Spending a Day Fishing with Hubbard’s Marina at John’s Pass

My girlfriend and I have lived in the Bay for about 6 years now. We love to do things that are unique to our region. You know, parasailing, scalloping, eating on the water, fishing, watching dolphins and manatees. We had a chance to do some deep sea fishing with Hubbard's Marina at John's Pass a few weeks ago.

We took the 5-hour trip, which took off at about 8 a.m. and returned at about 1 p.m. The trip was short enough to not take up the entire weekend, but packed lots of action and good times into half a day. we started at 7 a.m. with a quick safety meeting and got signed in. Once we hit the water, we cruised out into the Gulf for about an hour. We stopped, dropped our lines and enjoyed the crisp morning air while reeling in lots of different types of fish. The mood in the crowd and the crew was awesome. Everyone had come to have fun.

After sipping a couple of adult beverages and eating a couple of delicious burgers (prepared onboard by Pappy, the chef and all-around cool guy), we headed back to shore with our fresh catch.

After docking, the crew cleaned and fileted our fish for us. Bonus! When they gave us the prepared fish, they told us that we could go to The Friendly Fisherman, a John's Pass restaurant that has been there for decades. Turns out, they will cook your fish in any way you like for only $10, plus that price includes sides that are quite tasty! By the way, if you'd like to stay on the water longer, there are trips that last for several days at a time! I'd go again in a heartbeat. Finally, you're not gonna believe how affordable the trips are. Have fun!

Hear more about Hubbard's Marina at John's Pass (:54) on the Experience Tampa Bay in 10 Minutes or Less podcast. Get ready for the Tampa Bay Times Festival of Reading (3:33) and learn more about the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City (6:30).