Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park Fishing

Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park is a quiet county park on a mangrove peninsula at the northern tip of Old Tampa Bay. Hillsborough County points saltwater anglers to its banks for snook, redfish and trout.

• Bank fishing on tidal water in a natural, protected setting
• Snook, redfish and spotted seatrout are the main targets
• A short trail to the Mobbly Bay shore, and a tidal creek by the canoe launch
• Kayak and canoe rentals if you want to reach water the bank cannot
• A nature center, picnic shelters and restrooms make it an easy family trip

The park is off Double Branch Road in northwest Tampa, near Oldsmar, on a peninsula between Mobbly Bay and Double Branch Bay. A paved park road runs from the entry station down to the picnic area and nature center.

• Entry: $2 per vehicle, covering up to eight people; rentals cost extra
• Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Parking: inside the park, after the entry station where the vehicle fee is paid
• To Mobbly Bay: the Eagle Trail runs about a quarter mile west from the picnic area and finishes on a boardwalk through the mangroves to the shore
• To the creek: the canoe and kayak launch is beside the nature center at the end of the park road
• Surface: natural hiking trails and short boardwalks; the shoreline itself is mangrove-lined

The head of Old Tampa Bay is shallow, grassy and fringed with mangroves and oyster bars, and the fishing follows the water temperature.

• Spring (Mar–May): snook move out of the creeks as the water warms; redfish and trout work the grass edges
• Summer (Jun–Aug): snook at the mangrove edges early and late; mangrove snapper, jacks and ladyfish; tarpon sometimes roll out in the bay
• Fall (Sep–Nov): the best redfish of the year, with trout and snook feeding hard before winter
• Winter (Dec–Feb): sheepshead and black drum around oysters and roots; trout and snook hold in deeper creek water on warm afternoons

Light spinning tackle with 10–15 lb braid and a 20–30 lb fluorocarbon leader covers nearly everything here.

• Snook and redfish: live shrimp or a pilchard on a 1/0 circle hook, or a weedless soft plastic worked along the mangrove edges
• Trout: shrimp under a popping cork, or a 1/4 oz jig and paddle tail over grassy bottom
• Sheepshead and black drum: fiddler crabs or shrimp on a short leader with a 1/2 oz sinker near oysters and roots
• Topwater plugs early in the day for snook and reds
• A landing net helps; the bank is lined with roots and oysters that cut line

Old Tampa Bay has mixed tides: usually two highs and two lows a day of unequal size, sometimes only one, with a small range. At the head of the bay the water is very shallow, so the stage of the tide matters more than anything.

• A rising tide floods the mangrove edges and draws redfish and snook in close
• The first of the falling tide pulls bait out of the creek; fish its mouth and bends
• Very low winter tides leave the edges dry; fish the creek or deeper holes then
• Calm mornings are best; strong wind muddies the shallows
• The water is usually stained, so scented baits and noisy lures help

A natural park rather than a groomed waterfront, so expect roots, mud and insects.

• Stay on the marked trails and boardwalks; the county asks all visitors to keep to them
• Mosquitoes and biting midges can be fierce near the mangroves; bring repellent
• Summer lightning storms build quickly over the bay, and there is little cover at the shore
• Watch your footing on roots and soft mud at the water's edge
• Carry water and wear sun protection
• The picnic area and nature center are reached by paved road, but the trails are natural surfaces, so wheelchair access to the water is limited

A well-kept county park with more than most fishing spots offer.

• Restrooms near the picnic shelters
• Seven numbered picnic shelters, grills, a playground and a volleyball court
• Nature center with exhibits and live fish, snakes and turtles
• Canoe and kayak rentals at the nature center front desk: $25 for up to four hours and $10 for each extra hour; rentals can stop early in small craft advisories or bad weather
• Bait and tackle: none are listed among the park's amenities, so bring everything you need

• The park opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m., so time your visit for the best tide inside those hours rather than dawn or dusk
• Rent a kayak to reach the creek mouths and oyster bars the bank cannot reach
• Watch for mullet schools pushing along the shore; redfish and snook are often with them
• Cast along the mangrove edges rather than into open water; that is where the fish hold
• On calm, clear mornings you can sometimes see redfish tailing in the shallows
• Bring repellent in every season

Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park is managed by Hillsborough County's Conservation and Environmental Lands Management Department.

• Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; $2 vehicle entry
• County code allows fishing in county parks only where the county permits it; the county names this park's banks among its best saltwater fishing, so fish from the shore and obey any posted signs
• The county requires a valid Florida fishing license to fish in its parks and preserves unless you are exempt
• Pets must be on a hand-held leash, and visitors must stay on marked trails
• Shore-based shark fishing needs a free FWC permit
• Snook, redfish and trout have their own rules; check FWC
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything