West Florida · United States

Clearwater Florida Gulf fishing forecast

56 Good of 100

Clearwater Florida Gulf is a saltwater fishing spot in West Florida, United States. Anglers here target Tarpon, Common Snook, King Mackerel. The most productive months are typically April, May, June, July, August, September, October.

Quick answer

Best monthsApril, May, June, July

Top speciesTarpon, Common Snook, King Mackerel

Score now56/100

Local rulesFlorida

Today’s verdict

In line with this spot’s 7-day average

Score confidence ±4 points, from 8 live signals

The statistical model disagrees with the physics model here today — treat this score with extra caution.

Helping the score most

Water temperature+25.0Chlorophyll+12.6Waves+9.0

Working against it

Marine heatwave-2.0

Pressure trend

Pressure stable — fish feeding on their usual rhythm

Current conditions

Live conditions are temporarily unavailable for this spot (last data Aug 23, 2026). Seasonal and regulation info below is unaffected.

What the score means at Clearwater Florida Gulf

Clearwater Florida Gulf currently scores 56 out of 100 (Good). Water temperature is 31.1 °C. 8 forecast signals are active in this score.

Water temperature +25.0: how close the water is to this species mix’s comfort band
Chlorophyll +12.6: plankton density — the base of the food chain
Waves +9.0: swell energy stirring the water column
Wind +8.0: surface chop, oxygen and bait drift
Chlorophyll front +5.0: a plankton edge — classic feeding line
Pre-storm bite +3.5: the classic feed before heavy weather

What’s biting now

The model expects today: king-mackerel, tarpon, snook, pinfish, atlantic-croaker, spot-croaker, blue-tang, stoplight-parrotfish

Bite windows

Moon

Waxing Gibbous · 82% lit

Solunar day rating

50 / 100

Best months for Clearwater Florida Gulf:

Score history at this spot

7 days tracked at this exact location

Best recent day: 2026-07-30, 59/100

About this spot

Water type

Sea

Open coastal saltwater — conditions and safety depend heavily on the live wind, wave, and tide forecast, so check them before you head out.

Access & shore

Fishable from shore · offshore-only

What you can catch

Tarpon

Megalops atlanticus
Common Snook

Centropomus undecimalis
King Mackerel

Scomberomorus cavalla

Best months by species at Clearwater Florida Gulf

TarponMegalops atlanticus
Common SnookCentropomus undecimalis
King MackerelScomberomorus cavalla

Typical months; local seasons and closures apply.

Local regulations

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)

Florida

Species	Bag limit	Min size	Open season
Common SnookFWC recreational saltwater regulations — Snook; Chapter 68B, F.A.C.	1/day	71.1–81.3 cm slot	Feb 1 – May 31; Sep 1 – Dec 14; Mar 1 – Apr 30; Sep 1 – Nov 30
Slot: 28–32" Atlantic; 28–33" Gulf (most regions). Snook permit required for harvest. Closed seasons differ by region — Panhandle/Big Bend/Tampa/Sarasota and Charlotte Harbor/SW Gulf each have distinct closures. Always verify against current FWC zone map before fishing.
TarponFWC recreational saltwater regulations — Tarpon; Chapter 68B, F.A.C.	1/day	min 190.5 cm	—
A tarpon tag is required to harvest tarpon. Catch-and-release strongly encouraged. Harvest heavily restricted.

Licensing:

saltwater-recreational — residents Florida residents 16–64 must purchase a Saltwater Fishing License; $17/yr (short-term rates available)., non-residents Non-residents 16+: $17/3-day, $30/7-day, $47/annual.
saltwater-recreational — residents Federal Recreational Fishing License may be required in addition to state license when fishing federal (EEZ) waters., non-residents Same as residents. Many states require their own license even in federal waters.

FishRadar regulations are summaries for informational purposes only. Always verify current rules at myfwc.com before fishing. Seasons and limits change annually.