About Us - Spanish Sardine Fishing Charters - #1 Tampa Bay Fishing Charter

SPANISH SARDINE FISHING CHARTERS

As with any good business, there is growth. Spanish Sardine Fishing Charters first started operating from The Spanish Sardine, a 24-foot long open fisherman boat equipped with the latest technology. Rigged with a 250 HP Yamaha Outboard, that allowed Capt. Rios to get to the fish fast. Despite being on the larger size for a “flats” vessel, its low draught allowed us to get into some fairly shallow water when necessary.

As the years went on and the fishing stayed consistent the Spanish sardine.com boat served us well but despite continued maintenance, we were forced to retire our orange fishing machine.

Capt. Rios and our fishing guest are now able to enjoy The happy snapper! The happy snapper is a 28ft Dusky equipped with GPS, Radar, a 300hp Yamaha, and a few comfort upgrades. Anglers are loving the extra space and fresh look.

We offer half-day and 3/4 Day guided fishing charters around Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Our charter fishing guide can help you catch plenty of keeper-sized fish including, grouper, snook, trout, amber jack, redfish and mangrove snapper. All fish are subject to seasonal recreation limits. We also offer game fish charters that target Tarpon and Shark.

We’ll Pick You Up

You can begin your Fishing Charter Trip from our slip at O’Neill’s Marina, near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in St. Petersburg,Florida, or we can pick you up at any dock on the intercostal or St. Pete Beach, Tierra Verde, Pass-a-grille, and Pinellas point that has boat access . Call Captain Rafael Rios at (727) 768-5564 to book your charter fishing trip today.

Map and Directions

Meet Our Team

Captain Rios and The Spanish Sardine Fishing Team regularly participate in local charity fishing tournaments. This involvement along with teaching fishing courses at Bay Area summer camps allows us to give a little back to our wonderful community.

Gavin PaganJunior Angler

Captain Rafael RiosCaptian

Arelys RodriguezLady Angler

TAMPA BAY FISHING TRIPS

GROUPER FISHING CHARTERS

We are fortunate to have plenty of grouper species in Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. They can be caught offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and in Tampa Bay while trolling or by anchoring and bottom fishing. The Skyway Bridge Shipping Channel in the mouth of Tampa Bay and off Anna Maria Island (better known as “bean point”) are loaded with keeper size Gag Grouper (some of my favorite catch). There are plenty of keeper-sized grouper in the bay, so don’t be afraid to try new things while out fishing.

HOGFISH FISHING CHARTERS

One of my favorite fish to catch on my near shore fishing trips in the Gulf of Mexico is the Hogfish. While being one of the hardest fish to catch on hook and line because they’re very quick and picky eaters, there is not a better fish to eat that swims in the Gulf of Mexico than the Hogfish in my personal opinion.

KINGFISH FISHING CHARTERS

Kingfish can be found along the beach and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico during Spring and Fall. In Tampa Bay Kingfish can be found around the pilings of bridges and large piers. Kingfish are fast swimmers and aggressive eaters, so they make for a good fishing experience. Once a king fish is on the line your reel begins to scream and you are in for an awesome fight!

MANGROVE FISHING CHARTERS

Mangrove Snapper are fun to catch and great to eat. Mangrove Snapper, also known as Grey snapper are a great fighters to catch and great to eat.

RED FISH FISHING CHARTERS

Redfish, also known as Red drum, are one of Florida’s most popular fish. They are named after the drumming sound it makes during spawning and when taken out of the water.

Redfish can be caught in shallow water using a variety of bait. Redfish are targeted year round in the bays and inlets of the Tampa Bay area. Always a good fight and surely good to eat, these hearty fish are always a fan-favorite.

SHARK FISHING CHARTERS

The Gulf of Mexico has a large variety of sharks. In Tampa Bay the most commonly caught sharks are:

Bonnet Head Sharks
Black Tip Sharks
Lemon Sharks
Nurse Sharks

SNOOK FISHING CHARTERS

Snook are a fun fish to catch. They can be found in many areas of Tampa Bay and typically are found around structures. While Snook is strictly a catch and release species, they put up a good fight and make it worth the effort.

SPANISH MACKEREL FISHING CHARTERS

Spanish Mackerel are found along our Gulf beaches and in Tampa Bay in the Spring and Fall seasons. Mackerel can be caught by trolling or anchoring and casting toward them. When there is a large school the action on top of the water is amazing. There is no mistaking what you are about to catch.

TARPON FISHING CHARTERS

Tarpon fishing is seasonal, usually from May to July and always on a catch-and-release basis. Tarpon in this area range from 60 lbs. to 200 lbs! Because of their size and the fight they offer, catching a Tarpon is something you will never forget!

Tarpon can be found in almost every waterway in the Tampa bay area, with the most common areas being around shallow water estuaries, mangroves, and hard grassy bottoms. Although Tarpon are a saltwater species, juveniles can be found in fresh water.

TROUT FISHING CHARTERS

Trout can be caught using a variety of bait and artificial lures. Trout are also fun to catch on a fly. We are fortunate to have them in the Tampa Bay area year round and can be found in the bayous and grass flats.

The Trout bite in Tampa Bay has been on fire. During the summer months Gulf waters reach the high 80’s. Trout often hide out in shady spots or can be found in deep water. As the water starts to cool in Florida Trout become more active and are often found feeding on bait fish in the grassy flats.