Guide bites
Capt. Josh Fritz (352-345-9304): It’s tarpon time for Capt. Josh, who says the big silver kings are showing up on the deep flats just off the coast. The fish are moving north for the summer and can also be found off beaches, in passes and in deep holes on the flats. Live crabs are his go-to bait for them, but live pinfish, mullet, soft-plastics and flies also get it done. The redfish bite is strong right now, with fish on the outside, rocky and hard-bottom points. Live sardines are top producers, and incoming tides have been the most active time to fish them. Trout fishing has been good on the grass flats in relatively shallow water, but shallow rocks and limestone also hold some nice ones. Offshore, the hogfish action is slowing a bit but the mangrove snappers are stepping in to take up the slack, and there are some big ones around. Live shrimp fished on rocky bottom in 25 to 40 feet of water has been best. The water offshore has been very clear, so long, light-mono leaders to reduce line visibility will improve the number of strikes.
Capt. Mike Senker (352-584-6297): Capt. Mike says it’s a good time for offshore fishing, with those taking live shrimp out to rocky bottom starting in 28 feet of water able to load up on fat grunts and mangrove snapper. It’s also a good time to do a little trolling, with a Mann’s Stretch plug pulled behind the boat possibly producing a big kingfish and gag grouper. The groupers are out of season, so it’s sport fishing only. Spanish mackerel are another good bet right now.
Tackle shop roundup
Dixie Lee Bait & Tackle (352-596-5151): Eric says inshore fishing over the past week has been productive for a lot of his customers. Cobia have moved into the area and are on the shallow flats in good numbers, and the possibility of taking a keeper-sized fish — one that measures 36 inches from nose to fork of the tail — is pretty good. Trout fishing in the small bays along the coast have been holding good numbers of trout, including some oversized fish. Fish over grass bottom in 3 to 4 feet of water with live shrimp, jigs or plugs. Redfish are scattered around mangroves, rocky points and bars, though no one is reporting schools of fish. Picking on one and moving on to the next spot for another has been the drill. Snook are on the outside and feeding along the island shorelines, though the season closed May 1 and they must be released. There are schools of sardines on the shallow grass flats, and they have been the top snook bait. The tarpons are here in enough numbers to target them. Mark at the shop has been fishing north of Hernando Beach and hooking fish regularly, including some big ones. Offshore, boats have been taking some nice mangrove snapper in 30 feet of water and deeper. There are Spanish mackerel over hard bottom there, as well, and kings are around.
Bait & Tackle of Hernando Beach (352-610-4315): Sven reports that it’s an excellent time for cobia. Big fish have moved onto grass flats in 8 feet of water and there are plenty of them. Anglers looking for them this week may want to work out to 12 feet, as a change in weather may push them out a bit. Anchoring a chumming may be the best tactic. Trout fishing is pretty good, and Sven says the grass bottom at the northern end of St. Martin’s Reef may be a choice spot to find them. Live shrimp suspended from a float just over the grass is the ticket. Redfish have been on the edges of standing grass just off the coastline, with a few fish farther into backwaters. No one has been finding schools, so hunting and picking them off has been the norm. Bayou Dive creeks have been producing a variety of species and are a good option now. Canals are holding good numbers of mangrove snapper for those with the patience to pick through undersized ones. Live chubs help with the task, as the little snapper tend to leave them to the bigger snapper. Offshore, the kings are here but often staying well below the surface. He recommends starting in about 30 feet of water over hard bottom. The Spanish mackerel are out there, as well. For mangrove snapper and hogfish, live shrimp fished on rocky bottom in 35 feet can be good, but for greater numbers and bigger specimens of both species, go as deep as 65 feet. At that depth, the odds of picking up a keeper red grouper also are better. Start looking for tripletail on marker buoys offshore, as they are now showing up.