Colder air that’s finally made its way to Tampa Bay means anglers this week should see a spike in the bite, with almost every species of fish likely to be more active and feeding, which is the normal pattern as we inch into fall.
Bay water temperatures were as low as 83 degrees before the cool nights were here, so things already were looking up, with our sources reporting an improved bite over the past week.
Of course, this is Florida, so the benefits of cooling conditions can be reversed pretty quickly, but the window is open this week, so making some time to get out to test the waters could pay off nicely.
Guide bites
Capt. Chuck Rogers (813) 918-8356: Capt. Chuck reports he’s seen better action over the past week on redfish with slot-sized specimens cruising mangrove lines on the Hillsborough side of the bay in the Gandy Bridge region, north along the shoreline to the Howard Frankland Bridge. With cooler bay water this week, he thinks the flats off Fourth Street on the Pinellas side of the bay could be a good place to find them and will be scouting there himself. Cut ladyfish or mullet is a good bait choice, though live sardines work well, too. Snook are along the mangroves with the reds, though lots of small fish has been the norm. He’s taken a fair number of gag grouper off the St. Pete artificial reef, though keeper-sized fish there are the exception rather than the rule now due to fishing pressure. The season ends Oct. 1. For those trying to bag a gag before midnight tonight, he recommends live pinfish dropped along the rocky edges of bay shipping channels. Mangrove snapper fishing is solid on dock and bridge pilings, as well as reefs and submerged rocks and channel edges. He hasn’t been seeking trout, but word from sources is that there are some good catches being made under the Gandy and Howard Frankland bridges, most likely due to schools of baitfish under both spans serving as their food source. Pompanos are another good bet around bridge pilings, with Doc’s Goofy Jigs the best weapon. He’s been opting to take them around shell bars, though, where multi-angler limits have been possible.
Capt. George Hastick (727) 525-1005: Capt. George says the redfish bite is much improved along the mangroves on the Pinellas side of the bay from the Gandy area north to above the Courtney Campbell Causeway. He’s been targeting snook with live sardines along the growth, taking fair numbers of fish from about 20 inches to slot size, but whenever a school of mullet goes by, the sardines are being picked up by redfish as large as 29 inches, so they definitely are trailing the mullet schools. Mangrove snapper fishing continue to be good and may be even better with cooling conditions this week. Fish are near docks, bridge pilings and rocks, though he’s also picking them off in sand holes on grass flats in about 5 feet of water using live sardines meant for trout. The size has been good, with plenty of fish 12 to 16 inches around. Spanish mackerel are in the mid-bay area around tripods and just off drops into 8 feet of water from shallower grass flats, though it’s been a little hit-and-miss. Tarpon pods still roam the bay, with fish spotted over the past week rolling on the surface from around the St. Pete Pier north to the Gandy Bridge.
Tackle shop roundup
Gandy Bait & Tackle (813) 839-5551: Zack reports customers have been bragging about some solid action on mangrove snapper, with fish on all the bay bridge pilings taking live shrimp. The season ends Oct. 1, but many have reported getting a few keeper-sized fish along the rocky ledges along the edges of bay shipping channels, with live pinfish a top bait. There was a positive bump in the redfish bite over the past week and expectations for this week are that the trend will continue. The flats and mangroves at Weedon and Picnic islands have been highlights, though some have done better fishing above the Courtney Campbell Causeway. Cooler Bay water has seen more snook catches inside the bay, and cooler water expected this week should only improve things. Fish have been around the creek mouths and mangroves when the water is high and moving. A few have taken Spanish mackerel over the past week, though others report no luck at all with them. Range markers in the bay have been holding some tripletail. A live, free-lined shrimp takes them. Tarpon remain in the bay in good numbers, with anglers fishing nights under the bay bridges connecting on live bait.
Riviera Bait & Tackle (727) 954-6365: Jacob says the mangrove snapper bite has been “on fire.” The bay reefs are holding them and on a trip he made himself last week, he and an angling partner boated eight between 17 and 21 inches, fat from gorging on glass minnows. He suspects they will be pushing out into the Gulf soon. Redfish action at Weedon Island was good on the same trip, though he reports the fish were a little lazy, with cut bait working better than live shrimp. They found plenty of mackerel along the way, taking several to 20 inches. More snook are showing up inside the bay, though most catches have been of smaller fish. Some report that John’s Pass is still holding them. Tripletail have been gathering around the shipping can markers near Egmont Key. A live shrimp will take them.