Snook Season 2026: Tampa Bay Region Rules (Madeira Beach, John's Pass)
Madeira Beach, John's Pass and all of Pinellas County sit in FWC's Tampa Bay snook management region. Here are the 2026 recreational harvest rules, where the snook are this time of year, and what usually happens next.
Tampa Bay region snook rules, 2026
| Open harvest | March 1 to April 30, and September 1 to November 30 |
| Closed harvest | December 1 to end of February, and May 1 to August 31 |
| Bag limit | One snook per person per day |
| Slot | 28 to 33 inches total length |
| Region | Fred Howard Park (Pasco/Pinellas line) south to State Road 64 in Manatee County |
Source: FWC snook regulations. FWC also requires a snook permit on top of a saltwater license to keep one, and catch-and-release is allowed in closed season. Rules change. Read the FWC page before you keep a fish.
Fall harvest in Tampa Bay closes November 30, 2026. Most of the snook we deal with get released anyway. Not by us. By the snook.
Where the snook are near Madeira Beach in fall
- John's Pass. Jetty rocks, bridge fenders, the shadow line under dock lights at night. Outgoing tide. See John's Pass fishing.
- Boca Ciega Bay mangroves. Prop-root tunnels and oyster edges. Skip-cast or go home.
- Residential canals and dock lights. After dark, green lights, bait clouds, a dark shape that ignores your first nine casts.
Why snook break you off
The gill plate. A snook's gill cover is a razor. He runs for the nearest piling and the leader rides across that edge. Heavier fluorocarbon helps. A tight drag near structure helps. Mostly, it happens. That is the story on every BROKE OFF™ snook piece: slack rod tip, frayed leader, smug fish.
Snook gear for the ones that got away
- Snook Set: snook trucker and a sticker 6-pack, $42.
- Snook Full Kit: tee, trucker, sticker 6-pack, $58.
- The Smug Snook Tee: he's not mad, he's not even thinking about you anymore.
- Snook Trucker Hat.
Plan the night with the John's Pass tide chart and Madeira Beach sunset times.
Updated 8 Oct 2026. Rules and access change. Check the official source before you go.
More from the Madeira Beach field guides
- Madeira Beach fishing guide
- John's Pass fishing
- John's Pass tide chart
- Madeira Beach sunset times
- John's Pass Seafood Festival 2026
- Free fishing phone wallpapers
BROKE OFF™. Madeira Beach, FL.
We're here for the story.