Clearwater Florida - Deep Sea Fishing - Fish Identification / Whats Biting

Clearwater Beach is on the beautiful gulf coast of Florida and we we have some of the best fishing and weather for sport fishing anywhere in the country. The sun shines here 360 days per year on average. Dependant upon the fishing season, we'll be trolling and or deep sea bottom fishing in the Gulf of Mexico for Cobia, Grouper, Snapper, Amberjack, Shark, Jewfish, Bonito, Cobia, Spanish Mackerel, King Mackerel, Barracuda, Jacks, Triggers, and other reef dwelling and pelagic species which migrate up and down the coast of beautiful Clearwater Beach Florida.

The fishing trip that you choose will dictate the type of fish that we'll be targeting and it will determine the distance that we will need to travel. When the water is cooler, we fish shallower, and during the summer months, when the water is much warmer, we go deeper. We fish rock piles, wrecks, reefs, ledges, breaks, humps, color changes, and rips, from a few miles offshore up to 80 nautical miles out into the deep blue sea.

The fish identification chart below represents a small number of the fish that we catch while out on a fishing charter out of Clearwater Beach.


Red Snapper	Pinkish in color, found offshore bottom fishing, can be up to 20 lbs., excellent taste.	Mid April through October
Grouper	Offshore species, live on rocky bottom, common up to and exceeding 100 lbs., excellent taste.	All Year
Amberjack	Offshore bottom fish found on wrecks and rocky reefs, common up to 40 lbs., A good eating fish.	All Year
Triggerfish	Reef dwelling bottom fish, excellent taste. A real hassel to clean due to skin.	All Year
Cobia	Early season sport fishing. Long gray and white lateral stripes with broad head. Migrates inshore, great fighting and eating.	Mid March through May
Spanish Mackerel	Found in schools inshore and offshore. Aggressive bite. A good fish to fry.	March through November
King Mackerel	Schooling migratory fish, common to 20 lbs., record is 90 lbs., excellent for smoking. Excellent fighting fish.	March through September
Mahi Mahi	Fast growing fish, thought to live no more then 5 years. Swiming speed is estimated at 50 knots. Feeds on flying fish & squid.	May through October
Red Drum	Copper/bronze body with one or more spots at base of tail, inshore migrating from estuaries, usually around 8 lbs., Great for blackening.	All Year
Shark	Several species in and offshore including hammerhead, blacktip, and mako, edibility varies. Always super fun to catch.	All Year

There are varying season closures for different species during the course of the year. During those fishing closures, we are able to catch the fish, however, we will not be able to harvest that fish during the off season. If there are any specific closures for your selected deep sea fishing trip, you will be advised of it at the time you contact us to book your deep sea fishing charter.