Deep Sea Fishing in St. Pete Beach, Florida

Situated on a narrow strip of land off the mainland, the city of St. Pete Beach is practically surrounded by water. With the Gulf of Mexico to the West, St. Pete Beach offers residents and visitors excellent deep sea fishing opportunities. With a warm climate, beautiful location, deep blue waters and a variety of fishing charters, deep sea fishing in St. Pete Beach, Florida is sure to satisfy any fishing enthusiast.

  1. Location

    • Incorporated in 1957 under the name “City of St. Petersburg Beach,” area residents voted to change the name to simply “St. Pete Beach” in 1994. Located just off the Pinellas County mainland, the city is home to both permanent residents and winter residents. The City of St. Pete Beach features its own 5.5-acre beach. Since its opening in 1988, the beach offers residents and visitors white sandy shores, natural sand dunes, three boardwalks and breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico.

    What To Bring/Wear

    • Most charter companies provide the fishing equipment, but you should still bring a few basic supplies. Florida temperatures are hot and the sun is strong, so dress lightly and wear sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. Since you will be handling bait and fish, wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Also, a pair of non-skid shoes or sandals ensures your safety as you move about the boat. Pack a camera, snacks and beverages for the trip. If you plan on taking fresh fish home with you, leave a cooler with ice in your car until after the trip.

    Fish

    • The species of fish present in the deep waters off St. Pete Beach change constantly. As explained by John’s Pass Fishing Charters, “phases of the moon, tides, weather, water temperature, and time of year all affect what kinds of fish you might catch.”

      Common fish species in the area include grouper, amberjack, snapper, mahi mahi, tuna, kingfish, cobia, permit, flounder, redfish, tarpon and pompano. Other species commonly present in the area include barracuda, Spanish mackerel, triggerfish and shark.

    John’s Pass Fishing Charters

    • John’s Pass Fishing Charters claims to offer “serious fishing charters for real saltwater enthusiasts,” according to their website. Charter guests are taken to sea on the 30-foot Island Hopper, which comfortably accommodates up to six passengers. The charter service offers half-day, three-quarter-day, full-day and extended-day trips. Additional charters offered include the evening shark fishing trips, night snapper trips and the “blue water trip” for experienced fishermen. As an added benefit, passengers will not be charged if they do not catch any fish. The trip price includes use of the company’s equipment, bait, ice and fishing licenses.

    Miss Pass-A-Grille

    • The Miss Pass-A-Grille deep sea fishing tour carries guests out to sea on a 51-foot Twin Diesel. For guest comfort, the charter offers an air-conditioned cabin. As of 2010, full-day charters depart two times per week, while half-day charters depart 10 times per week. This deep sea fishing tour mainly hunts for mangrove snapper, gray snapper, sea bass, triggerfish, red grouper and gag grouper. With paid admission to the charter, guests receive use of the boat’s rods, reels, bait and tackle. Miss Pass-A-Grille also provides fishing licenses.