Bradenton Fishing Charters & Guides

2 Guests
Charters Near Bradenton
Florida Sportfishing Outfitters
Holmes Beach, FL
(5.0, 1 Review)
Tampa Bay Captain
Holmes Beach, FL
(5.0, 6 Reviews)
Top Contender Charters
Palmetto, FL
Wax’em Fishing Charters
Palmetto, FL
(5.0, 4 Reviews)
About Fishing in Bradenton

Bradenton Fishing Charters

Bradenton, Florida has the motto “The Friendly City.” And it certainly is friendly… especially to anglers. Those looking to cast a line in Bradenton will have a variety of locations to fish with a variety of species to take the bait. It truly is a top angling destination. Located on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Bradenton is just south of the greater Tampa Bay area and north of Sarasota. Nearby waterways include Manatee River, Tampa Bay, Palma Solo Bay, Sarasota Bay, and Braden River that flows through Ward Lake. The city is practically surrounded by water, and that doesn’t count the Gulf of Mexico, lying just to the West. Along with fishing, the city is known for the Bradenton Blues Festival, one of the largest blues festivals in the country. It is three days of award winning musicians showcasing their talent while attendees enjoy local restaurants, food vendors, crafts, youth programs, and other events.

Bradenton Inshore Fishing

Manatee River is a favorite fishing spot for Bradenton inshore charters. There is a pier on the riverwalk, providing anglers unparalleled access to the river. Many anglers will target sheepshead around the pier’s pilings. Not only do sheepshead make for great eating, but they are also a great species to get kids hooked on fishing. They are relatively easy to catch, and put up enough of a fight to keep things interesting. Sheepshead are odd-looking fish with pinstriped black and white vertical bands. They also have short, human-like teeth, which kids always get a kick out of. They like to eat on oysters and crabs. Use live or cut bait, typically shrimp, squid, or crab, dropped over the pier and wait for the sheepshead to strike. Make sure you have a net that will help to bring the fish in. The many bays and rivers around Bradenton will have anglers targeting redfish, snook, and trout, among others. Redfish, trout, and snook are the top three most popular fish for anglers in Bradenton, and it’s no wonder. They are a ton of fun to catch and great fighters. Snook in particular are highly targeted, and are often released to preserve and maintain a healthy population. Snook will stay near the shallow waters during sunrise and sunset, then move to deeper waters as the temperatures warm up. They feed on shrimp and crab, and appreciate live bait over cut bait or lures. Although anglers will have a lot of success fishing with jigs. Snook (pronounced like “hook”) are silver colored with a distinct, black lateral line running from gills to tail. Tampa Bay is located just around the bend from Bradenton. The Sunshine Skyway Bridge crosses the bay and is a unique place for anglers to fish. One of the most popular fish to target in this area is tarpon. Tarpon are also called “silver kings;” they are silver, fast, and big, hence the name. Tarpon weighing over 200 pounds and up to 8 feet long can be found in Tampa Bay. They are known for their strength and speed, so battling a 100+ pound tarpon could take well over an hour just to land it. Be sure to keep the big ones in the water, FWC regulates that any tarpon over 40 inches should remain in the water. Grab a quick picture of your trophy before carefully releasing back into the wild. The inlet into the bay is a fantastic place to target tarpon, especially during the summer months (May - August).

Bradenton Offshore Fishing

Bradenton offshore charters will travel into the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. This unique body of water is unlike any in the world, with calmer waters than the oceans but still great offering of gamefish. Bottom fishing for grouper, snapper, and amberjack can be very rewarding, and will pose as an endurance test for even the most seasoned angler. Amberjack have been given the nickname “reef donkey.” They are strong, and stubborn as a mule. Further offshore, a popular species to target is mahi mahi, also known as dolphin and dorado. Your fishing charter captain will be looking for floating debris or grass mats, which attract baitfish. The mahi will not be far behind. Trolling for Mahi is very common for Bradenton offshore charters. And once you have one Mahi on the line, captains will typically keep it in the water. This helps other anglers to hook on the others in a feeding frenzy. Other offshore species targeted from Bradenton include king mackerel (or kingfish), cobia, tuna, marlin and sharks, just to name a few.

Book A Bradenton Fishing Charter

Bring your best fishing buddies to “The Friendly City” and prepare for an amazing day of fishing! Whether you’re targeting redfish in the inshore waters, or mahi in the Gulf, you’re sure to get hooked up with a lifetime of memories. Find a local Bradenton fishing guide today and get the adventure started!

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