It is Tuesday, October 13 on the Hudson Beach FL coast, and the week has a big date on it: Florida stone crab season opens Thursday, October 15 across Pasco County. The storm that soaked us over the weekend has moved on, the beaches are back to their clean fall selves, and the mullet run is at its peak in Hudson, Florida. Here is your opening-week guide and post-storm community update from Kathleen Paglaiccetti.
Stone Crab Season Opens Thursday, October 15: What to Know
The date locals circle every fall is now just two days away. Florida stone crab season opens Thursday, October 15 and runs through May 1, which means the Gulf coast's favorite sweet claw meat starts showing up fresh at markets and on menus from Hudson Beach FL to the Pasco County coast and beyond. The rules come straight from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: only claws may be harvested, each claw must measure at least 2-7/8 inches from the elbow to the tip of the lower immovable finger, and claws may not be taken from egg-bearing crabs. The daily bag limit is 1 gallon of claws per person or 2 gallons per vessel, whichever is less, and recreational harvesters may use up to five traps.
One detail worth flagging for anyone dropping traps this year: recreational harvesters age 16 and up must complete a free online stone crab trap registration through the FWC and mark each trap with their name and address. Traps may be set and baited up to 10 days before opening day, so if your gear is not in the water yet, today and tomorrow are your window before the season starts. The local markets in Hudson, Florida, including Seafood Connection FL and Whitney & Son, are already taking orders for the first claws of the year, and the jumbo ones go fast.
After the Storm: Beach & Water Conditions
Hurricane Isaias brought heavy rain and flooding to the Nature Coast over the weekend, with a Flood Watch covering Pasco and Hernando counties and 3 to 7 inches of rain in many spots. The storm has moved on, and the good news for beach days this week is that the water checked out clean. The most recent FWC red tide update shows only background levels of the organism along the Gulf coast with no bloom affecting Pasco County, and the Florida Healthy Beaches program rates the county's beach water quality as good with no swimming advisories.
After any storm, it pays to give the beach a once-over before you settle in. Look for washed-up debris at the tide line, check for stronger-than-usual currents at the water's edge, and let the water clarity settle for a day or two after heavy rain. The Hudson Beach FL shoreline is in its usual fall shape this week: warm Gulf water in the low 80s, calm mornings, and the same golden sunsets that make this stretch of Pasco County coast worth the drive.
Fishing After the Storm: The Mullet Run Is Peaking
On the water, mid-October is the heart of the mullet run along the Hudson Beach FL shoreline, and a passing storm often sharpens the bite. The big schools of mullet are pushing down the coast right now, and every predator in the gulf is following: snook, redfish, tarpon, jack crevalle, ladyfish, and speckled trout stack up behind the bait, with kingfish and mackerel working the deeper water offshore. The way to read the action is the same trick the pier regulars use: watch for surface slicks and diving terns. Where the birds are working and the water is churning, the mullet are moving and the game fish are behind them.
Early mornings and the late afternoon bite remain the most reliable windows, and the flats that were crowded with scallopers all summer are quiet fishing grounds again. For launch points, shore spots, and the full species rundown, our complete fishing spots guide is the place to start, and the early October fishing report has the latest on the bite and the clean water on the Pasco County beaches.
This Weekend & Beyond: Fall Events Across Pasco County
The fall calendar in Hudson, Florida and Pasco County keeps rolling after the festival weekend. On Saturday, October 17, New Port Richey's free Concert in the Park returns to Sims Park from 7 to 9 PM with TL Jentgens, a high-energy show mixing live drumming, vocals, and lights right on the Cotee River. Bring a blanket and a lawn chair, grab something from the food trucks, and settle in for a free riverside evening a short drive from Hudson Beach FL.
The week after, the Fourth Friday Block Party fills downtown New Port Richey on Friday, October 23 with an evening outdoor market, local vendors, and live music, and Funville Farm's 2026 Fall Festival at 13725 Hudson Ave in Hudson keeps its pumpkin patch, hayrides, and petting zoo running every Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM through November 2, all included with the $12 admission. Halloween weekend brings family-friendly fun across the county, including the Little Spookies Glow Trail & Patch at A.F.I.R.E. on Ridge Road in Port Richey on Saturday, October 24 and the Boo Bash Halloween Sk8 Party at the Port Richey skating rink on Saturday, October 31. The events page has the full rundown as the calendar updates.
Mid-October Community Notes
Order stone crab ahead. The markets in Hudson, Florida start taking orders as opening day approaches, and the jumbo claws go first. If you want claws on the table for the weekend after October 15, call your market today or tomorrow.
Check conditions before beach days. Red tide and water quality change day to day. The FWC updates its red tide map daily at 5 PM, and the Florida Healthy Beaches program posts the latest water quality ratings for Pasco County. A quick check before you load the cooler is worth it.
One note on the dining strip: the waterfront bar Ollie's on the Beach on Clark Street has closed, so the dependable open-air choice with your feet near the sand remains Sam's Beach Bar at 6325 Clark Street, an easy walk from the beach and a reliable stop after a paddle. Our dining guide is kept current with the open spots and the closures.
The Bottom Line: Stone crab season opens Thursday, October 15 across Pasco County, the storm has passed and the beaches are clean on the Hudson Beach FL coast, and the mullet run is at its peak with the fish right behind the bait in Hudson, Florida. Concert in the Park returns to Sims Park on Saturday, the Fourth Friday Block Party fills downtown New Port Richey on October 23, and Funville Farm's fall festival runs weekends through November 2. Get out there, say hello to a neighbor, and enjoy the slow, warm fall on the Gulf coast.
See you at the pier,
Kathleen
