How it matches right now
- Tide
- outgoing / incoming
- outgoing ✓
- Wind dir
- E, N, NE
- ESE ~
- Wind speed
- ≤10 mph ideal
- 10 mph ✓
- Wave height
- 0–1.5 ft
- — ~
- Water temp
- 64–84°F
- — ~
- Light
- Low light
- Daytime ~
✓ ideal ~ close ✗ outside range
Tampa / St. Pete — Bridge
78
78 — GO
Gandy Bridge
Tampa / St. Pete
The old Gandy Bridge remnants and surrounding grass flats create one of Tampa Bay's most accessible fisheries — legendary night snook under the bridge lights, year-round trout on the surrounding flats, and jacks blitzing through the channel.
This spot targets species that are in their active season right now. outgoing tide lines up with this spot.
Location
Tides & Moon
Today's Tide
▲ High▼ Low● Now
🌖
Waning Gibbous58% illuminated
Between phases — focus on tide timing over lunar influence
Major feeding5:06 AM – 7:06 AM5:06 PM – 7:06 PM
Minor feeding11:06 PM – 12:06 AM11:06 AM – 12:06 PM
Live Conditions
Water—
Wave—
WindESE 10 mph
Tideoutgoing
Air80°F
Rain0%
Conditions Match
Personal logbook
Log this trip with conditions auto-captured from the live feed.
Current Read
Why it scores 78 right now
- This spot targets species that are in their active season right now.
- outgoing tide lines up with this spot.
- Light breeze keeps the presentation manageable.
- This spot gets stronger around dawn, dusk, or night edges.
Tactics
Hooks, baits, and lanes for Gandy Bridge
Night snook — shadow line
Fish the exact edge where bridge light meets shadow with live whitebait (scaled sardines) or a 5-inch white paddletail on a 3/8 oz jighead and 30 lb fluoro leader. Snook face into the current sitting on the shadow side, ambushing bait that gets silhouetted in the light. Cast upcurrent and let the bait drift into the zone. The eat is a sudden, jarring stop.
Trout — popping cork drift
Live shrimp under a popping cork, drifting over the grass flats east of the bridge on incoming tide. Target 2–4 feet of water with visible grass. Pop the cork sharply every 20 seconds. Focus on the transitions where grass meets open sand — that's the ambush zone.
Redfish — mangrove edges
Kayak the mangrove shorelines east of the bridge during the top of the incoming tide. Gold weedless spoon or live shrimp cast within 6 inches of the roots. Reds push into the mangrove roots at high water to ambush crabs and shrimp getting flushed out.
Jack crevalle — bridge channel
When you see bait busting on the surface near the bridge channel, throw any topwater plug, spoon, or loud crankbait on 30 lb braid. Jacks are not leader-shy — they're pure aggression. Be ready for a 20-minute fight on any jack over 10 lbs.
Target Species
Snook
East coast harvest is seasonal and permit-based; on April 17, 2026 the east coast harvest window is open.Fish edges, current seams, and low-light bait movement instead of blind fan casting.
Spotted Seatrout
FWC: 15"-20" slot limit, 3 per harvester (northeast/south regions). Check your zone.Work grass flat edges on falling tide; 'gator' trout hold in potholes and deeper cuts, not on top of the flat.
Redfish
Indian River Lagoon redfish are catch-and-release only, so this is a confidence signal more than a cooler plan.Treat the channel edges as ambush lanes and fish moving current, not dead water.
Jack Crevalle
No minimum size, no bag limit in Florida recreational waters.Watch for bait blowups on the surface. Cast into the mayhem, strip fast. Jacks are reaction feeders, not ambush fish.
Mangrove Snapper
FWC: 10" total length minimum, 5 per harvester. Open year-round in state waters.Fish tight to docks, bridge pilings, mangrove roots, and jetty rock. Light line and stealth matter more than lure choice.
Access
- Shore access from Gandy Boat Ramp and surrounding parks. Free parking.
- Kayak and small boat launch available at the Gandy Boat Ramp (north side).
- Bridge fishing from the old Gandy Bridge catwalk (when accessible). Check current status — access varies.
- Wade-fishing the grass flats on the south side of the bridge on low tides.
- Florida saltwater fishing license required.
- No bait shops at the bridge. Gandy Bait & Tackle is nearby on Gandy Blvd.
Hazards
- Heavy boat traffic around the bridge — stay visible if wading or kayaking. Wear a light-colored shirt or wading belt light.
- Night fishing under bridge lights attracts crowds on weekends. Weeknight sessions are better for space.
- Current through the bridge span is fastest at half-tide — plan your weight and leader size accordingly.
- Stingrays on the grass flats. Shuffle. Every. Step.
- Water quality can degrade after heavy rainfall — check Hillsborough County advisories.
Highlights
- Bridge shadow/light lines hold snook year-round — the Gandy night snook bite is legendary in Tampa Bay.
- Grass flats on both sides of the bridge hold trout and reds within easy kayak or wade distance.
- Easy access from both Tampa and St. Pete — 15 minutes from downtown either city.
- Jack crevalle blitz through the bridge channel when mullet or whitebait schools push through.
- Mangrove snapper hold in the deeper structure around the old bridge footings.
- One of the few places in urban Tampa Bay where you can catch five different species in one session.