20 lb+) Summary: The West Coast's answer to the flounder — bigger, meaner and worth planning around. A legal halibut off the sand is a trophy anywhere; the record-class water off Santa Barbara grows genuine barn doors. Habitat: Sand and mud flats near structure: channel edges in the bays, harbor mouths, and open-beach sand in 15–60 ft. An ambush fish that buries in the sand facing up-current and eats whatever the tide washes past. The bay flats fish shallow in spring; open-coast fish hold deeper year-round. Water temperature: 56–74 °F (ideal 60–68°F) Light: Light matters less than water movement and clarity — halibut feed by sight from below, so clean water and a bait swimming just off the bottom get bit at noon. The classic program is a drift on a moving tide, any light, with live bait bounced slow. Spring: Bait: Live smelt and small mackerel drifted on the flats Lures: White swimbaits slow-rolled on the bottom Notes: The wake-up. Fish move onto the bay flats and harbor-mouth sand as the water warms. Summer: Bait: Live anchovies and smelt on a Carolina rig Lures: Carolina-rigged grubs, 5" swimbaits bounced on the drift Notes: Steady on the open-coast sand. Moving tide over clean water. Fall: Bait: Live bait on the deeper sand Lures: Swimbaits worked along channel drops Notes: Fish slide toward deeper edges but keep eating. Winter: Bait: A patient live smelt in the channels Lures: Grubs and swimbaits crawled dead-slow Notes: The bay program: deeper channels, slower drifts, fewer but quality fish. California Yellowtail (Seriola dorsalis) ---------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/california-yellowtail Lineup: West Coast saltwater Also known as: Yellows, forktails, mossbacks (trophy class) Summary: The fish SoCal builds its summer around. A yellowtail on the surface iron is the West Coast's signature moment — brutal first run, no quit, and a bite that lives and dies with the warm water. Habitat: Kelp lines, offshore paddies, high spots and bait schools from San Diego to the Channel Islands. Warm-water pelagics that push inshore when the current runs blue and warm — some years within casting range of the harbor mouths, other years a long ride out. Water temperature: 62–78 °F (ideal 66–74°F) Light: Gray light is the classic window — the dawn surface-iron bite along the kelp is a religion. Bright midday can still fire when bait is pinned up, but the fish get boat-shy and iron-shy; go longer casts and live bait. Birds working are worth more than any light reading. Spring: Bait: Live squid on the nests when they form Lures: Yo-yo iron dropped through marks on the high spots Notes: First fish show as the water crosses 62°F — deep on the squid before they ever boil. Summer: Bait: Fly-lined sardines on the kelp line Lures: Surface iron at dawn, poppers on foamers Notes: Peak season. Warm blue water pushes fish inside — the surface-iron window of the year. Fall: Bait: Sardines and mackerel under the bird schools Lures: Surface iron and yo-yo iron under working birds Notes: The last strong push as bait stacks along the coast. Some years the best month. Winter: Bait: — Lures: — Notes: Gone south with the warm water. Island stragglers only in mild winters. Spotted Bay Bass (Paralabrax maculatofasciatus) ----------------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/spotted-bay-bass Lineup: West Coast saltwater Also known as: Spotties, bay bass Summary: The year-round heartbeat of the SoCal bays. Spotties eat every month, fight over their weight class, and turn an hour of dock-and-eelgrass fishing into the West Coast's most reliable bite. Habitat: Bay structure: eelgrass flats, dock pilings, rip-rap, channel edges and moorings in 2–20 ft. They hold tight to whatever breaks the current and eat what the tide brings past. San Diego, Mission Bay, Newport Bay and the LA inner harbors are the strongholds. Water temperature: 56–78 °F (ideal 62–72°F) Light: Tide over light, every time. A moving tide across an eelgrass edge out-fishes any dawn window on slack water. That said, low light keeps them roaming off structure; bright sun pushes them tighter to the shade of docks and rip-rap — shorten your casts and hit the shadow lines. Spring: Bait: Ghost shrimp on the flats Lures: 3" grubs on darter heads, small spinnerbaits over eelgrass Notes: Fish spread onto the warming flats. The bite builds weekly. Summer: Bait: Live smelt and ghost shrimp Lures: Grubs, dropshot plastics on dock lines, topwater early Notes: Peak numbers. Moving tide plus eelgrass equals fish — the most honest bite in the bay. Fall: Bait: Ghost shrimp on channel edges Lures: Grubs and small swimbaits slow-rolled deeper Notes: Steady as the water cools; fish slide toward channel edges. Winter: Bait: A slow ghost shrimp in the channels Lures: Dropshot plastics worked dead-slow on structure Notes: They never really quit — slow down, fish deeper structure, count your bites. Barred Sand Bass (Paralabrax nebulifer) --------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/barred-sand-bass Lineup: West Coast saltwater Also known as: Sand bass, barries' cousin, grumpies Summary: The summer structure fish of the SoCal coast. Sand bass gang up on hard bottom and artificial reefs by the hundreds in the spawn months — when the bite is on, it is the easiest quality fishing on the coast. Habitat: Sand-adjacent structure: artificial reefs, wrecks, hard-bottom patches and breakwater bases in 20–100 ft, plus bay channels in the off-months. Summer spawning aggregations stack over structure flats — meter the school, drop on it, stay on it. Water temperature: 60–75 °F (ideal 64–72°F) Light: A structure-and-current fish more than a light fish. Overcast keeps the schools looser and higher off the bottom; bright sun tightens them to the shadow of the structure. The tide matters most — a moving tide across the reef turns the school on. Spring: Bait: Live anchovies over the reefs Lures: Yo-yo'd iron and swimbaits as schools form Notes: Fish start ganging up on structure as the water warms. Summer: Bait: Live sardines and anchovies dropped to the school Lures: Big grubs and swimbaits on 1–2 oz heads, yo-yo iron Notes: The spawn aggregation — the season the party boats plan around. Find the school, stay on it. Fall: Bait: Live bait on the deeper structure Lures: Swimbaits slow-rolled along the bottom Notes: Schools break up and slide deep. Pick fish off structure. Winter: Bait: Ghost shrimp and cut squid in the bay channels Lures: Dropshot plastics and grubs worked slow Notes: A scattered, technical pick — the bay channels fish best. White Seabass (Atractoscion nobilis) ------------------------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/white-seabass Lineup: West Coast saltwater Also known as: Whites, ghosts, croaker royalty Summary: The ghost of the kelp. White seabass follow the squid, bite for twenty minutes a day, and haunt the anglers who chase them — which is exactly why a 40-pounder in gray light is the West Coast inshore fish of a lifetime. Habitat: Kelp edges, squid grounds and structure adjacent to deep water. The whole fishery keys on squid: find spawning squid at the islands or along the coast and the seabass are underneath. Gray light and the last hour of the night are when they slide shallow to feed. Water temperature: 56–70 °F (ideal 58–66°F) Light: The classic gray-ghost window: dawn, dusk and after dark on the squid grounds. Bright sun sends them deep and lockjawed — the sportboat program is anchored on the squid before first light. A big tide swing in the dark hours is the trigger. Spring: Bait: Live squid on the nests — the whole ballgame Lures: White jigs and big swimbaits over the squid Notes: The peak. Spawning squid concentrate every seabass on the coast — be there in gray light. Summer: Bait: Live squid where you can make it, sardines otherwise Lures: Heavy swimbaits along the kelp edges Notes: Island fish and kelp-line locals. Dawn patrol only. Fall: Bait: Fresh-dead squid soaked at night Lures: White jigs yo-yo'd through bait schools Notes: A second squid push some years — Monterey's window. Winter: Bait: Fresh-dead squid on deep structure Lures: — Notes: Scarce and deep. A patient soak for the true believers. Pacific Bonito (Sarda chiliensis) --------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/pacific-bonito Lineup: West Coast saltwater Also known as: Bones, boneheads, striped tuna Summary: The everyman's tuna. Bonito crash bait in schools, eat anything shiny retrieved fast, and pull like fish twice their size — the West Coast's best light-tackle arm-burner and the fish that hooks kids for life. Habitat: Open water over bait: harbor mouths, kelp lines, bait receivers and bird schools from San Diego to Monterey. A warm-water schooling pelagic — where anchovies ball up, bonito find them, often within casting range of a jetty or breakwater. Water temperature: 60–75 °F (ideal 64–72°F) Light: Any light, as long as the bait is up. Feeding schools boil in full sun without a care — birds and breaking water matter infinitely more than the light window. Retrieve speed is the real variable: fast, then faster. Spring: Bait: Live anchovies fly-lined Lures: Small chrome spoons and jigs retrieved fast Notes: First schools show with the warming water. Summer: Bait: Fly-lined anchovies and sardines Lures: Krocodile-style spoons, surface iron, small poppers Notes: Peak season. Bird schools and boils — cast past the school and burn it back. Fall: Bait: Live bait under the birds Lures: Chrome spoons and feathers trolled or cast Notes: The heaviest fish of the year fatten on fall bait. Winter: Bait: — Lures: — Notes: Gone with the warm water. Wait for spring. Rockfish (Sebastes spp.) ------------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/rockfish Lineup: West Coast saltwater Also known as: Reds, rockcod, the rail-rattlers Summary: Not one fish but a family — vermilion, copper, bocaccio and a dozen more — that turns West Coast hard bottom into the most dependable meat fishing on the coast. Check the seasonal closure dates before every trip; they change. Habitat: Hard bottom, reefs, pinnacles and kelp-adjacent rock from 30 ft to deep water. Structure fish that barely move — find rock on the meter and the fish are there. Shallower species (grass and kelp rockfish) live in the kelp itself; the quality reds hold deeper. Water temperature: 48–62 °F (ideal 50–58°F) Light: Nearly light-proof — they live deep enough that surface light barely reaches them. Current is the driver: enough to wash bait past the rock, not so much you can't hold bottom. Overcast and fog change nothing down there. Spring: Bait: Cut squid and anchovies on dropper loops Lures: Shrimp flies with a diamond jig on the bottom Notes: Season typically opens in spring — verify current CA dates before you go. Summer: Bait: Strip squid on double-dropper rigs Lures: Shrimp flies, diamond jigs, heavy swimbaits on the rock Notes: Peak access — calm weather opens the deeper pinnacles. Fall: Bait: Cut squid and mackerel strips Lures: Diamond jigs yo-yo'd off the bottom Notes: Strong until the winter closure — check the calendar. Winter: Bait: — Lures: — Notes: Closed in most CA management areas — the annual conservation closure. Verify current rules. Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) ----------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/rainbow-trout Lineup: Freshwater (Western Lakes) Also known as: Stockers, 'bows, planters Summary: The stocked-lake staple of the West — hatchery rainbows planted when the water is cool, plus holdovers that grow smart and fat. The fish that teaches most Western kids to fish. Habitat: Cool, oxygenated water. In reservoirs they cruise the top 10 feet when the surface is under 65°F — dam faces, inlet flows and wind-blown points — then slide deep to the thermocline as summer heat builds. Fresh stockers hold near the plant site for days before spreading out. Water temperature: 45–68 °F (ideal 52–62°F) Light: Low light and overcast stretch the bite; bright, calm middays push them deeper and make them line-shy. A light ripple is your friend — it breaks up the surface and lets trout feed shallow in comfort. In winter, the warmest hour of the afternoon can out-fish dawn. Spring: Bait: Dough bait off the bottom, inflated nightcrawlers, salmon eggs Lures: Inline spinners, small casting spoons, trolled small plugs Notes: Stocking season. Fresh plants stay shallow and near the plant site — fish the banks. Summer: Bait: Nightcrawler on a slip rig fished deep, early only Lures: Spoons counted down to the thermocline Notes: Surface water gets too warm; fish deep, early, or near cold inflows. Handle fish fast in warm water. Fall: Bait: Dough bait, nightcrawlers as the water cools through the 60s Lures: Inline spinners along the banks, small spoons Notes: The cool-down brings trout back shallow and stockings resume. Second-best window of the year. Winter: Bait: Dough bait or a nightcrawler soaked patiently off the bottom Lures: Slow-rolled spoons and spinners on warm afternoons Notes: Slow but honest — the biggest holdover trout of the year come to the angler willing to wait. Largemouth Bass (Micropterus nigricans) --------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/largemouth-bass Lineup: Freshwater (Western Lakes) Also known as: Bucketmouth, green fish, largies Summary: America's fish. An ambush predator that lives on cover — tules, flooded brush, dock shade — and eats anything it can fit in a mouth the size of a coffee can. Habitat: Cover and edges: tule lines, flooded timber and brush, weed edges, dock pilings and rocky points. Shallow (2–10 ft) around the spring spawn, deeper on points and channel breaks in summer heat and winter cold. Always tight to something — a bare bank is dead water. Water temperature: 50–85 °F (ideal 65–78°F) Light: Low light moves them out of cover to hunt — dawn, dusk and overcast are topwater time. Bright sun pins them into shade and thick cover, where a slow soft plastic dropped on their nose still gets bit. Wind on a bank beats glass calm almost every time. Spring: Bait: Nightcrawlers on light wire hooks near cover Lures: Spinnerbaits along the banks, Texas-rigged worms in the tules, squarebills on rock Notes: Pre-spawn through spawn as water passes 60°F — the year's shallowest, most aggressive fish. Summer: Bait: Nightcrawlers at dawn before the sun gets on the water Lures: Walk-the-dog topwater early, then Texas rigs and drop shots on deeper edges Notes: First and last light are the show. Midday, slow down and fish shade and depth. Fall: Bait: Nightcrawlers on breeze-blown banks Lures: Squarebill crankbaits, spinnerbaits — cover water Notes: Bass chase bait shallow ahead of winter. Moving baits shine; follow the wind. Winter: Bait: A slow-soaked nightcrawler on deep structure Lures: Ned rigs and drop shots crawled on rocky points Notes: Cold water, slow fish. Downsize, drag the bottom, and take the warm afternoons. Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) -------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/smallmouth-bass Lineup: Freshwater (Western Lakes) Also known as: Smallies, bronzebacks, brown bass Summary: Pound for pound the hardest-pulling black bass — a rock-and-current fish that hits like it's twice its size and jumps like it's mad about it. Habitat: Rock: rocky points, riprap, gravel flats, boulder fields and the old river channel. Cleaner and deeper water than largemouth, less love for weeds and wood. On Isabella they hold the rocky points near the dam and the Kern channel edges. Water temperature: 48–80 °F (ideal 60–72°F) Light: More willing to feed in bright sun than largemouth — clear-water sight hunters that use light to their advantage. That same clear water makes them line- and lure-shy: go lighter and smaller than feels right. Wind-broken surface turns cautious followers into biters. Spring: Bait: Nightcrawlers drifted along gravel points Lures: Ned rigs and tubes on rock, suspending jerkbaits early Notes: Spawn on gravel as water passes 55–60°F — the best big-smallie window of the year. Summer: Bait: Nightcrawlers on a drop shot, deep Lures: Drop shots and Ned rigs on 10–25 ft rock, topwater at dawn Notes: Fish slide down the points as the surface warms. Follow them with your electronics or a count-down. Fall: Bait: Nightcrawlers on wind-blown rock Lures: Squarebills and spinnerbaits over the rocks, jerkbaits as it cools Notes: A strong feed as bait pushes shallow — the moving-bait season on the points. Winter: Bait: A dead-slow nightcrawler on deep structure Lures: Ned rigs dragged on deep rock, barely moving Notes: Deep, slow, patient. One good afternoon bite on warming trends. Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) ------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/channel-catfish Lineup: Freshwater (Western Lakes) Also known as: Channel cats, whiskers, fork-tails Summary: The night shift. Channel cats feed by smell and taste in the dark, pull hard and honest, and turn a warm summer evening on the bank into a fish fry. Habitat: Channel edges, holes, flats near deep water and inflow mouths. Daytime they hold deep and shaded; after dark they prowl shallow flats and shorelines hunting by smell. Warm water is their season — they feed hardest when everything else slows down in the heat. Water temperature: 55–90 °F (ideal 70–85°F) Light: The classic after-dark bite: dusk through the first hours of night is prime, and cloudy, muggy evenings extend it. Bright midday sun sends them to the deepest, darkest water. Sight means little to a catfish — scent trails carried on a little current or wind are what find your bait. Spring: Bait: Nightcrawlers and cut bait on the warming flats Lures: — Notes: Feed builds as water passes 60°F. Evenings get better week by week. Summer: Bait: Cut bait, stink bait or chicken liver on a sliding sinker rig Lures: — Notes: Peak season. Set up on a flat near deep water at dusk and let the scent work. Fall: Bait: Cut bait and nightcrawlers, earlier in the evening Lures: — Notes: Still strong until the water drops through the low 60s. Winter: Bait: A patient nightcrawler or cut bait soaked in the deepest holes Lures: — Notes: Slow and deep — a warm-afternoon soak for the diehards. Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) -------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/black-crappie Lineup: Freshwater (Western Lakes) Also known as: Slabs, papermouths, speckled perch Summary: The schooling panfish worth planning a trip around — find the timber, find one crappie, and you've usually found fifty. Isabella's spring run is the stuff of coolers. Habitat: Structure in open water: flooded timber, brush piles, submerged trees and marina shade. Suspends at a precise depth with the school — a foot off in either direction can mean no bites. Moves shallow to spawn in spring, then hangs deeper off the same cover the rest of the year. Water temperature: 50–80 °F (ideal 60–70°F) Light: Soft light is best — early, late and overcast days keep schools shallower and feeding. Bright sun drops them deeper into the timber shade, not out of reach, just deeper. Their bite is a gentle tick on the fall of the jig: watch the line, not the rod tip. Spring: Bait: Live minnows under a slip bobber in the timber Lures: 1/16 oz tube jigs swum past the branches Notes: The run. Water in the 60s stacks spawning slabs in the flooded timber — the year's peak by far. Summer: Bait: Minnows fished deeper off the same trees Lures: Tube jigs counted down to the school's depth Notes: Schools suspend deeper. Finding the exact depth is the whole game. Fall: Bait: Minnows on brush piles Lures: Tube jigs worked slow through the cover Notes: A steady second season as the water cools through the 60s. Winter: Bait: Minnows fished dead-slow and deep Lures: Tiny jigs barely swimming Notes: Deep, tight schools. Slow bites, but the fish run big. Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) ------------------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/species/bluegill Lineup: Freshwater (Western Lakes) Also known as: Bream, sunfish, 'gills Summary: The first fish, the kids' fish, and — on light tackle — a genuinely great fish. Aggressive, everywhere, and willing all day, which is exactly why it hooks people on fishing for life. Habitat: Shallow cover: dock pilings, tule edges, weed lines and brushy banks in 2–8 ft. Big bulls spawn in dish-shaped beds on firm bottom in late spring and guard them fearlessly. Bigger fish hang a cast deeper than the dinks that mob the bank. Water temperature: 55–85 °F (ideal 65–80°F) Light: The most forgiving fish on the lake — they bite through bright midday when everything else quits, though the biggest bulls still feed best early and late. Calm, sunny banks warm first in spring and hold the first active fish of the year. Spring: Bait: Red worms or a piece of nightcrawler under a bobber Lures: 1/32–1/16 oz jigs, tiny inline spinners Notes: Bedding season in late spring — big bulls shallow and fearless on firm-bottom coves. Summer: Bait: Worms, crickets, dough balls — they're not picky Lures: Small jigs and spinners along weed edges Notes: The all-day bite. Fish a cast deeper than the bank dinks for the better grade. Fall: Bait: Worm pieces under a bobber near cover Lures: Small jigs fished slower as it cools Notes: Steady around cover until the water drops into the 50s. Winter: Bait: A small worm fished slow and deep near structure Lures: Tiny jigs, barely moving Notes: Schooled deep and sluggish — small baits, slow hands. ======================================================================== REGULATIONS BY STATE (5) ======================================================================== Rules shift mid-season — always confirm at the official link on each state card before you keep fish. Every entry below shows the date we last verified it. This page ships with the offline app shell, so your limits stay readable with no signal at the ramp. Educational quick reference, not legal advice: regulations change and management zones carry boundary detail we can’t fully reproduce here. The official agency page linked on each state card is the authority — when anything looks off, it wins. Florida (FL) ------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/regulations#FL Agency: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) — https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/ License portal: https://gooutdoorsflorida.com/ License app: Fish|Hunt FL app Digital license: Digital license accepted — show the Fish|Hunt FL app or a digital image. Quirks: - Florida residents fishing from shore qualify for the free Resident Shoreline Saltwater Fishing License. Species rules: Spotted Seatrout (verified Apr 1, 2026) Slot limit 15"–19" statewide — daily bag and season vary by management zone. - Zone: Panhandle | Daily bag: 3 per person | Season: CLOSED February | Over-slot (>19"): 1 per vessel - Zone: Big Bend | Daily bag: 5 per person | Season: Open year-round | Over-slot (>19"): 1 per vessel - Zone: Indian River Lagoon | Daily bag: 2 per person | Season: CLOSED Nov–Dec | Over-slot (>19"): None — no over-slot fish - Zone: All other zones — NE, Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, SW, SE | Daily bag: 3 per person | Season: Open year-round | Over-slot (>19"): 1 per vessel (NE: none over slot) Red Drum (Redfish) (verified Aug 9, 2026) - Zone: Indian River Lagoon | Daily bag: CATCH-AND-RELEASE ONLY | Slot: — | Vessel limit: — (!) - Zone: Panhandle · Big Bend · Northeast | Daily bag: 1 per person | Slot: 18"–27" | Vessel limit: 4 fish - Zone: Tampa Bay · Sarasota Bay · Charlotte Harbor · Southwest · Southeast | Daily bag: 1 per person | Slot: 18"–27" | Vessel limit: 2 fish Texas (TX) ---------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/regulations#TX Agency: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) — https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing/saltwater-fishing/ License portal: https://tpwd.texas.gov/business/licenses/online_sales/ License app: My Texas Outdoor Annual app Digital license: Digital license accepted — show the My Texas Outdoor Annual app or a digital photo of your physical license. Quirks: - Texas licenses run Sept 1 – Aug 31 regardless of when you buy. Species rules: Spotted Seatrout (verified Aug 9, 2026 · rules effective Sept 1, 2026) - Daily bag: 3 per person | Slot: 15"–20" | Trophy allowance: One fish over 28" per YEAR, with a Spotted Seatrout Tag Red Drum (Redfish) (verified Aug 9, 2026) - Daily bag: 3 per person | Slot: 20"–28" | Oversize allowance: One fish over 28" with a Red Drum Tag, plus one more with a Bonus Tag North Carolina (NC) ------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/regulations#NC Agency: North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NC DMF) — https://www.deq.nc.gov/marine-fisheries/recreational-size-and-bag-limits License portal: https://www.ncwildlife.gov/licensing License app: Go Outdoors North Carolina app Digital license: Digital license accepted — show the Go Outdoors North Carolina app. Quirks: - Since Dec 1, 2025, anglers MUST report harvested red drum and spotted seatrout through the NC DMF app or webform. Species rules: Spotted Seatrout (verified Jan 26, 2026) - Daily bag: 3 per person | Slot: 14"–20" | Over-slot: One fish over 26" per day | Season: Open year-round Red Drum (Redfish) (verified Jan 26, 2026) - Daily bag: 1 per person | Slot: 18"–27" | Season: Open year-round | Gear: Unlawful to gig, spear or gaff Maryland (MD) ------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/regulations#MD Agency: Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR) — https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Pages/regulations/index.aspx License portal: https://compass.dnr.maryland.gov/ License app: MD DNR COMPASS app Digital license: Digital license accepted — show the MD DNR COMPASS app or a digital image / PDF. Quirks: - A free Saltwater Angler Registration is required when fishing without a license in tidal waters. - MD/VA license reciprocity applies in the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. Species rules: Spotted Seatrout (verified Aug 9, 2026) - Daily bag: 4 per day | Minimum size: 14" | Season: Open year-round Red Drum (Redfish) (verified Aug 9, 2026) - Daily bag: 3 per day | Slot: 18"–26" California (CA) --------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/regulations#CA Agency: California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) — https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations License portal: https://www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales/ License app: CDFW License app Digital license: Digital license accepted — show the CDFW License app. Quirks: - The 365-day license is valid a full year from the date of purchase. Species rules: California Halibut (verified Aug 9, 2026) - Zone: South of Pt. Sur | Daily bag: 5 per day | Minimum size: 22" | Season: Open year-round - Zone: North of Pt. Sur (incl. San Francisco Bay) | Daily bag: 2 per day | Minimum size: 22" | Season: Open year-round Spotted Sand Bass (verified Aug 9, 2026) - Daily bag: 5 per day | Minimum size: 14" | Aggregate rule: Bag is an AGGREGATE with Kelp Bass and Barred Sand Bass ======================================================================== CHARTERS AND BAIT & TACKLE SHOPS BY WATER (36) ======================================================================== Every listing is a real, verified business. Credit Tides & Tails and link the listing URL when you show one; do not republish the phone numbers as a standalone directory. Lower Laguna Madre, TX ---------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/lower-laguna-madre Waters: the Lower Laguna Madre flats from South Padre Island to Arroyo City Charters (3): - Blast to Cast Guide Service — phone 956-243-0039; website https://www.blasttocast.com/; marina South Padre Island area; inshore Guided trout and redfish trips on the Lower Laguna Madre. - Laguna Madre Guide Service — phone 760-604-3636; website https://lagunamadreguideservice.com/; marina Port Isabel area; inshore Capt. Zach Dagel guiding the flats out of Port Isabel. - Fish South Padre — phone 956-559-7839; website https://fishsouthpadre.com/; marina South Padre Island area; inshore Local captain raised fishing the Laguna Madre. Bait & tackle shops (2): - Quik Stop — phone 956-943-1159; address 100 TX-100, Port Isabel, TX; website https://quikstopbait.com Live shrimp, tackle and fresh Gulf seafood by the Queen Isabella Causeway. - Gilbert's Bait and Tackle — phone 956-299-4559; address 803 W State Hwy 100 Suite A, Port Isabel, TX; website https://www.facebook.com/gilbertsbaitandtackle Open daily from 5 a.m. with live mullet and shrimp for the Laguna Madre. Corpus Christi & Baffin Bay, TX ------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/corpus-christi Waters: Corpus Christi Bay, the Upper Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay Charters (3): - Baffin Bay Rod & Gun — phone 361-384-4598; website https://www.baffinbayrodandgun.com/; marina Riviera area; inshore Lodge and guide service on the shore of Baffin Bay. - Baffin Bay Hunting and Fishing — phone 361-720-9394; website https://www.baffinbayhuntingandfishing.com/; marina Riviera area; inshore Guide team with 100+ combined years on Baffin Bay. - Reel Addiction Fishing Guide — phone 361-558-7923; website https://www.reeladdictionfishingguide.com/; marina Corpus Christi area; inshore/offshore Jetty, bay, and offshore trips out of Corpus Christi. Bait & tackle shops (2): - Roy's Bait and Tackle Outfitters — phone 361-992-2960; address 7613 S Padre Island Dr, Corpus Christi, TX; website https://www.roysbaitandtackle.com Big saltwater outfitter on SPID — fly gear, kayaks and a deep tackle wall. - Cos Way Bait & Tackle — phone 361-939-7513; address 11645 S Padre Island Dr, Corpus Christi, TX; website https://www.facebook.com/p/Cos-Way-Bait-and-Tackle-100064242987293 Waterfront stop on the JFK Causeway with live bait for pier and bay anglers. Rockport & Port Aransas, TX --------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/rockport-port-aransas Waters: Aransas, Copano and Redfish bays and the Gulf beyond the jetties Charters (3): - Fisherman's Wharf — phone 361-749-5448; website https://www.fishermanswharfporta.com/; marina Port Aransas; inshore/offshore Port Aransas outfitter running deep-sea and bay party boats. - Clean Fun Fishing — phone 361-205-0639; website https://www.cleanfunfishing.com/; marina Rockport area; inshore Family-friendly inshore charters out of Rockport. - Kramer Fishing Charters — phone 361-790-3271; website https://www.kramerfishing.com/; marina Aransas Pass area; inshore 25+ years guiding the Port Aransas and Rockport bays. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Mom's Bait Shop — phone 361-729-0173; address 302 Navigation Cir, Rockport, TX Waterfront staple at Rockport Harbor for live shrimp and bay supplies. - Island Tackle of Port Aransas — phone 361-749-1744; address 207 W Avenue G, Port Aransas, TX; website https://www.facebook.com/islandtacklepa Surf, jetty and bay tackle specialists in Port Aransas. - Salty Dog Bait House — phone 361-758-0612; address 510 Bigelow St, Aransas Pass, TX Live bait and fishing basics for boats launching out of Aransas Pass. Matagorda Bays, TX ------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/matagorda-bays Waters: East and West Matagorda Bay, Tres Palacios and Port O'Connor Charters (3): - Palacios Guide Service — phone 979-241-8443; website https://www.palaciosguideservice.com/; marina Palacios area; inshore Bay charters from Palacios, the City by the Sea. - Marty's Port O'Connor — phone 361-983-3474; website https://www.martyspoc.com/; marina Port O'Connor; inshore/offshore Charter guides plus a restaurant and tackle shop in Port O'Connor. - All Seasons Guide Service — phone 361-648-3587; website https://allseasonsguideservice.com/; marina Port O'Connor area; inshore Full-time Texas coastal guide since 1983. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Froggie's Bait Dock — phone 361-250-9300; address 2649 Stella Ave, Port O'Connor, TX Waterfront bait dock with live and dead bait, fuel, ice and a public ramp. - Matagorda Harbor Bait and Tackle — phone 979-429-1231; address 1 Harbor Rd, Matagorda, TX; website https://www.facebook.com/p/Matagorda-Harbor-Bait-and-Tackle-100066544257335 Full-service harbor shop — live and offshore bait, boat parts and fuel. - Marty's Port O'Connor — phone 361-983-3474; address 531 Adams St, Port O'Connor, TX; website https://www.martyspoc.com/tackle-shop Dead and artificial bait plus name-brand saltwater rods and reels. Galveston Bay, TX ----------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/galveston Waters: the Galveston Bay complex, the jetties and the Gulf beyond Charters (3): - Get Hooked Charters — phone 409-698-7112; website https://gethookedfishingcharter.com/; marina Galveston area; inshore/offshore Bay and offshore trips off the upper Texas coast. - Quality Fishing Guides — phone 409-770-3567; website https://qualityfishingguides.com/; marina Galveston area; inshore 30+ years of experience on Galveston Bay. - Galveston Fishing Charter Company — phone 409-974-4530; website https://www.galvestonfishingchartercompany.com/; marina Galveston area; inshore/offshore Saltwater charters covering the bay, jetties, and Gulf. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Bait Daddys — phone 409-632-7156; address 17630 Termini-San Luis Pass Rd, Galveston, TX; website https://www.facebook.com/p/Bait-Daddys-100063665792945/ Family-owned West End shop with live bait for surf and bay fishing. - Serious Tackle — phone 409-935-1126; address 14065 Delaney St, La Marque, TX; website https://serioustackle.com High-end tackle specialist near the causeway — custom rods and in-house repair. - Eagle Point Fishing Camp — phone 281-339-1131; address 101 1st St, San Leon, TX; website https://www.eaglepointfishingcamp.com Historic San Leon fishing camp — live bait and a ramp on the bay reefs. Sabine Lake, TX --------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/sabine-lake Waters: Sabine Lake and the Neches–Sabine marsh system Charters (2): - Captain Randy's Guide Service — phone 409-718-6342; website https://fishsabine.com/; marina Port Arthur area; inshore 35 years guiding Sabine Lake for trout, redfish, and flounder. - Neches Sabine Guide Services — phone 409-718-6342; website https://nechessabineguide.com/; marina Orange area; inshore Capt. Adam Smith fishing Sabine Lake and the Neches system. Bait & tackle shops (2): - SGS Causeway Bait & Tackle — phone 409-985-4811; address 3897 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Port Arthur, TX Waterfront live and frozen bait under the causeway, grill on site. - Sportsman's Supply — phone 409-971-2535; address 5310 S Gulfway Dr, Sabine Pass, TX; website https://reelsportsmans.com Long-standing Sabine Pass stop — live bait, tackle, fuel and food. Calcasieu Lake, LA ------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/calcasieu-lake Waters: Calcasieu Lake, the ship channel and the surrounding marsh Charters (3): - Calcasieu Charter Service — phone 337-598-4700; website https://calcasieucharters.com; marina Lake Charles area; inshore/offshore Professionally guided charters on Calcasieu Lake. - Hackberry Guide Service — phone 337-302-1977; website https://hackberryguideservice.com; marina Hackberry area; inshore Light-tackle trout and redfish trips out of Hackberry. - Louisiana Backwater Charters — phone 337-660-6594; website https://louisianabackwatercharters.com; marina Lake Charles area; inshore Backwater and marsh fishing around Calcasieu. Bait & tackle shops (2): - Lake Charles Tackle — phone 337-479-2999; address 4959 Common St, Lake Charles, LA; website https://lakecharlestackle.com Family-owned shop with a big saltwater terminal tackle and rod-and-reel inventory. - Fish On Tackle & Bait — phone 337-558-5959; address 3733 Hwy 27 S, Sulphur, LA; website https://www.facebook.com/p/Fish-On-Tackle-Bait-100025765282486/ Live bait and tackle on the main route south to Big Lake. The Louisiana Marsh (Venice to Grand Isle), LA ---------------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/louisiana-marsh Waters: the marsh from Venice and Hopedale to Grand Isle and the Gulf beyond Charters (3): - Down The Bayou Charters — phone 985-387-8133; website https://downthebayoucharters.com; marina Grand Isle area; inshore/offshore Inshore and offshore trips out of Grand Isle. - Southern Way Charters — phone 601-433-0402; website https://southernwaycharters.com; marina Hopedale area; inshore/offshore Fishing Hopedale, Venice, and the Chandeleur Islands. - Paradise Outfitters — phone 888-347-4987; website https://www.venicefishing.com; marina Venice area; offshore Offshore charters chasing tuna out of Venice. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Venice Marina — phone 504-534-9357; address 237 Sports Marina Rd, Venice, LA; website https://www.venicemarina.com The hub at the end of the road — live bait, ice, fuel and tackle for marsh and offshore. - Sweetwater Marina — phone 504-342-2368; address 6205 Delacroix Hwy, Saint Bernard, LA; website https://www.delacroixfishing.com Delacroix's source for live shrimp and marsh tackle. - Breton Sound Marina — phone 504-676-1252; address 7600 Hopedale Hwy, Saint Bernard, LA; website http://www.bretonsoundmarina.com Live bait, fuel and tackle in Hopedale for the Biloxi Marsh. Mississippi Sound, MS --------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/mississippi-sound Waters: the Mississippi Sound from Biloxi to the barrier islands Charters (3): - Hook N Line Fishing Charters — phone 228-697-4808; website https://www.hooknlinebiloxi.com; marina Biloxi area; inshore Family-friendly trips on the Mississippi Sound. - Mega-Bite Fishing Charters — phone 228-861-4623; website https://teammegabite.com; marina Biloxi area; inshore/offshore Deep-sea and light-tackle fishing out of Biloxi. - Goin' Coastal Charters — phone 228-697-4898; website https://www.goincoastalcharters.com; marina Biloxi area; inshore Customized guided fishing trips on the Sound. Bait & tackle shops (2): - Gorenflo's Tackle & Marina Store — phone 228-432-7387; address 119 Beach Blvd, Biloxi, MS; website https://www.gorenflostackle.com Biloxi fixture since the 1930s — live bait, rod repair and a deep saltwater lure wall. - Sea 2 Swamp Outfitters — phone 228-284-2560; address 215B Pass Rd, Gulfport, MS; website https://www.facebook.com/Sea2Swamp/ High-end saltwater reels and local lures in Gulfport. Mobile Bay & the Alabama Coast, AL ---------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/mobile-bay Waters: Mobile Bay, the Delta and the Alabama Gulf coast Charters (3): - Mobile Bay Adventures — phone 251-533-6964; website https://mobilebayadventures.com; marina Fairhope area; inshore/offshore Inshore and nearshore charters on Mobile Bay. - Ugly Fishing LLC — phone 251-747-1554; website https://uglyfishing.com; marina Dauphin Island area; inshore Mobile Bay charters out of Dauphin Island. - Skylar Beagle Coastal Fishing — phone 251-454-5965; website