What Type of Fish to Expect in a Florida Summer

You might love to hit the water in Florida’s hot summers. This is a great time for water sports and fishing. Florida boaters have the opportunity to enjoy all the wonderful things that Florida has to offer, such as swimming with Florida wildlife, boating with your family, pulling up to waterfront dining or even catching your dinner on your boat.

You’ll find opportunities to catch snapper and wahoo throughout the year in Jacksonville. But, summertime brings you catches you won’t see the rest of year. Here are some examples of the types of fish you can expect to catch when you go out on the water this summer.

Summer Fishing in Florida

This is a great time to visit Florida with your family and enjoy the fishing opportunities available. Florida boasts over 7,700 lakes, thousands of miles worth of rivers, and more than 2,200 miles of shoreline. Although it is great to stay in your local fishing spot, you should also explore the state to discover other fisheries that are available.

Largemouth bass, snook and tarpon are all common in Florida. Largemouth bass is the official fish of Florida and people travel from all over the globe to catch it. You can find them in Lake Kissimmee or Lake Okeechobee as well as Lake Tarpon and Lake Toho. These people want to catch the 10-pound bass you might only find in Florida’s specific lakes.

Snooks are common in areas such as Tampa Bay, Charlotte Harbor and the 10,000 Islands. They are more comfortable in warmer waters, and can sometimes tear through your fishing line. It is quite a challenge to catch them in Florida’s warmer waters.

If you’re in the Florida Keys, tarpon, also known as the “silver queen of sportfish”, will be your favorite gamefish. These will likely be found in Lee and Charlotte counties. You can only have two fish per person. If you plan to keep your tarpon, make sure you have it stamped.

You’ll catch the biggest fish in summertime, but you will need to be more cautious about when you are fishing due to the heat. If you want to charter fish with a guide, plan for fishing trips in the morning.

The article was written by a professional charter captain at Salty Knots Fishing Charters with 15+ years of experience in the Gulf of Mexico. Salty Knots Fishing Charters is a local fishing charter service based out of St. Pete Beach, Florida. “We know what it takes to catch a giant trophy fish!” Salty Knots Is the Best Fishing Charter St Petersburg FL.