Weekend Fishing forecast for June 13th 2008
OffShore
anglers beginning in 80-feet of water are finding good numbers of gag grouper and growing numbers of mangrove snapper. Deep water drops in 100-to 145-feet are producing amberjacks, lane, vermilion, mangrove, and yellowtail snappers. American red snappers are also being caught in good numbers beginning at about 85-to 90-feet of water.
King mackerel are still being caught on wrecks and artificial reefs from 7-miles west. These late season fish are still hanging where bait schools are found, so take a kingfish rod with you and be ready.
INSHORE
Trout fishing has been good with anglers finding good action throughout the day on trout up to the mid-twenty inch size range in the south portion of Tampa Bay near Pinellas Point. Grass beds in 5-to 8-feet of water are producing some nice trout near the Clam Bar in lower Tampa Bay on jigs, live shrimp, and slow-sinking plugs. Look for some good moving tides to produce the best bite of the day.
Snook action has been pretty good, and some nice linesiders are being caught in the passes and on the beaches, but there are still plenty of fish inside barrier islands in open water. Areas near mangroves even at mid-day are holding fish, but not tight to the trees. Look away from the shore 20-feet or more for fish in small depressions. It seems that most of the bait is also in those areas, so keep an eye out for flashing baitfish, or dimpling water on the surface to give away locations where some of your top catch-and-release action may take place.
Spanish mackerel action is heating up again with calmer winds and bait schools in the bays. Flashy silver spoons and jigs are luring fish up to 28-inches in Tampa Bay. Try targeting areas near channel markers where bait is gathering for best action. Don’t forget to look for cobia and tripletail on those same spots. Smaller mackerel are available in Sarasota Bay.
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May
OFFSHORE
You have options. Depending on the range of your boat, looking to the bluewater realm, some blackfin tuna are being caught west of Pinellas about 35-miles out. It hasn’t been consistent, so if you plan on tuna for dinner, you better have plan B standing by. Amberjacks are still available and hitting jigs and big blue runners. Big grouper are still the ticket if you move in between 135 and 100-feet of water off
The local reefs are full of Grey Snapper or to us locals big grunt. A occasional keeper grouper have been pulled up as well. Keep a spinning reel rigged with a gold spoon for the Mackerel, you are sure to encounter a school or two.
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INSHORE
Stop your whining. If you’re one of the thousands of anglers trying to catch a keeper snook before the season closed Wednesday night at
Trout fishing has been great! Anglers working
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OFFSHORE
Grouper fishing has been up and down, and it seems wind has been our worst culprit. Breezy days are making it tough to get out to deep water where some of the top catches of red and gag grouper are coming. A break in the windy weather allowed Capt. Larry McGuire of Show Me the Fish Charters out of Bradenton to get offshore. McGuire ran 37-miles west of Anna Maria where he and his party got on some big red grouper pushing the scales to 30-pounds. They also caught gag grouper, amberjacks, and an assortment of snappers.
On another trip, Capt. McGuire worked an area near Egmont Key for kingfish, and were not surprised when a smoker tried to empty his reel. With some finesse, his angler landed a king estimated at 55-pounds.
It’s that time of year, and kingfish are on their northerly migration from the Keys. Good numbers of fish are being caught from Venice to Clearwater from areas just off the beaches to offshore wrecks. For many, the concentrations of fish that they may be looking for just aren’t there, so some searching for bait pods is the order of the day. Finding bait is critical to success when it comes to kings. Carson’s XM Series high definition binoculars have superior light gathering ability that’s key to spotting birds early in the day. A pair of quality waterproof binoculars like these are the ticket for use on the boat when it comes time to lay the money on the line during tournament time.
INSHORE
Trout fishing has been good, and plenty of spawning fish are being caught, laden with roe. Releasing these fish will help boost the stocks that were nearly wiped out in the Sarasota/ lower Tampa Bay area. Trout repopulate quickly, but this is a way we can speed up the process a little. Trout fishing in the north region is excellent, and anglers are finding fish over 4-pounds to be a daily occurrence. Lures that sink slowly like the TT or the Catch 2000 MirrOlures are taking jumbo trout. A new bait from Rapala called the “Sub-Walk” is a sure winner in the suspending bait category. For some surface commotion action, the DOA Deadly Combo is also effective on these big fish.
This is the final week of snook season for the summer. The season ends next Wednesday the 30th at midnight. The finale could end on a slow note with tides being a factor. Slower tides with little movement should have you checking out the solunar periods to find good times of activity.
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March 7-9
West Central
OFFSHORE
With grouper being closed through the 15th in Federal waters, anglers are still having to go through a bunch of shorts in shallow water to find a keeper fish. However, many anglers are looking at new areas that are producing, and for those with shallow pockets, that pays off at the gas pump. Some fair successes have been noted southwest of Pinellas off Manatee and Sarasota shores out to about 50-feet, within the 9-mile limit.
Bait schools are becoming more plentiful and anglers following the schools are finding bonito, Spanish and king mackerels chowing down. Most kings are of schoolie size, and minimum limits are easily attainable with some culling. A 24-inch fork length is the minimum size for king mackerel and 12-inch fork length is the minimum Spanish mackerel that may be taken legally. Careful ID is required to note subtle differences between juvenile king and Spanish mackerels.
Anglers fishing around near shore rock piles are finding mangrove snappers in the 3-to 5-pound class. Small scaled sardines or live shrimp are both nabbing these cagey critters on light lines testing 15-pounds with fluorocarbon leaders between 20 and 30-pound test.
INSHORE
Water temps nudging the 70-degree mark inshore have triggered a strong bite for trout and snook. Topwater lures like the Rapala Skitterwalk, and the 5M and Top Dog MirrOlures are whacking some trophy sized trout. On this Friday’s new moon, better tides are making for ambush scenarios. Strong incoming tides have been providing good trout and snook action on points and near passes inside the bays. The DOA Deadly Combo has been highly productive for some nice trout.
Redfish have been spotty but available if you want to work for them. Higher than normal tides when winds were from the southwest put plenty of fish on the flats around the mangroves and oyster bars to feed. The CAL Shad has worked well in a variety of colors, with night glow, root beer, and the silver mullet colors taking consistently good catches of slot fish in Terra Ceia, and Sarasota Bay’s Long Bar. Weedon Island has been a hot spot in the upper Tampa Bay area. Some of the spoil islands in the Clearwater Harbor/ Dunedin area are holding reds as is the Honeymoon Island/ 3 Rooker Bar area.
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February 29-March 2
West Central
OFFSHORE
Red snapper and grouper are off limits in Federal Waters. on the other hand local State Waters could shed some grouper.
Spanish and king mackerel have shown a presence in the area with the rising water temperatures. The cold front that began moving in Tuesday could have some brief lasting effects on conditions for the mackerel. Winds switching to a northerly component could stir up the water to where mackerel hang in greater depths seeking cleaner water than the murky water closer to the beaches. Quarter moon tides will be on the slow side, so chumming will be less effective. If you go looking for mackerel, look for clean water and the presence of bait. Look for crashing birds as a dead give away.
INSHORE
With the reopening of the north region for spotted seatrout angler will be busy this weekend. While the maximum size limit is 20-inches, anglers are allowed to possess one fish over that size. These fish are the breeders, and it might be best to release them to spawn again. A good report of large trout out of St Josephs sound on the grass flats and around the barrier islands has been reported using live shrimp and number 1 hooks.
Silver trout are still bunching up on the hard bottom just off the beaches in 15-20-feet of water near Redington Beach. Jigs tipped with shrimp will get the job done.
