Alafia River

Tidal river and creek mouths in Tampa Bay inshore waters

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InshoreUpdated October 11, 2026

Access
By boat or from shore
Best months
September to April
Species
Snook, Redfish (red drum), Tarpon, Spotted seatrout, Sheepshead, Crevalle jack

One of the four main rivers feeding Tampa Bay, entering the east side of Hillsborough Bay at Gibsonton and Riverview. FWC's monitoring found most of the bay's juvenile redfish in the Alafia and Little Manatee rivers, which is why the Alafia was the main release river for FWC and Mote's 2000-2004 Tampa Bay redfish stocking project (about 4 million juveniles). Like the bay's other tidal rivers, it's where FWC says snook spend the cold months. Hillsborough County's Williams Park ramp (4 lanes) in Riverview launches straight onto the river, and FWC's Tampa Bay guide lists a pier there.

How to fish it

It's a cold-weather river: when the bay is cold, work the deeper bends, docks and creek mouths slowly with lures for snook and redfish, ideally on a falling tide. Fish the oyster bars near the mouth on moving water for redfish.

Watch out for: From Hillsborough Bay up to the US 41 bridge, the river outside the marked channel is a year-round slow-speed manatee zone and the marked channel is a 25-mph zone, so stay in the channel. Expect industrial and port traffic in the Alafia River Channel near the mouth, and manatees in the river in winter.
Rules here: FWC's Tampa Bay rules, snook closed seasons included, cover the Alafia and its tributaries. Check FWC's Hillsborough manatee zones. The rules to check in Tampa Bay inshore waters

Wind and waves

Now and the next 48 hours at Alafia River

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On the map

Alafia River and the places around it

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Position

  • N27° 51.185' W082° 24.022'27.853080, -82.400370

Not for navigation: check it against a current chart before you rely on it.

Places nearby

The closest named places, as the crow flies

Check the rules before you keep a fish. Size limits, bag limits and seasons change, sometimes at short notice. Our "Can you keep it today?" lists give them as of the day we last checked; these are the official pages.