August 2026 Fishing Roundup — Tampa Bay, FL

Eleven oversized trout came over the rail in a row before one finally fit the legal slot. That was a single August morning on Tampa Bay, and the rest of the month was about fish moving into the bay ahead of fall.

The trout morning

The trout were working the troughs on the incoming tide. As the tide pushed water and bait through those deeper cuts, the bigger fish set up to feed, and once the boat was dialed in, the action never let up.

Big female trout like these are a good sign for the health of the bay. Every oversized one was admired and sent back. Earlier in the month the trout had been holding in the same troughs. See inshore trips.

Redfish starting to build

In early August the reds were sticking close to the shoreline and tucking into the mangroves. By mid month their numbers were building throughout the bay as more fish moved in from the surrounding waters.

That build carried on through the fall: schools pushing into the bay in September, and plentiful on the flats by October. Reds are open all year here with an 18 to 27 inch slot. See redfish trips.

Sharks all month

Shark fishing was good all August, and the smaller sharks were especially active, which meant a lot of shots for the anglers on board. Tampa Bay holds blacktips, bonnetheads, bulls, lemons and hammerheads, and shark trips take up to six people, which makes them an easy pick for families. See shark trips.

Mixed bags with Capt. Pruner

In the last week of the month, Capt. Pruner and his clients brought a solid mixed bag aboard nearly every day. Rather than lock in on one species, they fished the bay the way it wanted to be fished and took whatever was willing to bite.

Capt. Pruner fishes out of Ruskin on his 23 foot Sea Pro, from Bradenton Beach up into the bay, and he learned his patience on Indiana lakes with his dad.

Up next: gag grouper

Gag grouper season runs September 1 to 30 this year, and it's one of the most anticipated openers on the Tampa Bay calendar. Call (813) 714-5670 to get a September date in, or see grouper trips.