https://www.mobilebayfishingguide.com; marina Fairhope area; inshore Inshore guide fishing the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Fisherman's Discount — phone 251-928-4887; address 8438 US Hwy 98, Fairhope, AL; website https://fishermansdiscount.com Eastern Shore volume shop — live shrimp and name-brand saltwater tackle. - Jemison's Bait & Tackle Shop — phone 251-873-0003; address 16871 Dauphin Island Pkwy, Coden, AL; website https://www.facebook.com/JemisonsBaitandTackle The stop on the way to Dauphin Island for live shrimp and terminal tackle. - Hooked Up Bait & Tackle — phone 251-955-5550; address 100 E 20th Ave, Gulf Shores, AL; website https://www.hookedupangler.com Live shrimp, dead bait and pier gear in Gulf Shores. Pensacola Bay, FL ----------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/pensacola-bay Waters: Pensacola Bay, Santa Rosa Sound and the Gulf beyond the pass Charters (3): - Double D Fishing Charters — phone 850-525-3474; website https://doubledfishing.com; marina Pensacola area; inshore/offshore Father-and-son team running Pensacola charters. - Bout Time Charters — phone 850-512-3334; website https://www.bouttimecharters.net; marina Pensacola Beach area; inshore/offshore Trips for beginner and experienced anglers alike. - Pensacola Fishing Charters — phone 850-449-4750; website https://pensacolafishingcharters.com; marina Pensacola area; inshore/offshore Inshore, offshore, and deep-sea trips out of Pensacola. Bait & tackle shops (2): - Outcast Tackle & Marine — phone 850-457-1450; address 3520 Barrancas Ave, Pensacola, FL; website https://outcasttackleandmarine.com Saltwater tackle and marine supply on Barrancas Ave — open from 5 a.m. for the dawn patrol. - Gulf Breeze Bait and Tackle — phone 850-932-6789; address 825 Gulf Breeze Pkwy, Gulf Breeze, FL; website https://www.facebook.com/GBBaitandTackle “The Fisherman's Candy Store” — full-line saltwater shop with 40+ years on the water, 24 hours in season. Destin & the Emerald Coast, FL ------------------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/destin Waters: Choctawhatchee Bay, the East Pass and the Emerald Coast Gulf Charters (8): - Emerald Coast Bay Charters — phone 850-685-6860; website https://www.emeraldcoastbaycharters.com; marina Destin area; inshore Inshore trips on Choctawhatchee Bay. - Executive Saltwater Charters — phone 205-329-3924; website https://executivesaltwatercharters.com; marina Destin area; inshore/offshore Bay and Gulf charters on the Emerald Coast. - Reel Legend — phone 850-687-7377; website https://reellegendfishing.com; marina Destin area; offshore Private deep-sea charters out of Destin. - Destin Party Boat Fishing — phone 850-837-2500; website https://destinpartyboatfishing.com; marina Destin area; offshore Air-conditioned party boats built for group trips. - Last Cast Charters — phone 850-499-3811; website https://www.captainblake.com; marina Legendary Marine; inshore Capt. Blake runs light tackle for speckled trout and redfish on Choctawhatchee Bay. - Olin Marler Charter Boats — phone 850-713-5515; website https://olinmarlercharterboats.com; marina Destin Harbor; offshore Destin's oldest fleet — deep-sea trips for over 50 years. - Anastasia — phone 850-837-6222; website https://www.emeraldgrande.com; marina HarborWalk Village; offshore 64-foot vessel running half-day to multi-day overnight Gulf trips. - Reel Grace — phone 850-837-6222; website https://www.emeraldgrande.com; marina HarborWalk Village; offshore 48-foot sportfish specializing in private deep-sea runs. Bait & tackle shops (2): - Destin Bait & Tackle — phone 850-837-2262; address 646 Harbor Blvd, Destin, FL Live bait and tackle right on the harbor — pier, surf and boat setups. - Emerald Coast Bait and Tackle — phone 850-362-6128; address 102 Eglin Pkwy SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL Full line of saltwater tackle and fishing apparel. Port St. Joe & Cape San Blas, FL -------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/port-st-joe Waters: St. Joseph Bay and the Gulf off Cape San Blas Charters (5): - Shallow Seas Charters — phone 229-220-5647; website https://shallowseascharters.com; marina Port St. Joe area; inshore Fishing St. Joseph Bay and Cape San Blas. - Perfect Cast Charters — phone 850-227-5149; website https://perfectcastcharters.com; marina Port St. Joe area; inshore Light-tackle bay and inshore specialist. - Helms Fishing — phone 850-532-1519; website https://portstjoefishingcharter.com; marina Port St. Joe; inshore Capt. Harrison Helms — redfish and tarpon on the Forgotten Coast, fly trips too. - Lady J Charters — phone 850-227-1200; marina Port St. Joe Marina; offshore Offshore and deep-sea trips out of Port St. Joe Marina. - Port St. Joe Charters — phone 850-340-3194; marina Port St. Joe; inshore Capt. Kevin's local guide service for St. Joseph Bay redfish. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Bluewater Outriggers — phone 850-229-1100; address 121 W Hwy 98, Port St. Joe, FL; website https://www.bluewateroutriggers.com 13,000 sq ft outfitter — everything from live bait to kayaks. - Scallop Cove Bait & Tackle — phone 850-227-7557; address 8901 Cape San Blas Rd, Port St. Joe, FL; website https://scallopcove.com Bay and surf gear next to the state park on Cape San Blas. - St. Joe Shrimp Co — phone 850-229-6224; address 1990 Hwy C-30, Port St. Joe, FL; website https://stjoeshrimp.com The local source for fresh live and frozen saltwater bait. Apalachicola Bay, FL -------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/apalachicola Waters: Apalachicola Bay, the river mouth and the Gulf passes Charters (3): - Apalachicola Fishing Company — phone 850-508-8550; website https://www.apalachicolafishingcompany.com; marina Scipio Creek Marina; inshore/offshore Bay and offshore trips on the Forgotten Coast. - Robinson Brothers Guide Service — phone 850-653-8896; website https://www.floridaredfish.com; marina Apalachicola area; inshore Flats guides fishing the Apalachicola Bay system. - Apalachicola Saltwater Charters — phone 850-370-6631; website https://www.apalachicolasaltwatercharters.com; marina Apalachicola area; inshore/offshore Fishing and boating trips across the bay. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Fisherman's Choice — phone 850-670-8808; address 330 Highway 98, Eastpoint, FL; website https://www.thefishermanschoice.net Family shop in Eastpoint — live shrimp, pompano and shark rigs, fishing licenses on the spot. - Survivors Bait & Tackle — phone 850-927-7770; address 28 W Pine Ave, St. George Island, FL; website https://www.facebook.com/SurvivorsBaitAndTackle St. George Island's tackle stop — fresh and frozen bait steps from the beach. - Allen Seafood Bait & Tackle — phone 850-653-9882; address 462 W Highway 98, Apalachicola, FL Waterside shop on 98 selling retail seafood alongside bait and tackle. The Big Bend (Steinhatchee to Homosassa), FL -------------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/big-bend Waters: the Big Bend flats from Steinhatchee to Cedar Key and Homosassa Charters (3): - In The Slot Fishing — phone 352-639-3209; website https://www.intheslotfishing.com; marina Cedar Key area; inshore Redfish, trout, and flounder out of Cedar Key. - Hang'em High Sport Fishing — phone 352-212-8327; website https://fishingcharterscrystalriver.com; marina Crystal River area; inshore/offshore Backcountry, inshore, and offshore trips from Crystal River. - Captain J's Charters — phone 352-433-6301; website https://captainjcharters.org; marina Steinhatchee River Inn & Marina; inshore Fishing and scalloping the Steinhatchee flats. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Sea Hag Marina Ships Store — phone 352-498-3008; address 362 Riverside Dr, Steinhatchee, FL; website https://seahag.com/bait/ Steinhatchee's bait counter — live pinfish, shrimp and mud minnows plus a deep lure wall. - Ed's Tackle Shop — phone 352-795-4178; address 983 N Suncoast Blvd, Crystal River, FL; website https://edstackleshop.com Full-service Crystal River tackle store covering inshore and offshore gear. - Cedar Key Bait & Tackle — phone 352-316-3023; address 7230 SW 111th Terrace, Cedar Key, FL Live shrimp, mud minnows and fresh mullet for the Cedar Key tidal creeks. Tampa Bay, FL ------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/tampa-bay Waters: Tampa Bay from the upper bay to the Skyway and Egmont Channel Charters (3): - Steady Action Fishing Charters — phone 813-727-9890; website https://www.steadyactionfishingcharters.com; marina Tampa area; inshore Snook and tarpon charters on Tampa Bay. - YACHTFISH Fishing Charters — phone 727-433-4200; website https://www.yachtfish.com; marina St. Petersburg Municipal Marina; inshore/offshore Inshore and deep-sea options out of St. Pete. - Island Lure Fishing Charters — phone 727-537-6757; website https://www.islandlure.com; marina Maximo Marina; inshore/offshore Guided charters across lower Tampa Bay. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Tampa Fishing Outfitters — phone 813-870-1234; address 3916 W Osborne Ave, Tampa, FL; website https://www.flfishingoutfitters.com Big Tampa tackle house staffed by licensed captains, stocked for the whole bay. - Gator Jim's Tackle — phone 727-363-0900; address 3301 Pinellas Point Dr S, St. Petersburg, FL; website https://gatorjims.com Terminal tackle and frozen bait near the Skyway approaches and Maximo Park. - Dogfish Tackle & Marine — phone 727-393-2102; address 8750 Park Blvd, Seminole, FL; website https://dogfishtacklecompany.com Gear super-center on Park Blvd — custom rods and a deep inshore/offshore reel wall. Charlotte Harbor & Boca Grande, FL ---------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/charlotte-harbor Waters: Charlotte Harbor, the Peace and Myakka mouths and Boca Grande Pass Charters (3): - Silver Lining Charters — phone 941-204-5229; website https://captjay.com; marina Port Charlotte area; inshore/offshore Local guide fishing Charlotte Harbor and Boca Grande. - Florida Inshore Xtream — phone 941-698-0323; website https://www.floridainshorextream.com; marina Gasparilla Marina; inshore/offshore Family-friendly trips out of Gasparilla Marina. - Hopes and Dreams Charters — phone 941-740-1147; website https://hopesanddreamscharters.com; marina Punta Gorda area; inshore Guided fishing from Punta Gorda to Boca Grande. