Lassing Park, St. Petersburg Fishing

Lassing Park is a grassy city waterfront park with a small beach on northern Tampa Bay. It is mostly a place to walk the shore, so fish it lightly and keep expectations modest.

• A bay beach and shoreline with open views across the water
• Seatrout, redfish, jacks and ladyfish on the tide
• Shade trees, open lawn and easy neighborhood access
• Best for a short, light-tackle session at first or last light

The park is in the Old Southeast neighborhood of St. Petersburg, near Beach Drive SE and 18th Avenue South, and is run by the city's Parks and Recreation department.

• Hours: the city lists the park as opening 30 minutes before sunrise and closing 30 minutes after sunset
• Parking: easy street parking is described by visitors; the number and any limits are not confirmed, so read the signs
• The walk from the street to the sand is short and mostly grass
• Pets on leash are allowed per visitor listings

This is shallow northern Tampa Bay water, so fish follow the seasons.

• Spring (Mar-May): spotted seatrout and redfish along the shoreline and grass edge
• Summer (Jun-Aug): jacks and ladyfish with bait schools, and the odd snook at dawn
• Fall (Sep-Nov): redfish and seatrout on moving water, with Spanish mackerel when bait is near
• Winter (Dec-Feb): slower days; sheepshead near hard structure and trout on warm afternoons

Light spinning gear with 8 to 12 lb line is enough from the sand and the shoreline.

• Seatrout: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a soft-plastic jig on a 1/8 oz head
• Redfish: live shrimp or cut bait fished near the grass edge on a short leader
• Jacks and ladyfish: small spoons or jigs retrieved fast
• Snook: live pilchards or pinfish at first light in warm months
• Wade carefully or fish from the dry shore, since visitors report deep holes

Tampa Bay has two uneven highs and lows on most days; the NOAA tide station at St. Petersburg is the nearest reference.

• Moving water, either direction, fishes best
• Early morning is calmest, before wind and kitesurfers arrive
• Light, clear water on a slack-wind day helps with sight-fishing
• A strong onshore wind roils the shore and ruins casting
• After heavy rain the bay can run murky for a day or two

The park is flat and easy to reach, but it is shared with paddlers, dog walkers and kitesurfers.

• Visitors warn of deep holes close to the water, so watch each step when wading
• Keep your backcast clear of other people and kites
• Shuffle your feet to warn stingrays
• Leave the water at the first thunder
• Shade is thin by midday; carry water and sun protection

The city lists the park as a greenspace with a beach; other facilities are not confirmed.

• Open lawn, shade trees and benches for resting
• A small beach on the bay
• Restrooms, drinking water and trash cans could not be confirmed, so plan ahead
• No bait or tackle shop in the park; buy bait before you arrive
• Dog-friendly with a leash

• Treat this as a short dawn or dusk session, not an all-day fishing trip
• Bring live shrimp from a shop in town, since none is sold here
• Keep clear of anyone wading or paddling, and give kitesurfers a wide berth on windy days
• Cast parallel to shore along the grass edge for trout and reds
• Wade only where you can see the bottom, and avoid the deeper holes
• Read every posted sign; the city does not list fishing here

Lassing Park is managed by the City of St. Petersburg Parks and Recreation department, which does not list fishing among the park's features, so read the posted signs for any local rules.

• Follow the posted park hours
• Stay out of any marked swim or kitesurf zone
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Snook and redfish have their own season and release rules; check FWC before keeping either
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything