Tampa fishing charters with a local guide
Inshore fishing trips on Tampa Bay with Captain Gavin O’Neal, who has fished these waters for thirty years. He picks you up on the Tampa side of the bay, brings the rods, live bait and license, and sends you home with your catch filleted and on ice. $150 books your date.
Licensed and insured. Cancel 24 hours or more ahead for a full refund.
Picked up on the Tampa side of the bay
Most fishing charters in Tampa expect you to drive to their marina. Gavin brings the boat to you. Pickup and drop-off are included on every trip, anywhere permitted on Tampa Bay, so you’re not losing an hour of your morning to traffic.
From the north side, the run up into the flats toward the Courtney Campbell Causeway puts you on fish quickly. Fishing usually starts within twenty minutes of pickup.
Not sure which spot is closest to you? See every pickup spot around the bay.
North side (Tampa)
Hula Bay, Fourth Street, Dandy Blvd. The easy choice for downtown, Westshore and Tampa hotels.
South Tampa
O’Neal’s Marina. Close for South Tampa and the peninsula.
East side
Hooks Waterfront in Ruskin, Apollo Beach, Simmons Park and the Cockroach Bay route. Best for Brandon, Riverview and Sun City Center.
Your Tampa fishing guide
Captain Gavin O’Neal lives on the bay and has fished it for thirty years. You get the same captain every trip, not a rotating crew, and his priorities are always the same: safety first, then a full cooler, then a good time.
Live bait at sunrise
He’s out chumming and throwing a cast net before you’re awake, so you fish what the fish are eating.
Knows where they are
Where each species goes, when, and what it wants. No promises, but close.
Teaches as you go
Rods, knots, tides and why one flat holds fish when the next doesn’t. Beginners welcome.
Ends at the table
Your catch is filleted and iced, with notes on cooking the exact fish in your bag.
“It’s a privilege to share my love of these waters.”Captain Gavin O’Neal
What you’ll catch on a Tampa Bay fishing trip
Tampa Bay fishes year-round, and the species change with the season. Tap any fish for how to catch it and cook it, or see what’s biting each month.
RedfishYear-roundBig, heavy and one of the most fun fights in the bay.
SnookYear-roundTampa Bay’s trophy fish. Bragging rights start at 40 inches.
Speckled troutYear-roundAggressive strikes on light tackle over the grass flats.
SheepsheadBest in winterStacked on pilings and docks when they spawn. Superb eating.
Mangrove snapperYear-roundSummer full moons and winter structure. A favorite at the table.
CobiaSeptember to FebruaryFind the stingrays and you’ve often found the cobia.
TarponMay to JulyThe Silver King. A bucket-list fight, released at the boat.
GrouperInshore June to SeptemberHeavy, hard-fighting and found around rock beds.
Book your Tampa fishing charter
Pick a trip and a date. Prices cover four guests; each additional guest is $50, up to six aboard.
Seven days a week Out early on the bait, back with fillets by lunch. The trip most families and first-timers pick. $650For 4 guests · $150 to bookCheck dates 4 hoursAfternoon Half Day 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Monday to Saturday A later start and the evening tide turning. Often the better light for photographs. $650For 4 guests · $150 to bookCheck dates 6 hoursMorning Six Hour 8:00 am – 2:00 pm
Seven days a week Time to work more than one spot. The trip for a real shot at a trophy snook or bull redfish. $750For 4 guests · $150 to bookCheck dates 8 hoursFull Day 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Seven days a week Flats in the morning, structure at midday, back on the fish as the tide turns. $950For 4 guests · $150 to bookCheck dates
Cancellations: cancel 24 hours or more before departure for a full refund.
Bigger group? Up to five boats on one booking. See group and corporate charters.
498 Google reviews. Five stars.
Families, friends, first-timers and serious anglers, all on the same boat with the same captain.
Every trip includes
- Pickup and drop-off anywhere permitted on Tampa Bay
- Rods, reels, tackle and live bait, caught that morning
- Fishing licenses for everyone aboard
- Drinks, water and snacks, and music when the mood’s right
- Photos of every catch
- Your fish filleted and bagged on ice, with cooking notes
Then eat what you caught
Ask, and Gavin will drop you at a hook-and-cook restaurant that will cook your catch the same evening. Or take the fillets home with notes on cooking the exact species in your bag.
Read the free fish guideTampa fishing charter questions
Where do you pick up in Tampa?
On the north side at Hula Bay, Fourth Street or Dandy Blvd, or at O’Neal’s Marina in South Tampa. Anywhere permitted on the bay can work; ask when you book.
Is this inshore or offshore fishing?
Inshore. You fish the protected waters of Tampa Bay: flats, mangroves, oyster bars, docks and channels. Calm water, short runs and more time fishing.
How much does a fishing charter in Tampa cost?
$650 for four hours, $750 for six and $950 for a full day, for four guests. Each additional guest is $50, up to six. $150 books the date.
Do I need a fishing license?
No. Everyone aboard is covered under the charter.
Is it good for kids and first-timers?
Yes. Most guests have never fished before. The day is hands-on, and there’s a bathroom on board.
What if the weather turns?
Safety is the captain’s call and always comes first. If conditions are unsafe, Gavin contacts you to reschedule.
More about fishing in Tampa
Get on the water in Tampa
Half day, six hours or the full day, with pickup on your side of the bay and your catch cleaned before you leave. $150 books it.
827 Seabreeze Dr, Ruskin, FL 33570. Licensed and insured.