Weekly report · Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay fishing report: week of October 12, 2026
Published October 12, 2026 · Bay water cools to about 81°F under a sunny, dry start; flounder harvest closes Thursday.
Tampa Bay's water dropped to about 81°F, down from about 85°F last week, which puts snook, redfish, pompano and Spanish mackerel in their comfort range. Expect sunny, dry days with light north to northeast winds through Thursday, then isolated afternoon storms and a much stronger northeast wind over the weekend. Snook harvest is open, and flounder harvest closes Oct. 15.
This week's conditions
NOAA's gauges read 80.8°F at Clearwater Beach and 82.0°F at St. Petersburg on Monday morning, about 4 degrees cooler than last Monday's 84.6°F and 84.9°F. The National Weather Service calls for sunny skies Monday through Thursday, highs of 86-87°F and north to northeast winds of 5 to 12 mph, with the bay at a light chop except for a moderate chop Wednesday night on east winds of 10 to 15 knots. Friday through Sunday bring a 20% chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms after 2 PM, and the wind builds to northeast 22 mph by Saturday night and east-northeast 22 to 25 mph on Sunday, when the high slips to about 80°F. With the moon growing from a thin crescent toward first quarter on Sunday, the tides shrink through the week: Clearwater Beach's overnight high falls from 3.2 feet Monday to 2.7 feet by Sunday. Timing shifts across the bay, too. Monday's early high reached Clearwater Beach at 12:08 AM, St. Petersburg at 2:25 AM and Old Port Tampa at 3:04 AM.
Water temperature
| Clearwater Beach | 80.8°F Mon, Oct 12, 11:12 AM |
|---|---|
| St. Petersburg | 82°F Mon, Oct 12, 11:12 AM |
Tides at St. Petersburg
| Day | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| Mon, Oct 12 | 2:25 AM (2.7 ft) 4:42 PM (1.9 ft) | 9:54 AM (0.2 ft) 8:58 PM (1.5 ft) |
| Tue, Oct 13 | 2:48 AM (2.7 ft) 5:39 PM (1.8 ft) | 10:34 AM (0.2 ft) 9:09 PM (1.6 ft) |
| Wed, Oct 14 | 3:15 AM (2.7 ft) 6:47 PM (1.7 ft) | 11:18 AM (0.2 ft) 9:17 PM (1.6 ft) |
| Thu, Oct 15 | 3:47 AM (2.7 ft) | 12:07 PM (0.2 ft) |
| Fri, Oct 16 | 4:23 AM (2.6 ft) | 1:06 PM (0.3 ft) |
| Sat, Oct 17 | 5:11 AM (2.4 ft) | 2:14 PM (0.4 ft) |
| Sun, Oct 18 | 6:21 AM (2.3 ft) | 3:26 PM (0.4 ft) |
NOAA predictions (feet above mean lower low water). Tide times shift by hours between the Gulf beaches and the upper bay.
Forecast for St. Petersburg
| Day | Forecast | Wind | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus Day | Sunny | N 12 mph | 86°F |
| Tuesday | Sunny | NNE 8 mph | 87°F |
| Wednesday | Sunny | NE 9 mph | 87°F |
| Thursday | Sunny | ENE 5 to 9 mph | 86°F |
| Friday | Mostly Sunny then Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms | NNE 6 mph | 85°F |
| Saturday | Mostly Sunny then Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms | NE 7 to 22 mph | 83°F |
| Sunday | Mostly Sunny then Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms | ENE 22 to 25 mph | 80°F |
Moon: first quarter Sun, Oct 18.
Fish to target this week
- Snook: At about 81°F the water sits well inside snook's 70-85°F comfort range, October is one of their peak months, and harvest is open in the Tampa Bay region through November.
- Redfish: The cooler water has dropped back into redfish's 60-82°F comfort range, and October is a peak month for them. The slot is 18-27 inches.
- Pompano: In their 68-82°F comfort range in a peak month. The minimum is 11 inches fork length, 6 per harvester.
- Spanish Mackerel: Also in their 68-82°F comfort range, and October is one of their peak months. The minimum is 12 inches fork length, 15 per harvester.
- Spotted Seatrout: October is a peak month for trout, though the water is still a few degrees above their typical 58-78°F comfort range. The slot is 15-19 inches, 3 per harvester.
- Flounder: October is a peak month for flounder, but harvest closes Oct. 15, so Wednesday is the last day to keep one until December.
Seasons and limits
Snook harvest is open in the Tampa Bay region (March-April and September-November): the slot is 28-33 inches total length, one per harvester, and you need a snook permit. Flounder harvest is closed Oct. 15 through Nov. 30; until Thursday the minimum size is 14 inches, with 5 per harvester. Redfish stay open year-round with an 18-27 inch slot, one per harvester and no more than two per vessel in the Tampa Bay region. For gag grouper and red snapper, check MyFWC.com for the current Gulf season dates.
Not legal advice. These are Florida's Gulf-zone limits (Tampa Bay region where FWC sets regional rules), checked against FWC on July 1, 2026. Limits change by region, gear and date — confirm on MyFWC.com before you keep a fish.
Red tide
FWC took 26 samples around the area over the last two weeks, and none showed red tide above background levels.
26 FWC samples in the last 14 days, none above background levels.
Tip of the week
Monday through Thursday are the calm days, with light winds and a light chop on the bay; the weekend's 20-plus mph northeast wind will make open water rough. The biggest tide swings come early in the week, like Monday's drop at Clearwater Beach from 3.2 feet just after midnight to 0.1 feet at 7:17 AM.
Log your catches free Florida Gulf limits
Questions
What is the water temperature in Tampa Bay this week?
About 81°F. NOAA's gauges read 80.8°F at Clearwater Beach and 82.0°F at St. Petersburg on Monday morning, Oct. 12, 2026, about 4 degrees cooler than a week earlier.
When does flounder season close in Florida?
Flounder harvest is closed Oct. 15 through Nov. 30, so Wednesday, Oct. 14 is the last day to keep one this fall. Until then the minimum size is 14 inches, with 5 per harvester.
Is snook season open in Tampa Bay right now?
Yes. In the Tampa Bay region, snook harvest is open March through April and September through November. The slot is 28-33 inches total length, one per harvester, and a snook permit is required. Confirm current rules on MyFWC.com.
About this report
Built every Monday from public data: NOAA tide predictions and water temperatures, the National Weather Service forecasts for St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay waters, FWC red tide samples, and the same FWC limits and species temperature ranges the Newbreeds app uses. The written summary is generated by AI from those numbers. It's a conditions outlook, not a catch report, and it's not for navigation.