The beaches of St. Pete-Clearwater are renowned for their picturesque beauty. The sugar-white sand and emerald Gulf waters have long been a draw for visitors. The crystal-clear waters of the Gulf and the surrounding in-shore waters are not only great for swimming, boating and water sports, they’re an amazing opportunity for fisherman of any kind. Whether you’re an experienced angler or a novice, the waterways of St. Pete-Clearwater have almost every type of fishing you could imagine.
The topography of the area is what makes the fishing so plentiful and unique. Beyond the deep-sea fishing in the Gulf, there’s ample shallow water and islands that provide vegetation and nooks and crannies for fish—all of which can be easily accessed. Capt. Mike Anderson has been fishing and competing in tournaments on Tampa Bay and Florida waters for over 25 years. A local radio host and owner of Reel Animals Fishing Charters, he explains why this area is so special, “People don’t always put fishing and St. Pete-Clearwater together. They think that it’s just this huge city on the west coast of Florida, and they don’t expect the fishing to be as incredible as it is. I think that’s what really separates it. When you come here to fish, there’s so much to do along with your fishing adventure.” Anderson counts the fabulous dining, outdoor activities and beaches as some of his favorite pastimes outside fishing. He loves the local beach so much, he vacations there. “We’re a beach family. We vacation at the beach several times a year. We’ve been vacationing on St. Pete Beach for 28 years now.”
When it comes to fishing, St. Pete-Clearwater really has it all, “That’s the beauty of this area. We’ve got world-class freshwater fishing. We’ve got big snook on the beaches. We’ve got incredible red fishing in the back country. We’ve got tarpon fishing. We’ve got great offshore fishing here as well—grouper, snapper, king fish, blackfin tuna,” Anderson explains. The great thing about this variety is that a boat is not always necessary. “A lot of people fish right from the beach of their hotel and catch snook and whiting and big, beautiful trout right from the beach. There’s incredible fishing to be had right from the shore where our resorts are.” Kayaks offer a great way to fish around the shallow areas of local islands, and charter captains will provide you with customized, guided fishing experiences. The good news, according to Anderson, is that that any time of year is a good time for fishing. “We fish 365 days a year.”
CAPTAIN MIKE’S TOP FIVE RECOMMENDS
- Dine out and dig in. “There’s a restaurant on St. Pete Beach called Snapper’s. I think it’s the best seafood restaurant I’ve ever been to. We absolutely love this place.”
- St. Pete Beach. “I love St. Pete Beach in general. It’s an amazing white-sand beach. There’s miles of it and nice people all up and down the beach.
- Catch a game. “I am a huge sports fan. I like to catch a spring training game. I think that’s just a great day with a nice cold beer and a hot dog.”
- Work in a workout. “I love starting my day out with a good workout. There are several gyms on St. Pete Beach where you can drop in as a visitor.”
- The Pinellas Trail, a 75-mile walking and biking trail around the entire destination “It’s a bike path that runs all up and down Pinellas County that has some absolutely incredible scenery.”
