Gray Snapper

Season in Tampa Bay

Peak months: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov.

Reel Coquina St. Pete chart: mangrove snapper 3 stars March to November, 2 stars December to February. (Our inference)

Season by region

Where to find them

Bridges, docks, the Skyway piers and nearshore reefs (Reel Coquina).

Tight to structure: rocks, pilings, docks, mangrove edges and reefs.

What to look for

Schools holding beside structure by day; bridge and dock lights at night.

What to throw

Jighead with a scented soft-plastic shrimp or mullet (Gulp style)1/4 to 1/2 oz, 3 to 4 in. Slow drag and hop on the bottom with pauses; scent does the work.

Bait

Live shrimp, Small live pilchards. .

Leader

Common mistakes

• Fishing open sand away from structure
• Fishing only at midday; adults feed mostly at night (Florida Museum)

Landing

Pull a hooked fish away from the rocks or pilings quickly, then swing small fish up.

Handling

• Two large canine teeth in the upper jaw (FWC)

Grip behind the head and unhook with pliers; keep fingers out of the mouth.

Keep or release

Florida snapper rules apply.

Recipes for gray snapper

Typical: Rarely over 18 in (Florida Museum). Large: Common to 24 in and 10 lb; offshore fish commonly 8 to 10 lb (FWC).

Limits

FishOS has not checked the FL limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission before you keep a fish.

Sources

• Reel Coquina Fishing Charters (Capt. Pablo Koch-Schick, St. Petersburg), June 4, 2026: St. Pete monthly fishing calendar with star ratings and water temperatures (Angler knowledge)
• Florida Museum, Discover Fishes: gray snapper (Official source)
• Florida FWC species profile: gray snapper (Official source)

All the fish of Tampa Bay