Guide bites
Capt. George Hastick (727) 525-1005: Capt. George reports he’s been encountering good numbers of big mackerel. The schools are not as thick over the past couple of weeks, but the average size of fish is very good, with most between 18 and 25 inches. He’s using live sardines in open water off the St. Pete Pier area, as well as the artificial reef there. He’s also finding them cruising along the 8- to 10-foot depths falling off grass flats below the Gandy Bridge. He’s had days where casting to the shallower grass produced trout and casting the other direction into deeper water turns up mackerel. His anglers have been bagging a few redfish around docks and in the shade of mangroves on the Pinellas side of the bay from above the Gandy Bridge south to near the St. Pete Pier. Some snook have been in the same spots, are buried up deep in the growth seeking shade. He’s been chumming them out of the bushes with live sardines and getting them to bite. On some days, he’s taking reds and snook on cut bait. Schools of jacks have been common in residential canals and marina basins. Most have been around 2 pounds. Mangrove snapper fishing is pretty good, and the sizes have been nice. Fish are on dock and bridge pilings, as well as around rock jetties and submerged rocks in 8 to 10 feet of water. Small, live sardines and shrimp have been taking them.
Capt. Chuck Rogers (813) 918-8356: Capt. Chuck has been sticking to a strategy of trying to keep his customers cool, setting up in the shade of bridges in the bay to combat the very hot weather. He also advises anglers to try some night fishing, working along the light lines of bridges, docks and other areas where artificial lights attract baitfish and shrimp after dark and gamefish feed. Species like trout, reds, drum and odd mackerel are possible fishing the bridges, as are mangrove snapper. Live sardines and shrimp are good baits for all. Patience is the key. With water temperatures staying in the 90s, fish can be slow to bite. He’s doing best on the snapper by using no more than a 15-pound-test mono or fluorocarbon leader and a No. 4 hook. He’s also chumming to get the bite started but notes that on some days the snapper are rising to the chum but turning their noses up at baited hooks. Stay at it and downsize line, hooks and baits if needed. Black drum are another possible catch, though most will have better luck with them (and redfish) after dark. The trout are hanging in deep water under the bridges, where they can stay a little cooler. Spanish mackerel are around, in deep water mid-bay from the St. Pete Pier north. Their numbers are not great but when found, they are running large. Sharks are all over the bay in big numbers, but he’s noticing that even those are slow to feed most days. One of his anglers did land a 100-pound bull shark on a recent outing.
Capt. Cody Albright (727) 992-3918: Capt. Cody reports he’s been running some night tarpon trips in the bay and seeing spectacular tarpon action. The fish have pushed farther into the bay, and he’s been scoring under the Howard Frankland Bridge. One trip produced 23 fish between 80 and 150 pounds that were jumped, with all of them on fly. The tarpons are feeding along the light line and the new bridge provides plenty of room for fly casting.
Tackle shop roundup
Riviera Bait & Tackle (727) 954-6365: Jacob says the mangrove snapper bite is on. While natural baits are the most effective, the snapper are so cooperative now that even 30-gram jigs bounced on the bottom around reefs in the bay and Gulf are producing nice fish. Reds are cruising the mangroves in the mornings, with the bay action better the closer one gets to the Gulf. Trout fishing has slowed with the hot water. Snook are on the beaches and in the Gulf passes. Live grunts get the trophy sized fish but early in the morning they will take artificial baits. They are out of season, so it’s sport fishing only. Tarpons are still around in the bay and off the beaches, though their numbers are falling. Boats working rocks just offshore continue to see a very good bite on hogfish. Live shrimp is the bait of choice.
Angler 360 (727) 669-5455: The very warm bay water and hot days have cut into the action, with anglers sticking to fishing early mornings only. They’ve been taking some trout fishing grass beds above the Courtney Campbell Causeway using live shrimp of jigs with soft-plastic tails. Working mangrove on high water and the shade under mangroves or oyster bars, they are getting a few redfish, but the bite is described as tough, especially when the sun is high. Fish the causeway bridge pilings with shrimp for mangrove snapper. Lots of anglers have been plagued with catfish picking up their baits.