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February 1-4
West Central
Two tide days this weekend could make for some slow fishing, but the big negative low tide early in the morning and some warmer weather will consolidate and make fish hungry and could make for some great pothole action on the flats.
OFFSHORE
Action for grouper has been scattered in the Gulf. Reports of keeper gags coming from southwest of Egmont Key in 80-feet of water for red grouper were noted, but gags were caught just north of the Ships Channel, north of Egmont as well in water half that depth. Water temperatures have been moderate with little extremes, holding in the low 60s, and for grouper, that will help keep them from running to the deeper water to hang.
The bait situation has gotten more difficult for guys looking for some Spanish sardines, threadfin herring, or whitebait. Pinfish have been about the most consistently available live bait. Frozen cigar minnow, squid, octopus, threadfins, and sardines should be in the cooler for a days trip. A visit to the bait shop for a couple dozen live shrimp might also be part of your bait stop. Dont limit yourself to just one or two choices. A stop in most any of the deeper channels on your way out should be part of your bait gathering time. A light spinning rod with 10-pound line and 30-pound leader with a chartreuse or white jig tied on for ladyfish will yield some fine grouper bait. Chunking ladyfish into bite size bits about 3-inches long and rigged on a circle hook bottom rig will do wonders to get grunts, triggerfish, snappers, and other small bottom dwellers chewing while big grouper appetites build. Give each stop at least 30-minutes to fire off before deciding to move. Wherever you are fishing, make sure youve got lines in the water between 9 and 11 a.m. and 2 and 4 p.m. for this weekends major and minor solunar periods.
INSHORE
Trout anglers in the North Region of the state will see a month long closure beginning February 1. The imaginary line drawn at the Pinellas/ Pasco County line is the dividing line between the north and south. Fred Howard Park is the noted landmark for the line. Trout are a big staple for guides and anglers in that area, however, they will have to pursue other fish like sheepshead, mangrove snapper, flounder, and redfish during the closure. Cobia around the Anclote power plant can be an option on very cold days but are not consistent. Guides like Capt. William Toney, fishing out of MacRaes of Homosassa, have had trouble finding fishable days, with high winds and cold weather being the problem. On the better days, Toney is finding a few reds near the mouth of the Chassahowitzka and Homosassa Rivers, plus some good sheepshead and trout action, but effort with the trout closure will be diverted to other species.
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OFFSHORE
Consistently, anglers dropping lines in 80-to 100-feet of water are finding fish. The day or so of somewhat slack winds on the Suncoast didnt allow much time to clean up the water, but red and gag grouper, snapper, amberjacks, scamp, triggerfish, and grunts cooperated for those who hit the spots holding fish. As winds died, fish began to pull away from structure to feed.
Last weekend prior to the last blow, Anglers put 10 kings in the boat with the largest estimated at about 40-pounds or more. January is definitely not kingfish season, and the surprise catch in 60-feet of water off Anna Maria shows that the Gulf waters, hovering in the low 60s near Egmont Key are still productive for pelagics. Its likely that the deep water layers hold thermoclines where warmer water temps are keeping bait and kings for the time being, and whenever the weather clears, seas calm down, and the water cleans up, and baitfish move closer to shore.
INSHORE
Look for more of the same when it comes to cool weather and wind. Rain this week was on the radar, changing the salinity in many areas. Expect this to add another glitch to the fishing excuse shirt. Heavy rains in some areas moved baitfish out to the mouths of creeks and rivers. Storm drains that flow into the bays have pushed tilapia and other baitfish out with the overflow from residential ponds and lakes, adding another food source to the area. Snook turned on where these baitfish were available.
Trout fishing took an upswing in the action this week when anglers were finally able to hit the flats. Good numbers of fish are being caught in the Dunedin area. Only a week remains in the open season for the North Region of the state. The dividing line at Fred Howard Park will be closely watched by FWC officers beginning February 1 for anglers possessing trout illegally north of the line.
The 18th running of the Johnny Keller Tournament, held by the Old Salt Fishing Foundation features flounder, trout, grouper, and sheepshead. The January 24th, Thursday captains meeting at the Hut on Johns Pass Boardwalk at 7 p.m. is sure to draw a crowd for the low dough entry of $25 for an opportunity to win $300, $200, or $100 for first, second, or third place prizes for each specie of fish. Sundays weigh-in from 3-to 4 p.m. at Bay Pines Marina is sure to be a spectacle of scales and slime as anglers vying for prize money weigh their catch. Anglers are encouraged to bring fish in in live wells and release them alive. This years event offers a Master Angler award for the greatest weight of the four species combined. For details, contact Al Autenrieth at (727) 397-9835. Late registration may also be an option. Non-participants are invited to attend, but Carrabbas restaurant will be on hand serving free chicken marsala to tournament participants only.
Redfish have been one of the few fish that have consistently fed. Weedon Island anglers have been finding a few, but Pinellas angler, Mark Bellotte found plenty near Safety Harbor and around the flats at Fort Desoto.
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Fishing forecast for this weekend of the 4th thru 6th…. Dont bother drink some beer
take you girlfriend or wife out for some sushi an get lucky…. Let the sea’s calm down a little bit.
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OFFSHORE 27 Dec
Offshore fishing has been good for grouper diggers. Consistent catches of quality fish are coming from depths ranging from 40-to 65-feet of water. Frozen baits like cigar minnow, squid, and Spanish sardines, when you can get them, are working well on gags. However, live baits like pinfish, grunts, squirrelfish, and fresh cut baits are also working well. Mangrove snapper fishing slowed a bit, but anglers fishing rock piles just outside the mouth of Tampa Bay near Egmont Key are finding a few mangos in the 3-pound class taking scaled sardines.
Spanish mackerel that seemed to disappear for a few days during the cold spell a week or so ago are back, but have thinned out. Macks ranging from a pound to 4-pounds or so are being caught on Diamond Jigs and silver spoons off the beaches. Winds out of the south and southeast that are predicted for the weekend could squelch the possibility of catching them this weekend. Higher winds will likely stir up coastal waters, pushing macks offshore. Bonito have also been in the catch on nearshore reefs and wrecks.
INSHORE
Southern waters in Sarasota have been productive for anglers this week. . Using Clouser Minnow flies, CAL Jigs with jerk worms and shad tails, and DOA Deadly Combos, Grassett�s anglers catch mirrored Klopfer�s and also included flounder and even saw some monster Spanish mackerel in the 7-to 8-pound range.
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OFFSHORE
Grouper are scattered right now, according to reports from Gulf waters. Anglers fishing from Sarasota to Tarpon Springs are finding gags in water ranging from 20-to 80-feet, with no depth in particular producing best. North, from Pasco to Citrus counties, anglers are hitting gags in 4-to 25-feet of water, but the shallows, being the short run, are where many anglers have been targeting grouper. Most of the shallow fish are on limestone ledges or in tiny springs that dot the flats in the Crystal River/ Homosassa area. By chumming, the fish are pulled out of the holes, allowing the anglers to hook and pull them away from the rocky crevices.
Cobia have been on the list of species anglers are targeting on the nearshore reefs from St. Petersburg to Anclote Key. Live pinfish are working well for the cobes.
INSHORE
The action over the past week has been outstanding. Loads of big trout moved into Tampa and Sarasota Bays and took up residence in the potholes. Last weekend’s full moon produced some very low tides that nearly drained the bays of much of the water, leaving deeper holes to hold fish. These holes concentrated fish, making them easy targets. Redfish, snook, trout, flounder, and even cobia were found in the holes in Lower Tampa Bay. CAL Jigs with shad tails and 7MR MirrOlures were attractive to the big specks.