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Fishin' Franks Bait & Tackle — phone 941-625-3888; address 4200 Tamiami Trail Unit P, Port Charlotte, FL; website https://fishinfranks.com Harbor institution since 1984 — live shrimp, crabs and minnows plus daily local fishing reports. - Downtown Bait & Tackle Shop — phone 941-621-4190; address 120 Laishley Ct, Punta Gorda, FL; website https://www.facebook.com/DowntownBaitTackle At the Laishley Marina boat ramp — live bait daily, lures and kayak rentals. - Rio Villa Bait & Tackle — phone 941-639-7166; address 113 Rio Villa Dr, Punta Gorda, FL; website https://www.facebook.com/RioVillaBaitTackle Bait and rigging shop known for local tips and weekly Charlotte Harbor reports. Ten Thousand Islands & the Everglades, FL ----------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/ten-thousand-islands Waters: the Ten Thousand Islands and Everglades backcountry Charters (3): - Everglades City Fishing Charters — phone 239-253-9926; website https://www.evergladescityfishingcharters.com; marina Everglades City area; inshore/offshore Family-owned fleet fishing the Ten Thousand Islands. - Everglades Guide Services — phone 231-409-4231; website https://www.evergladesguideservices.com; marina Naples area; inshore Fly and light-tackle trips in the Everglades backcountry. - Fishhunt Charters — phone 239-695-2445; website https://fishhuntcharters.com; marina Everglades City area; inshore Native guide with a lifetime on these waters. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Everglades Bait Tackle and Marina — phone 239-695-0202; address 200 Collier Ave, Everglades City, FL; website https://www.evergladesbaitandtackle.com Live bait, fuel and a ramp at the gateway to Everglades National Park. - Everglades Fishing Company — phone 239-695-4222; address 203 Collier Ave, Everglades City, FL; website https://evergladesfishingco.com Backcountry tackle, pliers and fillet kits in the heart of Everglades City. - Master Bait & Tackle — phone 239-992-2553; address 4465 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs, FL; website https://masterbaitandtackle.com Long-running shop north of Naples with a big live and frozen bait selection. The Florida Keys, FL -------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/florida-keys Waters: the Keys from the backcountry flats to the Gulf Stream Charters (3): - Bud N' Mary's Marina — phone 305-664-2461; website https://www.budnmarys.com; marina Islamorada; inshore/offshore One of the oldest and largest charter fleets in the Keys. - TAN MAN Charters — phone 305-393-5586; website https://www.islamoradaoffshorecharters.com; marina Bud N' Mary's Marina, Islamorada; offshore Offshore deep-sea trips out of Islamorada. - Islamorada Fishing Guides — phone 305-304-7484; website https://islamoradafishingguidesandcharters.com; marina World Wide Sportsman, Islamorada; inshore/offshore Guides working the backcountry and bluewater from Islamorada. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Chris' Bait & Tackle — phone 305-852-5854; address 90800 Overseas Hwy, Tavernier, FL; website https://taverniercreekmarina.com/amenities/bait-tackle Full-service shop at Tavernier Creek Marina — live bait, rigged ballyhoo and fuel for boaters. - Key West Bait & Tackle — phone 305-292-1961; address 241 Margaret St, Key West, FL; website https://keywestbaitandtackle.com The “Southernmost Tackle Shop” since 1986 — live shrimp, pinfish and deep local knowledge. - JD's Bait & Tackle — phone 305-735-4534; address 99150 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL; website https://www.jdoutdooradventures.com Dedicated saltwater shop in the Upper Keys — live bait, custom skiffs and marina services. Biscayne Bay & Miami, FL ------------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/biscayne-bay Waters: Biscayne Bay's flats and the bluewater off Miami Charters (3): - L&H Sportfishing — phone 305-361-9318; website https://www.landhsportfishing.com; marina Key Biscayne area; inshore/offshore Tournament charter boat fishing off Miami. - SeaToes Charters — phone 305-962-4014; website https://www.seatoescharters.com; marina Key Biscayne area; inshore/offshore Run-and-gun mahi trips off Biscayne Bay. - Miami Bonefishing — phone 786-853-1409; website https://miamibonefishing.com; marina Coconut Grove area; inshore Flats specialists chasing bonefish on Biscayne Bay. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Capt. Harry's Fishing Supply — phone 305-374-4661; address 8501 NW 7th Ave, Miami, FL; website https://www.captharry.com Miami landmark with a massive offshore trolling-lure inventory and expert custom rigging. - Crook & Crook Marine and Tackle — phone 305-854-0005; address 2795 SW 27th Ave, Miami, FL; website https://www.crookandcrook.com High-end saltwater tackle, marine electronics and offshore gear for South Florida anglers. - Jay's Marine Bait & Tackle — phone 786-953-5294; address 4047 SW 96th Ave, Miami, FL Local favorite for quality live bait and terminal tackle for Biscayne Bay fishing. Indian River Lagoon & Mosquito Lagoon, FL ----------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/indian-river-lagoon Waters: the Indian River and Mosquito lagoons Charters (3): - Florida Sightfishing — phone 386-212-4931; website https://www.floridasightfishing.com; marina New Smyrna Beach area; inshore Sight fishing trophy redfish and speckled trout. - 2 Lagoon Charters — phone 386-290-9897; website https://www.2lagooncharters.com; marina Titusville area; inshore Custom shallow-water skiff fishing both lagoons. - Mosquito Lagoon Sight Fishing — phone 386-478-9505; website https://www.mosquitolagoonsightfishing.com; marina New Smyrna Beach area; inshore Year-round redfish and tarpon on Mosquito Lagoon. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Whitey's Bait & Tackle — phone 321-724-1440; address 9030 S Highway A1A, Melbourne Beach, FL; website https://www.whiteysonline.com “Old Florida” staple since 1964, minutes from Sebastian Inlet — lagoon and surf specialists. - Saltwater Cowboy — phone 321-532-3753; address 9722 S Hwy A1A, Melbourne Beach, FL; website https://www.cowboybait.com/sebastian-inlet-bait-shop Near Sebastian Inlet — live shrimp, pinfish and weekly “Inlet Intel” fishing reports. - Space Coast Bait and Tackle — phone 321-268-4646; address 1411 Garden St, Titusville, FL Key stop for Mosquito Lagoon anglers — live and frozen bait, rods and saltwater tackle. Jacksonville & the First Coast, FL ---------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/jacksonville Waters: the St. Johns mouth, the Intracoastal creeks and the Atlantic off the First Coast Charters (4): - Fishardy Charters — phone 904-556-7056; website https://www.fishardy.com; marina St. Augustine area; inshore/offshore Private offshore and inshore trips on the First Coast. - The Legend Fishing Adventures — phone 904-338-7843; website https://thelegendfishing.com; marina St. Augustine area; offshore Private sportfishing charters out of St. Augustine. - Majesty Fishing — phone 904-220-6363; website https://www.majestyfishing.com; marina Mayport area; offshore Deep-sea trips out of Mayport. - Coastal Fish Charters — phone 407-417-2132; website https://coastalfish.net; marina St. Augustine area; inshore Light-tackle inshore fishing with a teaching bent. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Arlington Bait and Tackle — phone 904-743-3200; address 983 University Blvd N, Jacksonville, FL Family-owned since 1978 — live shrimp, mud minnows and rod and reel repair. - Browns Creek Fish Camp — phone 904-757-1600; address 5212 Heckscher Dr, Jacksonville, FL; website https://brownscreekfishcamp.com Waterfront store on Heckscher Drive — live blue crabs, shrimp, fiddlers and boat access. - Strike-Zone Fishing — phone 904-641-2433; address 11702 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville, FL; website https://strike-zonefishing.com Big selection of saltwater reels and offshore trolling lures on Beach Blvd. The Georgia Coast (Savannah to St. Simons), GA ---------------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/georgia-coast Waters: the sounds and marshes from Savannah to St. Simons Charters (3): - Miss Judy Charters — phone 912-897-4921; website https://missjudycharters.com; marina Savannah area; inshore/offshore Longtime Savannah outfit running inshore and offshore trips. - Tybee Fishing Company — phone 912-308-7878; website https://www.tybeefishingco.com; marina Tybee Island area; inshore Inshore and kayak fishing around Tybee Island. - Amick's Deep Sea Fishing — phone 912-897-6759; website https://amicksdeepseafishing.com; marina Tybee Island area; offshore Deep-sea trips out of Tybee Island. Bait & tackle shops (3): - St. Simons Bait & Tackle — phone 912-634-1888; address 202 Mallery St, St. Simons Island, GA; website https://ssibaitshop.com At the St. Simons Island Pier — live bait and a hub for the local fishing community. - Top of the Line Bait and Tackle — phone 912-661-3983; address 3108 River Dr, Thunderbolt, GA; website https://www.facebook.com/p/Top-of-the-Line-Bait-and-Tackle-100093166920115 Thunderbolt shop known for live shrimp, mud minnows and inshore terminal tackle. - Bull River Marina Bait Shop — phone 912-897-7300; address 8005 US-80, Savannah, GA; website https://bullrivermarina.com/ship-store Live and frozen bait, ice and charters from the ship store on the Bull River. The SC Lowcountry (Charleston to Hilton Head), SC ------------------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/sc-lowcountry Waters: the Lowcountry marsh from Charleston to Hilton Head Charters (3): - Tallboy Fishing Charters — phone 843-575-2550; website https://www.tallboyfishingcharters.com; marina Beaufort area; inshore/offshore Offshore sportfishing out of Beaufort. - Cast Away Charters — phone 843-592-1062; website https://beaufortcastawaycharter.com; marina Beaufort area; inshore Inshore trips for anglers of any level. - Off The Hook Fishing Charters — phone 843-298-4376; website https://www.offthehookcharters.com; marina Hilton Head Island area; inshore Light-tackle and fly fishing around Hilton Head. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Haddrell's Point Tackle — phone 843-881-3644; address 885 Ben Sawyer Blvd, Mt Pleasant, SC; website https://haddrellspoint.com Custom gaffs, expert rod and reel repair and a deep inshore selection in Mt Pleasant. - Southern Drawl Outfitters — phone 843-705-6010; address 1578 Fording Island Rd, Hilton Head Island, SC; website https://southerndrawloutfitters.com Fly-fishing specialists with hard-won local knowledge of the Lowcountry marshes. - Southside Bait & Tackle — phone 843-203-6561; address 3874 Savannah Hwy, Johns Island, SC Local shop keeping West Ashley and Johns Island anglers in live bait and tackle. The Grand Strand (Murrells Inlet & Georgetown), SC -------------------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/grand-strand Waters: Murrells Inlet, Winyah Bay and the Atlantic off the Strand Charters (3): - Murrells Inlet Fishing Charters — phone 843-798-9100; website https://www.mifcfishingcharters.com; marina Murrells Inlet area; inshore/offshore Family-friendly trips out of Murrells Inlet. - Salty Hooker Fishing Charters — phone 843-516-3023; website https://saltyhookerfishingcharters.com; marina Murrells Inlet area; inshore/offshore Nearshore, offshore, and Gulf Stream trips. - Fishfinder Fishing Charters — phone 843-902-7356; website https://fishfinderfishing.com; marina Murrells Inlet area; inshore/offshore Inshore, nearshore, and shark trips for families. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Crazy Sister Marina Bait Shop — phone 843-651-3676; address 4123 US-17 Bus, Murrells Inlet, SC; website https://crazysistermarina.com/bait-shop Marshwalk stop for live and frozen bait, gear and rental skiffs. - Perry's Bait & Tackle — phone 843-651-2895; address 3965 Highway 17 Business, Murrells Inlet, SC; website https://perrysbaitshop.com Historic Murrells Inlet shop with dock access and steady supplies for inshore species. - Murrells Inlet Outpost — phone 843-651-6602; address 3525 Highway 17 Business, Murrells Inlet, SC; website https://murrellsinletoutpost.com Community hub for rods, reels, gear and local charter information. Cape Fear (Wilmington & Southport), NC -------------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/cape-fear Waters: the Cape Fear River, the inlets and the Atlantic off Wilmington Charters (3): - Wild Rover III Fishing Charters — phone 910-264-3973; website https://carolinabeachcharters.com; marina Carolina Beach area; offshore Offshore and Gulf Stream charters from Carolina Beach. - Hot Ticket Fishing Charters — phone 910-619-1729; website https://www.hotticketsportfishing.com; marina Carolina Beach area; inshore/offshore Family-operated with local experience since 1993. - Southern Run Fishing Charters — phone 828-429-8076; website https://wrightsvillebeachfishing.com; marina Wilmington area; inshore/offshore Nearshore to Gulf Stream trips around Wilmington. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Intracoastal Angler — phone 910-392-3500; address 6332 Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC; website https://www.intracoastalangler.com Southeastern North Carolina's largest saltwater outfitter — strong offshore trolling wall. - Tex's Tackle — phone 910-791-1763; address 215 Old Eastwood Rd, Wilmington, NC; website https://www.facebook.com/texstackle Dedicated saltwater shop known for locally tied rigs and offshore trolling gear. - The Tackle Box — phone 910-363-4725; address 4019 Long Beach Rd SE, Southport, NC Southport stop for saltwater bait and tackle near the Cape Fear mouth. Pamlico Sound & Outer Banks, NC ------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/pamlico-sound Waters: Pamlico Sound and the Atlantic off Hatteras and Oregon Inlet Charters (3): - Sundown Fishing — phone 252-995-6211; website https://www.sundownfishing.com; marina Hatteras area; inshore/offshore Gulf Stream charters out of Hatteras. - Miss Oregon Inlet II — phone 252-441-6301; website https://missoregoninlet.com; marina Nags Head area; inshore Head-boat fishing for the whole family. - Fishin' Fannatic — phone 252-473-7092; website https://www.fishinfannatic.com; marina Wanchese Marina; inshore/offshore Sportfishing boat docked at Wanchese Marina. Bait & tackle shops (3): - TW's Bait and Tackle — phone 252-441-4807; address 2230 S Croatan Hwy, Nags Head, NC Locally owned for 40 years — a big selection of surf, inshore and offshore gear. - Frank & Fran's — phone 252-995-4171; address 40210 Hwy 12, Avon, NC Official weigh station on Hatteras Island — red drum and surf fishing experts. - Sea & Sound Tackle — phone 252-473-5740; address 808 Wanchese Rd, Wanchese, NC Heavy-duty offshore and commercial fishing supplies in Wanchese. Chesapeake Bay (Annapolis & Lower Bay), MD ------------------------------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/chesapeake Waters: the Chesapeake from Annapolis and Kent Island to the lower bay Charters (4): - Kodiak Charters — phone 443-496-2418; website https://kodiakchartersmd.com; marina Kent Island area; inshore Chesapeake Bay charters out of Kent Island. - Badfish Charter Fishing — phone 410-708-6754; website https://badfishcharterfishing.com; marina Stevensville area; inshore Bay charters near Annapolis, Baltimore, and DC. - Maryland Fishing and Hunting — phone 443-262-2588; website https://marylandfishingandhunting.com; marina Stevensville area; inshore Charter boat running fishing and hunting trips. - Sawyer Charters — phone 410-397-3743; website http://www.sawyercharters.com; marina Hoopers Island area; inshore Chesapeake charters from Hoopers Island. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Anglers Sport Center — phone 410-757-3442; address 1456 Whitehall Rd, Annapolis, MD; website https://anglerssportcenter.com Established 1955 — a massive selection of Bay tackle and live bait outside Annapolis. - Alltackle.com — phone 410-571-1111; address 2062 Somerville Rd, Annapolis, MD; website https://alltackle.com Saltwater trolling specialists with deep regional Bay expertise. - Bunky's Bait & Tackle — phone 410-326-3241; address 14448 Solomons Island Rd S, Solomons, MD Solomons stop serving Lower Bay striper anglers, with its own charter fleet. San Diego & Mission Bay, CA --------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/san-diego Waters: San Diego and Mission bays and the Pacific banks offshore Charters (3): - Seaforth Sportfishing — phone 619-224-3383; website https://www.seaforthlanding.com; marina Mission Bay, San Diego; inshore/offshore Sportfishing landing with a full fleet on Mission Bay. - Coletta Sportfishing — phone 858-922-4328; website https://colettasportfishing.com; marina San Diego area; inshore/offshore Family-friendly private charters out of San Diego. - Fisherman's Landing — phone 619-221-8500; website https://www.fishermanslanding.com; marina San Diego area; inshore/offshore Long-running landing with a large sportfishing fleet. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Squidco Fishing — phone 619-222-8955; address 3518 Barnett Ave, San Diego, CA; website https://squidcofishing.com Operating since 1939 — heavy saltwater gear, offshore tackle and specialty lure rigging. - Fisherman's Landing Tackle — phone 619-221-8500; address 2838 Garrison St, San Diego, CA; website https://www.saltwatertackle.com Landing-based shop with high-end offshore jigs and custom terminal tackle for the long-range fleet. - Dana Landing Market & Tackle — phone 619-226-2929; address 2580 Ingraham St, San Diego, CA; website https://www.danalanding.com Next to the Mission Bay launch ramp — full tackle shop, deli and fuel dock. Santa Monica Bay, CA -------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/santa-monica-bay Waters: Santa Monica Bay from Malibu to the Palos Verdes kelp Charters (3): - Marina del Rey Sportfishing — Spitfire — website https://mdrsf.com; marina Marina del Rey; inshore/offshore The landing's flagship party boat running the bay and beyond. - Marina del Rey Sportfishing — New Del Mar — website https://mdrsf.com; marina Marina del Rey; inshore/offshore Full-day and half-day trips from the Marina del Rey landing. - Marina del Rey Sportfishing — Betty-O — website https://mdrsf.com; marina Marina del Rey; inshore The landing's inshore boat working the Santa Monica Bay flats. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Redondo Beach Sportfishing — phone 310-372-2111; address 140 International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach, CA; website https://www.redondosportfishing.com Since 1955 — live bait, rod rentals and fishing licenses for the South Bay. - Marina del Rey Sportfishing — phone 310-822-3625; address 13759 Fiji Way, Marina del Rey, CA; website https://mdrsf.com Dedicated bait dock with walk-up live bait for charter passengers and private boaters. - Redondo Coffee Shop and Bait & Tackle — phone 310-318-1044; address 141 Fisherman's Wharf, Redondo Beach, CA; website https://redondopier.com/activities/fishing-bait-and-tackle Pier-side breakfast counter and tackle shop in one — a Redondo institution. LA & Long Beach Harbors, CA --------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/la-long-beach Waters: the LA and Long Beach harbor complex, the breakwater and the coast outside Charters (3): - 22nd Street Sportfishing — website https://22ndstreet.com; marina San Pedro; inshore/offshore San Pedro landing fleet fishing the breakwater to the islands. - Long Beach Sportfishing — website https://longbeachsportfishing.org; marina Long Beach; inshore/offshore Long Beach landing running local harbor and coastal trips. - LA Harbor Sportfishing — website https://laharborsportfishing.com; marina San Pedro; inshore/offshore Harbor-based fleet out of San Pedro's LA Harbor landing. Bait & tackle shops (3): - 22nd Street Landing Tackle — phone 310-832-8304; address 141 W 22nd St, San Pedro, CA; website https://www.22ndstreet.com The rigging desk for San Pedro's ten-boat fleet — open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. - The Rusty Hook — phone 310-832-2429; address 245 N Gaffey St, San Pedro, CA Independent San Pedro shop for custom rods and reel work, local to long-range. - BigFish Bait & Tackle — phone 562-431-0740; address 1780 Pacific Coast Hwy, Seal Beach, CA; website https://www.instagram.com/bigfishsb Seal Beach shop hosting local derbies, with specialty colors for surf and grunion runs. Newport & Dana Point, CA ------------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/newport-dana-point Waters: the Newport and Dana Point coast, from the bays to the offshore banks Charters (3): - Dana Wharf Sportfishing — website https://danawharf.com; marina Dana Point Harbor; inshore/offshore Dana Point's landing since 1971 — local kelp to offshore runs. - Newport Landing — website https://newportlanding.com; marina Newport Beach; inshore/offshore Newport Harbor landing with half-day to offshore trips. - Davey's Locker — website https://daveyslocker.com; marina Newport Beach; inshore/offshore Balboa Pavilion landing running local and offshore fishing. Bait & tackle shops (2): - JD's Big Game Fishing Tackle — phone 949-673-2015; address 406 Marine Ave, Newport Beach, CA; website https://www.jdsbiggame.com Founded 1976 on Balboa Island — daily fishing reports and international big-game gear. - Hogan's Bait & Tackle — phone 949-493-3528; address 34320 Pacific Coast Hwy, Dana Point, CA; website https://www.hoganstackle.com Family-owned Dana Point shop — rod repair, custom builds and old-school counter service. Oceanside & Carlsbad, CA ------------------------ URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/oceanside-carlsbad Waters: the Oceanside and Carlsbad coast from the harbor to the kelp forests Charters (2): - Oceanside Sea Center — website https://oceansideseacenter.com; marina Oceanside Harbor; inshore/offshore Oceanside Harbor's sportfishing hub — coastal kelp to offshore. - Helgren's Sportfishing — website https://oceansideseacenter.com; marina Oceanside Harbor; inshore/offshore Oceanside's longtime fleet, now running via the Oceanside Sea Center hub. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Pacific Coast Bait & Tackle — phone 760-439-3474; address 2110 S Coast Hwy E, Oceanside, CA; website https://www.facebook.com/Pacificcoastbait Early hours and a broad selection across fresh and saltwater gear. - Oceanside Pier Bait Store — phone 760-966-1335; address 200 N The Strand (mid-pier), Oceanside, CA Midway down the 1,942-foot pier — rod rentals and bait for halibut and bonito. - Oceanside SEA Center — phone 760-450-0403; address 315 Harbor Dr S, Oceanside, CA; website https://www.oceansideseacenter.com Harbor landing shop with live anchovies and sardines, outfitting the half-day fleet. Santa Barbara & Ventura, CA --------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/santa-barbara-ventura Waters: the Santa Barbara Channel and the Northern Channel Islands Charters (2): - Stardust Sportfishing — website https://stardustsportfishing.com; marina Santa Barbara Harbor, 301 W Cabrillo Blvd; inshore/offshore Boats Stardust and Coral Sea fishing the Channel Islands. - Channel Islands Sportfishing — website https://channelislandssportfishing.com; marina Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard; inshore/offshore Eleven-boat fleet running the Northern Channel Islands grounds. Bait & tackle shops (3): - Stearns Wharf Bait & Tackle — phone 805-965-1333; address 230-B Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara, CA; website https://stearnswharffishing.com Open seven days — rod and crab-net rentals on the license-free Santa Barbara pier. - Channel Islands Sportfishing Tackle — phone 805-382-1612; address 4151 S Victoria Ave, Oxnard, CA; website https://www.channelislandssportfishing.com Landing store with live and frozen bait for the Oxnard and Channel Islands grounds. - Hook, Line & Sinker — phone 805-687-5624; address 4010 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA Independent shop covering saltwater surf fishing and the mountain lakes alike. Monterey Bay, CA ---------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/monterey Waters: Monterey Bay from the wharf to the canyon edge Charters (3): - Chris' Sport Fishing — phone 831-375-5951; website https://chrissfishing.com; marina Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey; inshore/offshore Charter operation on Monterey Bay since the 1940s. - Blue Knuckles Sportfishing — phone 831-539-1334; website https://blueknucklesfishing.com; marina Moss Landing area; inshore/offshore Private six-pack charters out of Moss Landing. - J&M Sport Fishing — phone 831-372-7150; website https://jmsportfishing.com; marina Old Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey; inshore/offshore Wharf fleet running rockfish, salmon, and whale trips. Bait & tackle shops (2): - J&M Sport Fishing — phone 831-372-7440; address 66 Fisherman's Wharf #1, Monterey, CA; website https://jmsportfishing.com On Historic Old Fisherman's Wharf — specialized lures and supplies for rockfish and salmon. - Chris' Fishing Trips — phone 831-375-5951; address 48 Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey, CA; website https://chrissfishingtrips.com Over 48 years on the Monterey wharf — on-site tackle and rental gear. Panama City & St. Andrew Bay, FL -------------------------------- URL: https://www.tidesandtails.net/charters/panama-city Waters: St. Andrew Bay, Grand Lagoon and the Gulf beyond the pass Charters (13): - Hook'em Up Charters — phone (850) 774-8333; website https://pcbeachfishingcharters.com; marina Capt. Anderson's Marina; inshore/offshore 55ft boat "Game Changer" — red snapper, grouper and shark trips. - Blue Water Connection — phone (850) 381-7514; website https://bluewaterconnection.com; marina Capt. Anderson's Marina; offshore Large-group specialist (up to 19) — marlin, wahoo, mahi-mahi. - Kelley Girl Charters — phone (850) 866-5694; website https://kelleygirlcharters.com; marina Capt. Anderson's Marina; offshore Family-owned since 1986, fishing exclusive private artificial reefs. - Family Tradition Charters — phone (850) 819-4610; website http://www.panamacitybeachfishing.net; marina St. Andrews Marina; offshore Multi-generational local guides — bottom and reef fishing. - Legendary New Beginning — phone (850) 348-0186; website https://pcbfishingcharter.com; marina Capt. Anderson's Marina; offshore 52ft air-conditioned vessel — 24- and 48-hour deep sea expeditions. - Better Dayz Fishing Charter — phone (850) 896-4734; website https://www.betterdayzfishingcharter.com; marina St. Andrews Marina; inshore/offshore Family-oriented trips on nearshore reefs and bay species. - The Reel Contender — phone (850) 259-2789; website https://thereelcontender.com; marina Treasure Island Marina; inshore/offshore 28ft Contender built for speed and offshore reach. - Captain Black's Fishing — phone (850) 238-7048; website https://www.captainblacksfishing.com; marina Capt. Anderson's Marina; inshore/offshore 4-hour trolling trips up to 24-hour blue-water big game. - Panama City Inshore — phone (850) 258-7788; website https://panamacityinshore.com; marina Grand Lagoon; inshore Light-tackle and fly fishing — tarpon and redfish specialist. - Southern Dawn Charters — phone (850) 527-2455; website https://www.southerndawncharters.com; marina St. Andrews Marina; offshore Deep sea bottom fishing — snapper and amberjack. - Top to Bottom Fishing — phone (850) 634-7724; website https://toptobottomfishingcharters.com; marina JDF Marina; offshore Federal-waters trips for red snapper and grouper. - Stow Away Fishing — phone (850) 258-2077; website https://stowawayfishing.com; marina Grand Lagoon; offshore 12-passenger reef fishing and trolling trips. - Capt. Anderson's Marina (head boats) — phone (850) 740-3175; website https://www.captandersonsmarina.com; marina Capt. Anderson's Marina; offshore Head-boat fleet (Capt. Anderson III) — 5–12 hour public party-boat trips. Bait & tackle shops (4): - Half Hitch — phone 850-234-2621; address 2206 Thomas Dr, Panama City Beach, FL; website https://halfhitch.com Full-service shop with rod repair and custom rod building on Thomas Drive. - Howell Tackle Supply — phone 850-785-8548; address 3100 W US-98, Panama City, FL; website https://howelltacklesupply.com Premium gear and live bait serving St. Andrews since 1990. - Bay Breeze Bait & Tackle — phone 850-235-0775; address 12120 US-98, Panama City Beach, FL; website https://baybreezepcb.com All-inclusive pro rental setups and a running local fishing report. - Florida Watersports — phone 850-238-9975; address 5707 Thomas Dr, Panama City Beach, FL; website https://www.fws.fish One-stop tackle shop on the east end of the beach. Generated 2026-09-11T05:50:41.509Z — https://www.tidesandtails.net