Gulf of America Fishing Report: Snapper, Grouper, and More Under Sunny Skies

Today’s fishing along Florida’s Gulf Coast—now called the Gulf of America—kicked off under steamy, summer skies typical for August. Sunrise hit at 6:58AM and sunset comes at 8:15PM, giving us more than thirteen hours of daylight to wet a line. Tides today were on the subtle side, with a pre-dawn high tide around 1:54AM and a midday peak at about 12:34PM before ebbing to nearly slack water near sunset—tide action was mild, so bait movement was limited and water clarity was solid for sight-fishing.

Weatherwise, the morning started calm and hot with minimal wind and only a light chop—prime conditions for venturing offshore or working the coastal passes before afternoon storms rolled through. If you managed to dodge the scattered thunderstorms, you found almost glassy water and plenty of willing fish early and late.

Offshore, today was all about snapper and grouper. With NOAA Fisheries bumping up the Gulf red grouper catch limits effective immediately, there’s more opportunity for anglers to bring home a hefty red grouper this summer, and folks took advantage. Reports out of Tampa and Clearwater say the reefs, ledges, and wrecks held ample gag and red grouper, lane snapper, mangrove snapper, porgy, and even a few bonus mahi. Captain Tommy in Tampa says cut cigar minnows, pinfish, and live LYs (scaled herrings) landed the majority of keeper grouper and snapper. If you’re after mango snapper, downsize your leader to 10-20 pound fluorocarbon and use chunks of fresh cut bait or live shrimp tight to structure. For bigger bottom fish like red grouper, heavier tackle with live pinfish on a knocker rig was the ticket.

Nearshore, Spanish mackerel, small king macks, cobia, barracuda, and permit showed well—especially around structure with bait schools. Early morning and late afternoon produced the best action. Silver spoons, Gotcha plugs, and white bucktail jigs were hot when fish blitzed the bait balls. A few tarpon are still straggling off the beaches, but their numbers are quickly thinning as their summer run closes.

Inshore, the beaches and passes around Southwest Florida have been crawling with snook. Most are under the slot, but some bigger girls showed at first light around the passes and pilings. Live scaled sardines, paddle-tail swimbaits, and topwater plugs are drawing strikes—just remember: light leader and a stealthy approach improves your odds. Seatrout action remained solid over grass flats in 3–6 feet, especially on the last of the incoming tide. Soft plastics, suspending twitchbaits, and live shrimp under a popping cork worked well to entice bites. Back in the docks and lighted piers at night, slot reds, flounder, and white trout have been active. Small jigheads tipped with Gulp shrimp or live finger mullet are producing from the bridges at Fairhope and the deeper docks along the mangroves.

Mangrove snapper are still thick around passes, bridges, and jetties—easy limits for anglers fishing shrimp on light hooks. Fish around midday through the evening for best results. Pompano are scattered and tough to target with surf rigs this week, but whiting and small jacks are filling the surf.

Hot spots to circle on your map right now include the artificial reefs offshore from Clearwater and St. Pete for snapper, gag, and red grouper, as well as the surf and passes around Fort Desoto for snook and inshore action. Don’t be afraid to launch at dawn and beat both the heat and the afternoon storms for your best shot at a full cooler.

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