The Manatee River between Palmetto and Bradenton has been giving up some silver trout recently. The deep holes in the river of 14-feet and more are holding the small “sugar trout” as some call them. These tasty small fish put up quite a fight on light tackle. Love’s Lures tandem Jigs are a local favorite in white, pink, and silver, in both straight tail grubs and curly tails. The light rigs can also be tipped with shrimp when the bite slows a bit. Non-stop action can be the order of the day making it easy to get carried away with silvers, but these fish do not freeze well, so limit your catch to a fresh meal or two for best flavor.
Pompano were skipping on the edges of the bars in Sarasota and Tampa Bays. Capt. Rick Grassett, fishing out of CB Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught pompano to 3 ½ pounds on jigs and flies on the Sarasota Bay Middle Ground flats. Anglers fishing from the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Piers also bagged some pompano using fiddler crabs and Doc’s Goofy Jigs.
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18th of Nov OFFSHORE
The kingfish bite is going strong. Last weekend’s Old Salt Fall King of the Beach Tournament held in Madeira Beach was a tremendous success with 300 entries. Anglers weighed-in well over 2200 pounds of kingfish, with the winning smoker king weighed in by L.J. Smith aboard the vessel Pocket Change. The event winner tipped the scales at nearly 48-pounds, garnering 10 grand for Smith and his team. Cash pay-outs to 25th place were awarded with the 25th place kicker prize of $5,000 going to Manny Galvao and his team aboard Justin Time for his 25.46-pound king. The next ten places were awarded custom Dogfish Stix from Dogfish Tackle Company. Capt. Matt O’Conner bested the Single Engine Division with a 34.36-pound fish. LeeAnne Howes topped the Ladies Division with a 28.16 pound king, while Josh Heavenridge ran away with the Youth Division, weighing in a 31.92-pound smoker.
The buzz on the docks this week is all about the shallow water grouper bite that centers on the Nature Coast between Hernando Beach and Crystal River in depths ranging from 4-to 20-feet of water. With fuel prices reaching an all-time high, the shallow water grouper action is a welcome occurrence. Areas from Bayport to between Homosassa and Crystal River have been hot, with anglers blasting gags to 18-pounds in 6-feet of water on rock piles west of St. Martens Key according to Homosassa guide, Capt. Jody Johnson. “In less than 3-hours we caught 18 short grouper and two keepers weighing 12 and 18-pounds on cut mullet. Capt. Dan Clymer, trolling Rapala CD 14 lures in 9-to 10-feet of water off Crystal River landed 6 legal gags from 14-to 18-pounds on one trip, and on the next, trolled Mann’s Stretch 25 lures on 50-pound Power Pro in 25-feet of water between Bayport and Homosassa, putting 30 fish in the boat, 10 of which were legal gags.”
INSHORE
Water temps rebounded from last week’s cold front, putting fish in a feeding mood. Snook turned on as temperatures rose. Weedon island reports have been good for anglers working the higher tides. They were found scattered on the flats and edges of channels adjacent to oyster bars and mangrove islands. Good numbers of fish are beginning to make their way up the rivers and creeks. Our next front should not be extreme, but this bouncing weather, up and down, is perfect for getting snook acclimated to the changes, preparing them for winter.
Over the past week, good action on bluefish and Spanish mackerel was had by anglers tossing whitebait and live shrimp on long shank hooks. Terra Ceia Bay and lower Tampa Bay hard bottom areas produced good numbers of Spanish in the 4-pound class.
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OFFSHORE
Winds this week made it difficult for anglers working Gulf waters to venture far offshore, but nearshore waters have been alive with king and Spanish mackerel, bluefish and bonito. The prevailing winds have been northeast, allowing flat seas close to shore making for clearer waters near the beaches. Bait schools, attracted to the clean water moved in on the beaches, balling up in schools, attracting pelagics. Kings have been working the schools, but Spanish, bonito and bluefish have all been horning in on the feeding frenzy.
The Skyway Fishing Piers have been hot! What should be fish caught offshore are right here for the pickings. Keeper gag grouper and king mackerel in the 20-pound range are being caught from the piers, along with mangrove snapper and sharks. If you’re an offshore addict, throw your heavy spinning rod in the car and head for the piers. Windy predictions for the weekend could make this the place to be for both inshore and offshore action.
INSHORE
Getting beyond last Friday’s full moon has been like zero change. Overcast skies with rain and a fluctuating barometer have put fish on a feeding binge for the past week. Snook turned on and reds were schooling on the open flats with monster bruisers on the flats around Anclote Key, at Pinellas Point, and on the South Shore of Tampa Bay from Apollo Beach to the mouth of the Manatee River.
The real deal, however has been the trout bite—excellent action from slot-size trout and oversize fish. Trout fishing has been stellar for anglers tossing shrimp. Live shrimp are working well under popping corks, but pinfish are nailing the offering before many trout get a shot at the bite sized morsel. The D.O.A. Shrimp is not as attractive to the pinfish, but inquisitive pinners take a look, give them a nip, and more importantly attract gator trout to the bait. The addition of a clacking cork like the rig D.O.A. offers in the Deadly Combo creates a feeding sound that adds to the fish calling ability of this already tasty bait.
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OFFSHORE Sept 20th
Fishing has been excellent, provided you’re fishing where the fish are. Sounds simple, but the recovery of natural reefs damaged by red tide a few years ago has been slow, but it’s happening. Much of the Gulf’s natural coral and live bottom inside the 100-foot mark was destroyed, but many anglers willing to put in the time to find the areas that are recovering have been rewarded. Capt. Doug Hall of Just Lookin’ Charters out of Pinellas has done just that. Capt. Doug has been fishing a stretch of water between 80 and 90-feet deep off Pinellas. He’s been digging up red grouper to 36-inches, legal scamp, some fat mangos to 24-inches, and yellowtail snapper around 18-inches while fishing a combination of live baits, frozen sardines, and jigs. Enroute from live bottom areas to rock piles, Hall spotted some floating debris. Backing off the throttle they stopped to take a look, and found dolphin cruising the area. After several mahi to 24-inches were put in the box, it was on to their snapper spots. Areas that are recovering are holding fish, but there are no shortcuts to finding the spots. Time on the water eventually will equate to finding those areas that are producing again.
On the north end of the Suncoast in the Nature Coast, outdoor writers from around the state participated in last weekend’s Florida Outdoor Writer’s Association’s tournament event. The conference, hosted by a number of sponsors including the Citrus County Visitors Bureau, the Plantation Inn, Homosassa’s Riverside Resort, and MacRae’s of Homosassa and others, scored excellent catches of snappers, keeper gag and red grouper, bluefish, trout, black sea bass, redfish, and more in 10-feet of water or less while fishing hard bottom, rock piles, grass patches, and ledges from the barrier islands to about 10-miles west of the mouth of the river. An amazing number and variety of fish were caught both inshore and offshore using a combination of artificial, live, and cut baits by writers in the fun event.
This area was unaffected by the red tide several years ago, and for the next several months the pristine fishery there is coming into the prime time for shallow water fishing. For information on the area, contact www.visitcitrus.com for a listing of guides and accommodations.
High winds at mid-week kept many anglers off the water. Rough seas kicked up the bottom, clouding up the water. If seas lay down, conditions could improve for the weekend, but expect southeast winds, predicted through Sunday, to make for some uncomfortable trips offshore.
