Offshore Action, Inshore Bites: November Fishing Forecast for the Gulf of Mexico

Good morning anglers, Artificial Lure here with your Gulf of Mexico, Florida fishing report for Saturday, November 15, 2025. The fall bite is holding steady across the region, with water temps just cool enough to kick fish into gear but still plenty pleasant for a full day on the water. Winds are light this morning and forecasted to stay that way, with highs reaching into the low 70s—perfect conditions for both offshore and inshore action. Skies are mostly clear after yesterday’s front pushed through, leaving pristine water clarity along much of the coast and nearshore structure. Sunrise came at 6:54 AM, and you can fish right until sunset at 5:36 PM. According to Tides4Fishing, we’re working an average tidal swing: look for low tide at 4:49 AM around many Gulf stations, high tide rolling in near 10:45 AM, and then dropping again toward an evening low just after 5 PM. These moving tide windows are your best shot at active fish, especially around the late morning push. Recent catches have been outstanding. Offshore, the folks at Hubbard’s Marina at John’s Pass report red grouper and hogfish are still coming in hot, especially over hard bottom and ledges in the 60-100 ft range. Live pinfish and cut squid are your best baits for grouper, while hogfish continue to hit on shrimp-tipped jigs and knocker rigs. Don’t be shy about working deeper; the bite’s been consistent, with brisk limits noted on each trip. Inshore, the pompano and whiting bite has been one of the best runs in recent years, especially on the clean beaches from Clearwater all the way to Cape San Blas. Surf anglers tossing small sand flea imitations and fresh shrimp have been hauling in double-digit days. According to Great Days Outdoors, those fish are tight to the first bar during the higher part of the tide, so set up where you see the birds or bait schools working. Trout are thick in the grass flats just inside the passes and mouths of the bays—white soft plastics, paddle tails in watermelon redflake, and live shrimp under popping corks have been the ticket. Redfish are cruising mangroves and oyster bars, especially on the outgoing tide. Cut mullet, menhaden, and gold spoons have all been producing quantities, with slot fish pretty common and a few tough over-slot bulls coming in from the creeks. Your offshore hot spots to target include: - The nearshore reefs off Clearwater and Tampa Bay: perfect for red grouper and lane snapper, plus a shot at some stray cobia. - Middle Grounds: still holding a mix of amberjack and bigger red grouper if you’re up for a longer run. Inshore, don’t skip: - Pass-a-Grille Channel for breeder trout and pompano. - The flats north of St. George Island for redfish and flounder, especially with a little incoming tide. Best baits and lures today: - Offshore: live pinfish, cut squid, and shrimp on circle hooks. - Inshore: soft plastic jerkbaits in natural hues, gold spoons, live shrimp, and sand flea imitations for surf. This is a classic November wi This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.