Guide bites
Capt. Chuck Rogers (813-918-8356): Capt. Chuck reports bay water temperatures continue to decline, and that’s made nearly every species more active. Snook remain on the outside and are feeding along mangroves and outside rock points. Live sardines are the top fish-getter. Redfish have made a move up the bay and there are more and more reports of good catches above the Courtney Campbell Causeway at Rocky and Double Branch creeks. Look for trout hanging along the drop-offs from shallow grass flats. The waters below the Gandy have been productive. There have been schools of glass minnows in the open bay below the bridge, and that’s been good news for the Spanish mackerel, which are feeding on them. It’s also good news for anglers looking to land a few mackerel, which are taking live sardines and pieces of cut bait.
Tackle shop roundup
Riviera Bait & Tackle (727-954-6365): Billy reports that everything has come to life with the cooler bay resulting in much more active fish. Every species is up for grabs right now, with anglers finding excellent trout fishing on the open grass flats around the middle region of the bay. Look for the fish to move onto very shallow flats when the water is high, but around the lows they are in the drops just off the flats. Live shrimp works well, but jigs with soft plastic tails of jerk baits are working. Redfish action has been solid and getting better every day. They are schooling and trailing schools of mullet, so find the mullet and there’s a good chance some reds are with them. They have not been large, but there have been plenty of slot-sized fish around. Weedon and Picnic islands have been good places to find them, but some are reporting the schools have made their way to the top of the bay above the Courtney Campbell Causeway. The bigger, winter-season sheepshead are starting to show up in catches. They are on structure like dock and bridge pilings, rock jetties and reefs. Snook anglers have been doing well over the past week, finding fish around mangroves when the water is up. Early and late in the day has been best. There still are some large and juvenile tarpon in the bay. Look for the big ones running the light line under the bay bridges. Billy says anglers fishing from the 4th Street Bridge northbound need to be aware that it is closed to foot traffic and fishing. He said anglers have been getting one trespass warning only.
Gandy Bait & Tackle (813-839-5551): Zack says anglers have been doing better on sheepshead, as the cooler water has the species fired up and taking baits well around all types of structure. Anglers fishing the pilings under the Gandy and Howard Frankland bridges have been doing very well on them. The bridges also are giving up some nice snook early in the morning and late in the day. A few black drum are being taken, as well. Trout have been on the grass bottom off Weedon and Picnic islands, and anglers working the shallows along mangroves have been picking off a few nice redfish in both places. A few anglers have been running to the top of the bay for their reds, as the schools have started showing up there around Rocky Point and Double Branch. Smaller tarpon have been working their way up to Davis Islands and into the Hillsborough River, where they will spend the winter. Some keeper gags were taken in the bay shipping channels, but anglers should note the season closes Thursday, Oct. 19.
Clearwater Bait & Tackle (727-669-5455): Anglers have been taking a mix of trout, reds and some sheepshead along the Courtney Campbell Causeway. The better red fishing has been at the mouths of the creeks above the Causeway. The bridge on the Causeway has produced a few nice snook and a couple of cobia over the past week. Some sharks have been hooked there, as well.