INSHORE
The slow tides of this past week will be replaced by stronger ones as we approach next Wednesday’s full moon. Mangrove snapper fishing inside Tampa Bay has been picking up. Rock piles and rubble from the old Skyway Bridge has been producing snapper up to 3-pounds on live shrimp, sardines, and DOA Shrimp.
Trout action in lower Tampa Bay has improved. A new lipped crank bait from MirrOlure has been taking speckled trout to 19-inches this week over some hard bottom areas with scattered patches of grass. The floater/ diver crank bait will run from 2-to 5-feet of water near the bottom in 6-feet of water where these fish have been holding.————————————————————————————————–
Sept 14th
OFFSHORE
Gag grouper fishing off the Pinellas coast has been off for a number of anglers. Reports of slow to zero action have been the norm this week for gags. Those who have their sacred honey holes should hold on to them, otherwise you may be finding that fishing is a long slow day. Red grouper, on the other hand has been better. Phil Whitehouse of St. Petersburg reported some good red grouper fishing as well as dolphin at the south end of the Middlegrounds. Several stops on the way back in produced no gag grouper, but red grouper up to the lower teens were caught. A number of dolphin (mahi) were caught along the way on debris floating in the Gulf. Mahi up to 10-pounds were brought aboard.
It’s just around the corner, but not here yet. Kingfish season begins next month, but anglers fishing offshore wrecks should start seeing some kings show on wrecks and reefs that are holding bait. Spanish mackerel this week thinned out. Few reports of macks have come in.
INSHORE
Redfish continue to be on the scene. Good numbers of fish have been on the outer bars this week in Tampa Bay from Christmas Pass north to the power plant in St. Pete. Weedon Island fishing has been good, as has Big Island, to the north. Reds have been active, and with the new moon earlier in the week, snook fishing took an upward spike. Good action around mangrove points, oyster bars just inside passes and around boat docks was reported by anglers from Sarasota and Bradenton. A little slower bite was experienced in Pinellas.
Some good action on trout in lower Tampa Bay on deep grass and hard bottom was experienced by anglers fishing DOA TerrorEyz. At the same time, anglers were jumping some late season tarpon. I jumped 7 myself near the Skyway Bridge that weighed from 30-to 100-pounds while fishing the TerrorEyz over some patches of hard bottom in 10-feet of water.
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Offshore:
Inshore:
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OFFSHORE
It’s mid August and it’s hot, kingfish are still around. What’s up with that? These cool weather fish are still hanging on hard bottom, wrecks, reefs, and structure offshore. Captains from Boca Grande to Crystal River continue to report catches of kingfish in water depths ranging from 50-to over 100-feet. Most are caught while grouper digging where anglers are putting out flatlines with a live blue runner, pinfish, cigar minnow, or Spanish sardine. For those who are targeting grouper, the best action seems to be coming from about 80-feet of water out of John’s Pass.
INSHORE
Some great action was reported this week with trout for anglers working deep grass off Pinellas Point, the Clam Bar adjacent to the Skyway Bridge, and areas of hard bottom in lower Tampa Bay. Trout to 4 pounds have been caught on Love’s Lures, DOA Shrimp stuffed with a Woodie‘s worm rattle, and TT Series MirrOlures.
Redfish have begun to increase in numbers of fish traveling in schools. Reports in the Fort Desoto area have been good with schools of 20 or more fish per school working the flats between Jackass Key and Tarpon Key. Anglers to the north from Clearwater Harbor to Anclote Key are reporting similar action. The outer areas west of the mouth of the Chassahowitzka River northward to Ozello have been productive. Capt. William Toney reported good numbers of slot-size fish there.
Tarpon are still available in most areas but numbers have thinned and fish are smaller. Backwater tarpon action has increased with lots of baby tarpon ranging from 10-to 20-pounds being the norm being caught around the Punta Gorda/ Charlotte Harbor area.
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OFFSHORE
The north portion of the West Central area west of Hudson and north throughout the Nature Coast has seen some excellent catches of grouper and snapper over the past week. Anglers fishing up to 60-miles off shore are hitting some nice gags in the teens and mangrove snapper up to 11-pounds.
Red grouper continue to feed in 80-to 90-feet of water off Pinellas and Manatee County coasts. Spanish sardines and cut squid are working well for them. Chum blocks hung over the gunwale are creating long chum lines in the strong currents from Sunday’s full moon. A variety of fish are coming to the chum to feed. White grunts, sharks, barracudas, and even a few kingfish are moving in. Anglers working the cheese bottom are also watching for any floating objects. Dolphin a.k.a. mahi, are hanging on just about anything floating. Rods rigged and ready to be cast should be the order of the day, and just about any floating object can hold fish. Tripletail can also be found on the same debris. Live shrimp or a piece of sardine will often work for both species.
Schools of Spanish mackerel are working over hard bottom areas in near shore water depths ranging from 20-to 40-feet. The tiny fry bait that is available, along with glass minnows are what these shiny speedsters are targeting. Try casting Diamond Jigs, Clark Squid Spoons in the 00 size, or Gotcha Jigs for them.
INSHORE
A little bit of everything available has been caught this week. To the south, Capt. Jim Klopfer out of CB Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key has been working the area between Stickney Point and Midnight Pass with good success. Ladyfish, some large speckled trout, plenty of mangrove snapper, bluefish, and jack crevalle have been hitting the live shrimp that Klopfer and his clients are tossing out. On slower tides, Klopfer has been freelining the shrimp, but when it begins to kick, he’ll add a split shot to get his bait down.
Anglers fishing around the Sunshine Skyway have found that the influx of freshwater from all the rain has moved Spanish mackerel in around the bridges and fishing piers to feed on the bait that hangs in the area. Larger baitfish are found around the piers, but away from there, small fry baits and glass minnow schools rain on the surface giving away their locations.
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Offshore
Late July normally means fishing in the early morn. Or after the storms have blown threw. Late July also normally means not to much happening during the other times of the day meaning the heat of the day. This year for some reason we have been catching mackerel and kings all thru spring till now late July.
The local wrecks and reefs have been holding barracudas, sharks, and goliath grouper. car-sized goliaths (Jewfish) have made dragging gags off the bottom a real chore on some days, along with the attacking cudas makes an exciting day.
Bluewater fishing is cooking! With the Old Salt Loop Tournament right around the corner, billfish enthusiasts have been closely monitoring Loop Currents through various Internet reports showing thermoclines and tide rips in the Gulf. As the Loop approaches the West Coast of Florida, antsy anglers are fueling up the sport fishers for the run that could be as close as 70-to 100-miles. In past tournaments, anglers have made runs as long as 150-to 200-miles in search of blue and white marlin, sailfish, and swordfish for the catch, photo, and release tournament. Also on the docket for the tournament is a weigh-in for tuna, dolphin, and wahoo, all of which have been caught recently within a hundred miles of Pinellas waters. The IGFA Offshore World Championship Qualifying event will be held at Spa Beach in St. Petersburg August 15th and the 19th with related events featuring a children’s tournament at the Pier on Saturday the 18th. The finale and weigh-in will be on Sunday the 19th. For more information on the Loop Tournament, go to the Old Salt’s website at www.oldsaltfishing.org.
INSHORE
Nothing short of sweating up a storm relates to fishing inshore this past week. Afternoon thunderstorms are taking their toll on folks being outside. Several deaths have occurred from lightning strikes. Being on the water in one of these severe storms can be deadly. Thunderstorms build quickly and move even faster. Safe harbor should be your thought when you find one of these threatening storms heading your way. It’s a good idea to monitor the weather channel on your VHF radio while on the water.
