Nearby buoys
2026-10-19 13:35 UTC · NOAA NDBC 42013
2026-10-19 13:35 UTC · NOAA NDBC 42022
2026-10-19 14:30 UTC · NOAA NDBC 42098
Latest NOAA NDBC observations. Satellite and in water readings may differ.
Fishing Tampa / Sarasota / Middle Grounds
The Tampa and Sarasota grounds open onto the wide eastern Gulf shelf, and the headline feature out here is the Florida Middle Grounds, a stretch of productive hard bottom and ledges well offshore that has drawn crews for generations. This is broad, relatively shallow shelf water, so the deep edge is a long run and the fishing is built around structure and the quality of the water sitting over it rather than a close in current break. Knowing where the clean water and the temperature edges are before you commit to a long offshore run is exactly where the chart earns its keep.
The Middle Grounds and the scattered hard bottom, ledges and wrecks across the shelf are what hold bait and fish. When clean, warm Gulf water sits over that structure, the spot comes alive, and when dirty or off color water pushes over it, the bite can shut down. Reading the color and temperature layers against the depth contours helps you judge whether the water over your numbers is worth the fuel, and where the cleaner edges are sitting on a given day.
Closer to the beach, the passes and the bays feed the nearshore fishing, and river and estuary outflow can color the water after rain. The edge between that off color inshore water and the cleaner green water offshore is a feature worth tracking, and the chlorophyll layer shows it clearly. Spring brings strong nearshore pushes of bait and the fish that follow.
Seasonally, anglers here typically work the Middle Grounds and the hard bottom for grouper, snapper and other bottom fish on their seasons. Kingfish and Spanish mackerel run the nearshore and over the structure, cobia show on their spring push along the beaches, and tarpon are a famous warm season target around the passes and the beaches near Tampa Bay. Pelagics move through the deeper shelf water when the conditions line up. None of it is a promise. Seasons, runs and regulations change every year, so always check current rules.
Before a long run to the Middle Grounds or the offshore hard bottom, read where the clean water and the temperature edges are sitting, weigh the distance against the forecast, and point the bow at the structure that has the right water on it.
What you get with ReelTemps
- Sea surface temperatureFind the temperature break
- Chlorophyll-aSpot the green-to-blue color seam
- Composite & single passBlended picture or the freshest overpass
- CompareTemperature and color side by side
- Depth readoutFathoms and feet on hover, tap or mark
- Currents & buoysSee the water move and ground-truth it
- Route, ruler & waypointsPlan the run and save your spots
From the water
I've tried every temp map out there and they all feel like they were built ten years ago. I'm not exactly a tech guy, but this one actually makes sense the second you open it. First time using it, I marked a break in about 30 seconds the night before and boated bluefin right on it the next morning.
Used to burn half a tank driving around looking for color change or a solid temp break. Now I check ReelTemps before I leave the dock and I know exactly where I'm going. Less time driving around guessing, more time with lines in the water.
Albacore season used to mean a couple hours of homework the night before and just hoping it held up. Now I do most of my research that morning and pull it up on my phone if things change once we're out there. Makes calling an audible a lot easier.