Guide bites
Capt. George Hastick (727) 525-1005: Capt. George reports that he’s still doing pretty well with the snook. No monster fish landed, but plenty of them tucked inside the mangroves on high water between just above the Gandy Bridge down to Pinellas Point. Docks along that stretch on the Pinellas side of the bay also are holding them. To get them out of the bushes to have a fighting chance on a hooked fish, he’s chumming with live sardines. Moving water is a must or the bite shuts down. Outgoing tides have been best. Trout are on grass bottom in that region in 6 to 8 feet of water, taking live sardines or Sea Shad soft-plastics on jig heads. The numbers of undersized fish have increased, though putting in the time will produce some to 19 inches. Reds are on the mangroves but expect a lot of smaller fish right now. Live sardines or cut bait works. Spanish mackerel are in the open waters of the Bay, as well as around range markers. Live sardines or spoons have been taking fish to 25 inches. Mangrove snapper are everywhere on any structure but also around bars and mangroves on the flats. Tarpon are still around, and while he’s not fishing for them, rolling fish are showing here and there.
Capt. Chuck Rogers (813) 918-8356: Capt. Chuck has been finding lots of action on mangrove snapper. The average size is good, and they have been on rocks, docks, reefs, bridge pilings. He’s also seeing them schooling on flats. He’s been using small, live sardines for bait, which have been plentiful and easy to net on grass flats in the Gandy Bridge area in the morning. The snapper like slow or slack tides, feeding less when the current is running hard. Fair numbers of Spanish mackerel have been around, as well, with fish in 8 feet of water and deeper in open water from around downtown St. Pete to near the Gandy Bridge. He’s also been connecting by free-lining live sardines around markers and tripods in water up to 16 feet deep. The average size has been very good, with fish to 25 inches not uncommon. Trout are on the grass beds in 5 to 8 feet of water. There are a lot more undersized fish in his catches, but the keepers are there as long as you don’t give up too quickly. It’s the same story with the redfish. They are tight to the mangroves when the water is up, but count on lots of rats in the mix, with the largest coming in at about 20 inches on his recent trips. A tip that makes sense right now is to get out early and be off the water no later than 2 p.m. The sun is hot and so is the bay water, so by that time the action can really drop off.
Tackle shop roundup
Gandy Bait & Tackle (813) 839-5551: The bite has been on the slow side, with warm weather and warm water cutting into the bite and the number of anglers willing to brave the hot days. Most of the better reports over the past week have been on mangrove snapper, which are in good numbers around any kind of structure, where live shrimp is taking them. Redfish are more tolerant of warm water and anglers have been scoring them using shrimp and cut bait around mangroves and oyster bars in the Gandy Bridge region of the bay.
Riviera Bait & Tackle (727) 954-6365: Jacob says the bite slowed on most species over the past week. Between hot water, hot days and a lot of anglers opting out due the warm conditions, the number of reports coming into the shop are down. What Jacob has been hearing is that rat (small) reds have been staying close to the mangroves around Fort De Soto. The keepers are there, but anglers can expect a lot of undersized fish right now. In the warm water, fresh dead bait is a wise choice. Snook action slowed in the bay, though there still are a few hungry fish cruising the Gulf beaches and passes. Mangrove snapper have been a highlight, however, with good numbers and good average sizes all around. Bridge pilings and artificial reefs are the places to target. Use live shrimp of small, live sardines. Schools of jacks have been around the Skyway Bridge, and while they are not on most anglers’ desirable list, they do provide some good sport on light tackle. Some very large ones have been landed.
Angler 360 (727) 669-5455: The bay water above the Courtney Campbell Causeway has been very warm. Anglers have been reporting tough fishing unless they focus on deeper holes and other cooler spots, like under the causeway bridges. Live shrimp will take some trout (though a lot of undersized fish are being reported), along with mangrove snapper. Some customers have been gravitating to fishing the Gulf waters around Dunedin and Clearwater of late, where the water has been a bit cooler and the bite better on trout, snapper, reds and a few snook.