Early risers will have the best shot at some good angling, with the exception of night fishers. Night fishing can be fun, much cooler, and very productive this time of year. With the full moon on Sunday, mangrove snapper fishing will be some of the best of the year on just about any rock pile in Tampa Bay and surrounding waters. Depths of about 15-to 20-feet are holding plenty of mangos in the 2-pound class and larger.
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OFFSHORE
Red grouper action has been decent for fisherman and women working from 80-foot or deeper. The Red grouper seem to be coming closer to shallower water lately. Gag grouper action has been deeper. You can look for gag grouper between 80 and 120-feet.
Work the wrecks, ledges, and rock piles in depths greater than 100-feet for amberjacks. Once chummed, AJ’s have been easy to catch on Diamond Jigs. Vertical jigging these big chunks of silver lead are working well. Similar lures from Shimano, Owner, and others are also working.
Those same wrecks are holding lots of barracudas. Trying to reel up a snapper, grouper, or other fish has been tough lately with these slashers lurking nearby. A few cobia have been sighted on some offshore wrecks, but the action for them has been slow this year. Permit, however, have been showing on nearshore artificial reefs from 3-to 9-miles west of Bradenton/ Sarasota beaches.
INSHORE
The inshore fishery for mangrove snapper has been blowing up. Excellent catches around the Sunshine Skyway Bridge but dolphins have been reported. Limits of mangos up to 3-pounds are common, but mutton, lane, and vermilion snappers have also been caught. These rare species to the shallows are not the norm, so don’t think you’re going to go out and get limits of them. Make sure you’re up to speed on size and bag limits, because they vary by species.
Snook fishing has been excellent around passes and barrier islands to the Gulf. Honeymoon and Caladesi Islands, as well as Three Rooker Bar near Dunedin have been showing some great fish. Live bait has not been so easy to come by unless you hit a school of larger baits. Most of the baitfish have been small. Pinfish have been excellent for linesiders. Bait shops are stocked with peewee sized shrimp, so don’t waste the money. Jigs and plugs are also working well in the swash channels and off the beaches. Fly anglers are getting a dose of action fishing glass minnow patterns in the surf.
Tarpon action took a slow turn down over the past week, but there are still plenty of fish out there. Many of them are a little smaller than those showing in past weeks, and instead of large schools, the fish are showing in pairs, singles, or much smaller schools. I’ve had good success with the DOA Baitbuster, MirrOlure Catch 2000, and the big Storm Saltwater Chug Bug.
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OFFSHORE
Deep water trips are providing fishermen with awesome action in some areas, the Middle Grounds have been very consistent. Amberjacks up to 50-pounds, a variety of snappers, and grouper are all common catches. The Steps are holding bonito, blackfin tunas, dolphin, wahoo, and sailfish.
Some shallow offshore hard bottom is holding red grouper in about the 80-foot depths southwest of Pinellas. Scattered Spanish mackerel and king mackerels from the artificial reefs off Pinellas, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties westward. Kings up to 20-pounds have been common. Permit have been taken from wrecks off Anna Maria out to 9-miles. Crabs have been the most productive bait for them.
INSHORE
Tarpon are still the target up and down the coast with great action just about everywhere in Suncoast waters. Anglers working the beaches in the early pre-dawn hours are having the most success. Arriving at least a half-hour prior to dawn will usually put you in position just in time for the bite to begin.
Trout anglers are finding some decent catches north of Palm Harbor. Slot-size fish are about the norm. Live shrimp are working, but the pinfish make it difficult to keep one on the hook. Artificial baits like jigs and topwaters are working well, but live baiters will find scaled sardines very effective.
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OFFSHORE Bluewater hotties are heating up the action. Blackfin tuna, dolphin, and wahoo are hitting well offshore in areas southwest of Pinellas around 50-miles. Sailfish, blue, and white marlin are beginning to start some smack talk. Rumors of fish being caught are beginning to fly. Interest in this arena always starts during the heat of summer. Anglers pushing out to the Loop Current nearly always find good billfish, but that’s out of the range of most boats right now.
What is in range are red grouper starting at about the 90-foot area. In addition to reds, mangrove snapper are beginning to move up over reefs and wrecks for the full moon this weekend. Look for the bite to be some kind of fantastic hits baby! A great plus is the night bite on snapper. Inside Tampa Bay, rock piles are holding mangos, but the artificial reefs from Sarasota to Citrus Counties are prime locations for some great action.
INSHORE
Her and now, all you have to think of is tarpon! Some very large tarpon are thrashing anglers along the beaches of Sarasota, Bradenton, and at the mouth of Tampa Bay. Good numbers of fish are in the 125-to 150-pound class, but anglers recently landed large poons over 230-pounds near the Skyway. Inshore, inside, snook fishing has been good, but many of the fish are small. This week’s full moon should push the larger females out to spawning areas along the beaches and in passes, leaving the remaining smaller males in backcountry areas.
Redfish action has been good around Weedon Island and the stretch of water north to the Howard Frankland Bridge. The bar that runs from Snell Isle north to the Gandy is holding some larger reds and plenty of sharks on the falling tide.
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June 22-24, 2007
OFFSHORE
The Florida Middlegrounds are hot! Anglers working 70-miles or more are loading up on gag grouper, with some tipping the scales at over 20-pounds. Mangrove and red snappers are also feeding actively along with amberjacks over wrecks, reefs, and breaks.
Large snappers were caught last weekend on the new moon tides all the way into Tampa Bay, but fish got progressively smaller in shallower depths.
Sailfish are on the horizon off Bradenton. Anglers reported hooking up with a sail in 120-feet of water west of Longboat Pass while bottom fishing for scamp, gag grouper, and amberjacks. The billfish hit live bait on a flat line.
INSHORE
Monster snook are prowling the troughs along the beaches from Manasota Key to Hudson. Terra Ceia angler, Weston Hayes, and friends reported seeing linesiders in the mid-forty inch range while fishing some pilings just off the beaches between Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach. While they saw good numbers of fish, they couldn’t get the big spawners to eat.
Using a combination of Cotee Jigs with grub tails, Yozuri Crystal Minnows, Berkley Gulp, and live shrimp, Sarasota guide, Jim Klopfer reported good action on bluefish, ladyfish, redfish, mangrove snapper, and sheepshead from the Sarasota Bay Middle grounds to Robert’s Bay.
This time of year, it begins to get hot, but one way to keep your cool is to get wet, and there’s no better way to accomplish that when heads and tails turn toward the north for bay scallops. July 1 marks the reopening of scallop season.
Tarpon fishing took a major leap this week in productivity. The Egmont Ship’s Channel has been a hot spot. The Skyway Bridge has been another, but the beaches between Siesta and Longboat Keys shouldn’t be ignored either. Capt. Rick Grassett has been having some banner days jumping and landing poons on crabs and flies. The Toad Fly pattern has been effective.
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Calmer seas after last weekend’s tropical storm turned on the grouper. Many reef fisherman have been reporting Fish off Bradenton recently with scamp, red and gag grouper, hog snapper, mangrove snapper, triggerfish, permit, barracudas, and an assortment of sharks while fishing artificial reefs, wrecks, ledges, and cheese bottom west of Anna Maria Island between 9 and 25-miles from shore on this potpourri run. The key to catching fish was to locate bait schools and fish around them. His key baits were threadfin herring and blue runners.
