Palmetto
Palmetto Fishing Charter
Inshore trips for redfish, trout and snook on the Manatee River at Palmetto, directly across the water from the dock.
From $425 for three hours · priced per boat, not per person · six anglers maximum
What we fish
Redfish, trout and snook.
Where we launch
801 Riverside Dr E, Bradenton, FL 34208. Free parking on site.
The water
The Manatee River and lower Tampa Bay.
Across the river from Bradenton
Palmetto sits on the north bank of the Manatee River, looking straight across at Bradenton. Emerson Point Preserve takes up the western tip of Snead Island, where the river opens out into lower Tampa Bay.
Sheltered water
The river is broad and protected here, with docks, spoil islands, oyster bars and channel edges. A very different sort of water to the open Gulf a few miles west.
What it holds
Redfish, trout and snook along the shorelines, the docks and the harder structure.
The north bank
Palmetto Fishing Charters on the Manatee River
Palmetto looks across the Manatee River at Bradenton, and the north bank in front of it is good inshore water. Redfish, trout and snook are there all year, and the river is sheltered enough to fish when the Gulf is blown out.
A Palmetto fishing charter is a private trip on calm water, timed around the tide.
It’s a part of the river many visitors never see.
Crossing to the boat
The boat leaves from 801 Riverside Dr E on the Bradenton side of the river, with free parking. From Palmetto it’s a quick drive across the river. Arrive a few minutes early so gear can be stowed before you pull away.
Once you’re aboard, the Palmetto shoreline is close. There’s no long run before the first cast, so more of a half day goes on fishing.
How the north bank fishes
This bank mixes residential docks, seawalls, mangrove edges and shallow bars, with deeper channel water close by. That mix is why it holds fish.
On a rising tide, redfish push up onto the shallow edges to feed. When the water falls, fish drop back to the docks, the bar edges and the deeper holes. Charlie picks spots to suit the stage of the tide and holds the boat quietly on the Power Pole Move trolling motor. If one stretch is slow, the next one is rarely far off.
Fishing the docks
The docks along the Palmetto shore are worth fishing slowly. Snook and redfish use the shade under them, especially in the heat of summer. A bait dropped close to the pilings gets far more attention than one left out in open water.
It can take a few tries to land a cast in the right spot. Nobody minds. The boat is held in place, and there’s time to try again.
A morning on this side of the river
A typical trip starts along the docks and seawalls while the light is low, when snook and redfish feed close to cover. As the sun climbs, the boat may move onto the bars and grass edges to look for reds and trout, then finish on deeper structure as the tide turns.
Each move is short. Bites tend to come in bursts around the tide change, which keeps everyone busy. Rods are rigged for you, and there’s help on hand for every fish.
Through the year
Redfish and spotted seatrout are the mainstays in every season. Snook are most active from spring through fall, when they feed along the shorelines and around the docks. When the water cools, sheepshead gather on pilings and hard structure and give good sport on light tackle.
If sheepshead appeal, our sheepshead fishing charter often fishes this side of the river.
Every year runs a little differently. Call and ask what’s biting before you book.
Which trip fits
Most Palmetto-side fishing happens on an inshore trip. Three or four hours is enough to fish the north bank and the nearby bars properly. Six hours adds the run down to the river mouth, where Emerson Point marks the change from river to open bay.
The sheltered water suits families and first-time anglers. There’s no minimum age, kids’ rods are aboard, and because the trip is private your group sets the pace.
Emerson Point and the river mouth
Downstream, the river widens and meets lower Tampa Bay at Emerson Point. The water changes there. Shorelines get longer, the flats get bigger, and on a moving tide the point itself can be a good place to find feeding fish.
On a six hour trip, this is where the day usually stretches out: a morning on the north bank, then a run down to the mouth as the tide turns.
Small things that help
Pick the tide before you pick the time. Moving water nearly always fishes better than slack, and you’ll be told which start suits your dates.
Polarised sunglasses are worth bringing. On calm mornings the bars along this bank can be clear enough to see redfish feeding, and the lenses make them much easier to spot.
In winter, pack a light layer. It can feel cool on the river before the sun is properly up.
A cap with a brim helps too. On the river, low sun glares off the water as much as it comes from above.
Before you book
Is the water rough on this side?
Rarely. The river is broad but protected, so it’s usually comfortable even when the Gulf is choppy.
Can we keep fish for dinner?
Often. Redfish, trout and sheepshead can go home when they’re in season and within the current rules, and cleaning is included.
In the price
What is Included on a Palmetto Fishing Charter
Rods, reels and tackle
Bait
Ice
Bottled water
Fish cleaning
Kids’ rods
Your fishing licence
The boat
The Boat - 25ft Parker Centre Console with Twin Yamahas
2021 Parker 25′ centre console
Twin Yamaha outboards
Power Pole Move trolling motor
EPIRB emergency beacon
Deep-V hull
Six anglers maximum
Book a trip
Book a Palmetto Fishing Charter
Check availability
Nautical Native Fishing Adventures
801 Riverside Dr E, Bradenton, FL 34208
Free parking on site
Charters we run here