Anglers fishing out of Clearwater are finding a few Spanish mackerel and some small kings between 3 and 10-miles off shore. Bottom fishing has been fairly slow, but amberjacks have turned on at the 30-mile point along with bonito and a few blackfin tunas, according to one report. Small kings were also being caught along with barracudas on some of the wrecks.
The summer storms have arrived so be safe out there and have a back up plan from 3 to 6 pm .
INSHORE
Early in the week, stronger tides ruled and snook and redfish were very active. Reds were plentiful in Terra Ceia Bay and from the Bulkhead south to north Sarasota Bay and Long Bar.
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May 25th weekend
OFFSHORE
Anglers willing to put in the time and money to run offshore to depths starting at 100-feet, approximately 30-miles out of John’s Pass, may be in for some great grouper action. High winds much of the week have churned up offshore waters, making grouper hang tight to structure. Winds could still be huffing on Saturday, even with an early start. Check the weather before leaving and file a float plan if you do. If you do make it out there, amberjacks have also been nailing big blue runners. Jigging them up with Diamond Jigs tied to 80-pound mono leader and 50-pound Power Pro have enabled anglers to bring up lesser amberjacks and banded rudderfish west of Bradenton.
Wrecks and ledges that are holding bait offshore are also holding kingfish. Water temperatures have been slowly rising. Most offshore areas are noting temps in the mid-to upper 70’s. The bulk of the kings seem to be north of the Suncoast, yet anglers continue to catch the big macks as far south as the Keys and Naples.
Prior to the wind blowing in, Spanish mackerel were feeding just off the beaches, but not many reports have come in since, other than a few anglers tarpon fishing with live threadfins under corks getting hit now and then by some sizable Spanish.
Anglers working the beaches for tarpon are finding schooling fish tight to the swim buoys off Anna Maria. High easterly winds have kept the water flat near shore, allowing anglers to work fish less than a half-mile off the beaches.
INSHORE
Slow tides, blustery winds, and a high-pressure system seem to have slowed the fishing action. Major and minor solunar periods have been times with some peak action. Upper Tampa Bay near Rocky Creek has been holding some redfish. Across Tampa Bay near Big Island, just north of the Howard Frankland Bridge has been productive for some anglers. Snook have been ganging up near small cuts and passes that run east and west. The wind-driven current brought about by easterly winds is moving enough water through these areas to provide an ambush situation for linesiders. The backwaters of Weedon Island are holding reds. Riviera Bay has some honey holes for reds and snook too.
More and more snook are beginning to make the move toward the beaches and passes. Fish are beginning to stack up near Honeymoon and Caladesi Islands. Most of the fish are smaller males. The larger females are holding in deeper water. Look for next week’s full moon on the 31st to bring on the first spawning session for the early arrivals.
Trout fishing in Clearwater Harbor has been fair-to-good. Trout up to three-pounds were caught on white bait and live shrimp. Jigs are working well on the grass flats.
Anglers to the south are finding a few pompano, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, sheepshead, and loads of ladyfish in Sarasota Bay between the Middlegrounds flats and the Stickney Point Bridge.
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Weekend fishing report for 18May
OFFSHORE
Grouper fishing has been so so for anglers fishing deeper water. Water depths of 100-to 150-feet are producing gags to 12-pounds. Work grouper an hour or so either side of tide changes. The moving water makes grouper hold tighter to structure, but when the tide slacks, the fish move off the rocks to feed. Mangrove snapper have been brought aboard between 80-and 100-feet and a few vermilion snapper and yellowtail snappers are also being caught at 150-feet. These fish seem to feed best during the moving tide periods.
Offshore wrecks are holding barracuda and a few kingfish. Kings are still being caught to the south, so the run continues. Sharks are a normal predator on the wrecks this time of year. Bull sharks have moved in about the same time tarpon arrived. Even a few mako sharks have been spotted. Nearshore waters are holding blacktip sharks, lemons, sand sharks, and hammerheads. While sharks seem to be plentiful, they are not, and they repopulate very slowly. Their slow growth rate also adds to the problem. With so many other species of fish available, it seems that sharks should be released rather than killed for sport or their food value.
Spanish mackerel have been plentiful off Sarasota at times. Little tunny have been blasting schools of bait along with bluefish in 20-to 30-feet of water off New Pass in Sarasota.
INSHORE
Excellent snookin’ tides are on tap for the weekend. Look for the swift moving water to create an ambush scenario around mangrove points, oyster bars, and near passes. Snook have begun a move toward spawning areas near the beaches and passes. Catch and release snook fishing during the closed season is fine as long as those fish are handled properly. Cut hooks if they are taken deep in the throat, and allow the fish to dislodge it on its own. Hold the fish horizontally and support the belly if you are taking pictures, instead of just hanging it vertically. Damage to internal organs can occur when holding the fish vertically.
Redfish seem to be just about everywhere on the Suncoast. Anglers are finding oversized reds, particularly on the south shore of Tampa Bay and around Weedon Island. Gulf barrier islands near Fort Desoto are producing some nice reds. Gold Eppinger Imp spoons are working well on the schooling reds. Small pinfish about 2-inches in length are a major prey for the reds right now. These small flashy spoons are about the same size and profile of this baitfish and imitate it well. Casting beyond the schools to avoid spooking the fish and bringing the spoon by the fish can get strikes.
Cobia action has been slow along the beaches, but Capt. Rick Grassett and Rusty Chinnis fishing along Anna Maria for tarpon spotted 8 separate schools of fish at mid-week. The fish were reluctant to eat flies. Even live crabs were refused. The big afternoon outgoing tides this weekend should produce some great action around the Skyway Bridges. Look for a bite to continue to the bottom of the drop. Crabs will likely be your best live bait choice.
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May 4-6, 2007
GUIDE LINES: Tips that might help you catch more fish
It’s kingfish time! Good moving tides this weekend present an excellent opportunity for anchoring up and chumming for kingfish. Frozen chum blocks like Aylesworth’s Baitmaster’s Tournament Chum, will enhance your fish catching experience, bringing fish into your slick and right to your boat. In addition, clipping fresh sardines into tiny bits and trickling them off the transom is a popular way to get the bite going. Nothing beats these methods for bringing in a smoker king. Hook up baits like live blue runners, threadfin herring, ladyfish, or Spanish mackerel with stinger rigs and 15-to 20-pound tackle and you have the recipe for a smokin’ weekend!
OFFSHORE
Kingfish have been caught just about everywhere from Naples to Cedar Key over the past week, so the big fish can come from just about anywhere. Fish in the mid-thirties to 40-pound range have been caught. Easterly winds could bring baitfish schools closer to shore, and as a rule, where the bait goes, so go the kings.
Anglers dropping lines for grouper have caught both reds and gags in water depths ranging from 80-to 125-feet. Cigar minnows, Spanish sardines, pinfish, and squid are top baits for grouper in the 10-pound class. Anglers working the deeper depths in that range are also finding a few American red snappers. Mangrove snapper turned on around the full moon. Rock piles, small breaks, and ledges nearshore were providing some good action for mangos up to 4-pounds.
A few permit are beginning to show on nearshore wrecks off Sarasota and Manatee Counties. From 7-to 9-miles offshore, anglers are finding a few permit early in the morning. Small blue crabs freelined on circle hooks are the ticket for these brawlers. Fish spotted this past week were in the 10-to 20-pound range.
INSHORE
Scaled sardines are becoming more prevalent from Sarasota to Tarpon Springs, and snook and redfish have been finding and chowing down on them up and down the coast. Well to the south near Charlotte Harbor, guides are beginning to think about tarpon, but to the north
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April 27-29, 2007
OFFSHORE
Ledges, both big and small are producing grouper for anglers fishing in 80-to 125-feet of water west of the Suncoast. An assortment of live bait and frozen or cut fresh baits is working.
King mackerel continue to be the top fight. Anglers from Boca Grande to Crystal River are finding schools of kings ranging from the minimum 24-inch fish to some fish in the mid 30-pound sizes. Trolling spoons in a spread with a combination of downriggers and flatlines will cover depths where the fish may be running. Once a school is located, mark your location on a GPS to return on the next pass. Sometimes kings will be holding around some structure or ledge that is holding bait. Returning to the area will produce again.
For larger kings, the most productive fishing on the slower tides like we’ll have this weekend will be working slow-trolled live baits. Blue runners, ladyfish, threadfin herring, and Spanish mackerel top the bait list for big fish baits. Chumming techniques work best for anglers who anchor up on strong tide days when the current can move the chum slick long distances, luring fish to the boat. That’s not to say that slow-trollers can’t effectively chum. Many tournament anglers cut small pieces of threadfin herring and trickle a steady stream of them over the side, sometimes mixing it with a concoction of menhaden oil, or Voodoo Offshore’s Menhaden Milk and anise oil, which when trolled in a figure eight or circular pattern sets up a slick in a localized area, bringing fish to that locale. Whatever the method, the big live bait rules the roost for big kings.
INSHORE
Glass minnows are prevalent in the bays. Snook are hammering them. Any time they are present, baits like the Love’s Swimming Minnow or CAL Shad are very effective in pearl, night glow, or Arkansas glow colors. With snook season ending the last day of April, anglers will surely crowd the water this weekend in search of a keeper fish.
Redfish action continues to be hot. Ultra clear water areas have been the toughest to get fish to eat in, but find some water with schooling mullet and a little clouded up water and get ready for some action. Live white bait has been productive, as well as live shrimp suspended under DOA Clackers or Cajun Thunders, types of rattling cork rigs. Mr. Twister Exude RT Slugs and Berkley Gulp! baits have been very productive for anglers fishing the baits slowly. Look for some action during major and minor solunar periods.
April 20th
OFFSHORE
High winds have hampered even the toughest of skinned anglers this week. Conditions during last Sunday’s frontal passage that brought gusts upwards of 40-to 50-knots in some areas were not something boaters enjoy dealing with, and for foolhardy competitors, it was an uncomfortable but necessary experience. Normally, most boaters would not find themselves caught “dead” on the water under those conditions, because safety is the issue. But many top competitors are seasoned veterans of foul weather, and it seems that kingfish thrive on it. Bulky PFD’s are cumbersome and generally not broken out, even though conditions may warrant it, but manufacturers like Mustang Survival offer alternatives like the Inflatable Collar PFD that inflate upon water immersion either automatically or by pulling an activation cord. These type collars are lightweight, comfortable, and are US Coast Guard approved and rated in models of Type II and Type V flotation, and should be a consideration for tournament competitors and weekend warriors alike.
Grouper diggers reported some good action between 125 and 140 feet of water. Live pinfish and frozen Spanish sardines are garnering the top action.
Spanish mackerel and bluefish were blasting schools of bait prior to last weekend’s front. Stirred up water put a halt to that, and the minor front that blew in Wednesday night won’t help, but as the front passes and conditions improve, look for the action to return. Expect hard bottom areas that hold bait to be the hot spots.
INSHORE
It’s a matter of temperature, and the flats, while being knocked back a notch from recent fronts, are beginning to heat up enough to get metabolic rates up in the range where fishing is becoming more consistent. Snook are the top target as the season approaches the May 1 closure. Some monster snook are emerging from backcountry areas and from creeks and rivers like the Cotee, Palm, Alafia, Little and Big Manatee. Look for cut baits fished on the bottom, live ladyfish, mullet, threadfin herring, or scaled sardines to attract some slobs. Artificial bait users looking for big fish will find Berkley Gulp Cut Bait fished on a circle hook very effective. The TerrorEyz by DOA and the Swimming Mullet fished in deep channels will be hard to beat. Flats anglers will find smaller fish around points, oyster bars, and in swash channels, and will do better with finger mullet, killifish, or live shrimp and their artificial counterparts.
Redfish have been undaunted and are chewing, even through the foul weather. Look for the trend to slow as conditions in water clarity begin to improve. Long casts will help in the stealth mode, to keep these spooky fish from detecting your presence.
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April 13-15, 2007
OFFSHORE
All the way till the last freak front moved in, large schools of kingfish were moving in near the Betty Rose at about 10-miles offshore. The majority of the fish were legal size, but some anglers were taking some smokers as well. Thirty-pounds and up are the size that test your tackle and skills. Light drags and soft-tipped rods rigged with 15-to 20-pound test mono are the norm. Light wire leaders help prevent cutoffs.
Live bait is the key for the larger fish. Typically blue runners garner some of the biggest smokers, but kings are known to hit Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, pinfish, threadfin herring, and more. These larger fish hit with authority, so a light drag setting will keep hooks from pulling loose. Look for major and minor solunar periods to turn on the bite.
Also before the front, large bonitos, a few blackfin tuna, amberjacks, red and gag grouper, and some sizable mangrove snapper were hitting from 100-145-feet of water.
INSHORE
Pick a spot and work it. With water more riled up than usual, fish that have been unable to feed during the rough periods will settle down and feed. Look for backcountry areas where waters are a little cleaner, but not too clean. The most productive areas have been stained, off-color, and areas that are stirred up by mullet schools.
Bluefish have been ravenous! Most of the time you’ll find them in lower Tampa Bay running with either Spanish mackerel, or ladyfish. They get along—to a point! Blues have a bad habit of trying to put a 5-pound fish into their 3-pound bodies…and they love speckled trout!
OFFSHORE
Kings seem to be the species of choice this week reports from 40-to 45-feet of water, anglers are having incredible days from Sarasota to Pasco. While there are tons of smaller kings under 10-pounds, true smokers over 30-pounds are showing up as we get closer to peak kingfish season. Between now and the next few weeks, anglers will experience some scorching runs.
kingfish action is hot around the South County Reef and out to the Betty Rose on #1 Clark Spoons. Spanish Mackerel are whacking trolled spoons too, but in sizes ranging from #00 to #1 with a trace of coffee colored wire leader trolled on flat lines and planers are working their magic.
Live baiters are having the best success getting hookups on 15-20-pound test lines with fluorocarbon leaders. They are losing some fish to break-offs but are getting more bites. Cigar minnows have been effective, with the occasional big fish chewing threadfin herring and scaled sardines.
INSHORE
Plenty of Spanish mackerel have been hitting baits around hard bottom areas in lower Tampa Bay.
Redfish have been actively prowling around oyster bars on the higher tides but are dropping into the channels and potholes at the bottom of the tide. Very clear water has made these fish spooky, so a low profile and long casts are required to get hookups.
Top spots for speckled trout seem to be from Clearwater to Pasco in the deeper grass flats. Anglers fishing Berkley Gulp and Saltwater Assassin’s Slurp baits have had good success with trout up to 30-inches.
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OFFSHORE
Back to normal for Grouper fishing off shore from 80 feet and beyond and closer in, but near shore grouper are harder to come by. Banner catches of AJ’s have been taken with big blue runners as bait. While in the bluewater arena, blackfin tuna and loads of bonito are showing up in the vicinity of shrimp boats. Anglers have spotted shrimpers southwest of John’s Pass, from 40 miles out.
Near shore artificial reefs and wrecks are beginning to hold cobia. Anglers fishing small crabs, pinfish, imitation eels, and jigs are catching cobia up to 45-inches in fork-length. These same reefs are holding loads of Spanish mackerel and bluefish. The Mackerel are abundant chasing large schools of glass minnows a mix of blue fish and macks have saturated the area.
INSHORE
Trout and redfish have recouped from last weeks cold front and hitting live shrimp and imitations. Mackerel have moved into the flats as well some up to five pounds. Keep your spoons handy for a nice mack fight. Fish the spoil islands early in the Morning and dusk for the specks and move into the mangroves during the slow periods for Reds.
Good Luck and Keep fishing
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March 16-18, 2007
Gags, and red grouper are returning to our targeted species as of March 16th, after a month-long closure. While focus on grouper is the buzz, lots of other species are rallying to the forefront.
OFFSHORE
A cold front is heading into the Suncoast for the weekend that might alter your fishing plans, so stay tuned to the weather. Grouper are in the spotlight again. Anglers looking for grouper in federal waters can start at 65-feet and head west. But for better action with keeper gags you’ll need to display a little “showing of the green”. Fuel costs are rising, and just in time for St. Patty’s Day, but that’s nothing to celebrate about. The consistent range has been at depths ranging from 85-to 125 feet, so they’re pretty much all over the board when it comes to finding them. Anglers hitting the pipeline are finding gags in the 20-to 30-pound class some 50-to 65-miles offshore.
Pelagics will be the best bet this weekend as more and more kingfish are being landed daily. Bonito and barracudas are on the wrecks.
Spanish mackerel have arrived in force all the way up to Crystal River. All you will need is spoons and you are off and running.
INSHORE
From Sarasota to Homosassa, anglers are reporting a hot Spanish mackerel bite. Live shrimp, jigs, and spoons are working well.
Trout fishing is still hot around St Josephs Sound, This area has never really settled down. From Clearwater to Hudson large lunkers are chewing up live shrimp and
OFFSHORE March 11 weekend
Mangrove snapper have been coming from rock piles along the coast from Bradenton to Clearwater. Mangos up to 3-pounds have been fairly consistent. Small pinfish, live shrimp, and cut Spanish sardines have been productive. Bait stealers don’t take long to whittle away at the shrimp though. Some anglers say they are having success with cut squid.
Action in depths greater than 100-feet has been good for amberjacks. Big ledges and wrecks west of Pinellas about 30-miles have been productive. Blue runners, when you can get them are great baits, but amongst artificial baits, it seems that Diamond Jigs and heavy bucktail jigs are taking the largest fish. Some are tipping 6-to 8-ounce bucktails with a chunk of sardines.
Anglers on the docks at Clearwater Beach Marina and in Bradenton reported a few king mackerel being caught this week. Several catches of kings over 20-pounds were brought in. A few Spanish mackerel were caught as well.
INSHORE
Things are beginning to heat up. The first week of spotted seatrout in the north region of Florida was a banner one. Excellent catches of specks ranging from a pound to almost 5-pounds were caught on a variety of artificial baits. The MirrOlure Top dog is highly productive on big trout, as are the Rapala Skitterwalk and the Heddon Zara Spook. These big fish are roaming the skinny water areas on the incoming tides.
Redfish are here one day and gone the next. Sizes of fish are varying radically too. One angler pulling in a 16-inch red might be followed up by another tying into 35-to 40-inch bull reds. High Roller PT spoons are catching loads of them. St. Petersburg angler, Mark Bellotte chucked his shiny new gold spoon well up on to the flats at the edges of potholes and is pulling mid-thirty inch range fish out of the holes.
With grouper the closure not ending until March 15th beyond the 9-mile minimum limit, anglers will have to do their searching and digging in the “shallows”. With two weeks still remaining in the closure, anglers looking for gag grouper will find some of the top grouper waters for bagging a keeper fish in state waters right here in our home waters of the Suncoast from the Egmont Key Shipping Channel up inside Tampa Bay. Red grouper would be a rare find here this time of year, so don’t expect it. Water depths range from about 45-to 90-feet in the channel, so “shallow” is relative. Not many reports of keeper gags are coming in from other locations.
Mangrove snapper might be the deal this weekend if the weather remains fishable. Saturday’s full moon might put mangos on the chewing list big time. Experienced night fishers find the use of lights like the Hydro Glow fish light to be a big draw when it comes to attracting fish up from the depths over reefs and wrecks. Once lured off the bottom and into the water column, the mangos are easier to get to eat and land without the hassle of having them drag you into rocks and other debris.
If your urge is to burn some fuel, head west to 100-feet or greater over ledges and wrecks for some rod-bending fun with amberjacks. AJ’s over 30-pounds are being caught on an assortment of live baits but Diamond Jigs are the lure of choice for bagging jacks.
Nearshore waters could hold a few Spanish mackerel or bluefish on the artificial reefs. According to Capt. Bob Smith out of New Pass in Sarasota, he’s been fishing the “I-reefs” off Sarasota and catching sheepshead to 6-pounds and plenty of bluefish. Most of the blues are in the 1-to 3-pound class, but have been extremely aggressive. Smith’s sheepies are coming on fiddler crabs, worms, barnacles, and shrimp.
INSHORE
The weekend’s full moon should bring out spawning sheepshead. Anglers working the bridges and piers are reporting catches of some big “heads”. The Skyway Fishing Piers, both north and south, have been hot, with sheepshead up to 8-pounds pounding baits. Most any rock pile in inshore or nearshore waters should hold these convict fish.
Speckled trout in the south region of the state reopens March 1st. Areas north of Fred Howard Park are reporting some specks in the 4-to 6-pound range being caught and released on the DOA Deadly Combination with either the gold glitter or night glow color DOA Shrimp suspending below the float. MirrOlure’s suspending MirrOdine is producing some respectable catches of trout, both in numbers and sizes. Jigs like the Cotee Chubby Grub, Love’s Lures Tandems, and the CAL Shad are producing excellent numbers of fish here. Hooks with crimped barbs make release quicker and do less damage to the fish for enhanced live release.
Weekend Fishing forecast for 24 Feb
Off shore: for this month means near shore, who wants to spend $200.00 in gas to throw the grouper back. You will find most of if not all, weekend anglers inshore or fishing with in the artificial reefs and closer. Let the charters captains go for the AJ’s . Try trolling stretch 15’s to 25’s with in 16 feet to 30 feet of water at 4 and a half miles an hour.
If trolling is not your thing try getting some pinfish and drifting over some ledges or rock piles. Be prepared with some stinky squid if the pinfish are not doing the trick in the beginning. Grey snapper are in abundance, and these are very tasty treats when nothing else is biting near shore.
Inshore: Trout and redfish will be the targets this weekend. With the weather warming the flats, look for trout around the pot holes and the spoil islands. The spoil islands with oyster beds around them will be ideal for redfish. There has been reports of reds in the small lagoon were the Calidisi shuttle docks. Use live shrimp or Berkley Gulp shrimp.
Silver trout should start appearing close to Honeymoon island on the west side. Look for 9 to 14 foot of water and you can either anchor or drift thru. Live shrimp or squid will work for the silvers. Remember there are no limit on silver trout but only keep what you intend on eating.
Good Luck
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