Guide bites
Capt. George Hastick (727) 525-1005: Capt. George reports a much-improved mangrove snapper bite in the bay. He’s finding them everywhere he goes on the Pinellas and Hillsborough sides, with fish on open flats, around mangroves and bars, as well as on the pilings of the Skyway, Gandy and Howard Frankland bridges. He’s using small, live sardines to take fish up to 16 inches, though he suspects live shrimp will work just as well. Trout fishing has been decent on grass beds in 5 to 6 feet of water below the Gandy. Some spots turn up a lot of short fish, but moving and trying new areas will produce keepers to 19 inches on live sardines or jigs with soft-plastic tails. On flats that drop into 8 feet of water or more, he’s been sending out live sardines into the deeper water, where Spanish mackerel have been showing up some days. The numbers of them have not been great, but the fish he’s hooking are running up to 26 inches. The snook have been up around the mangroves on both sides of the bay. When the current is running, they’ve been spotted crashing bait near the growth. Getting a live sardine to them produces fish to around 25 inches, with a few larger ones on occasion. The reds have been in the same spots some days. They’ve been running behind schools of mullet, as often a redfish or two will be hooked after putting a live sardine out behind a passing school, the pattern repeating. Tarpon remain in the bay in good numbers. Capt. George has not been fishing them, but a 12-year-old angler on board hooked into a 4-foot fish while fishing a live bait on a flat.
Capt. Chuck Rogers (813) 918-8356: Capt. Chuck has been taking advantage of a hot mangrove snapper bite in the bay. The fish have really turned on in the past week, with plenty of keepers up to about 15 inches taking small, live sardines. The best part is they seem to be everywhere, with fish on dock and bridge pilings, markers, bars and even on flats off mangroves. Fast limits have been the norm, with catches for multiple anglers from the reef off downtown St. Petersburg and the Gandy Bridge coming in about an hour of fishing. It’s important to fish for them when the current is not running hard, as they do not feed well in moving water. Spanish mackerel are around the range markers and anywhere pods of threadfin shad are located. The numbers of fish have fallen since last month, but the average size of them is better, with fish to 28 inches landed on his recent charters. Live sardines have been doing the trick when fished in 8 to 12 feet of water. He’s been using mono leader with a long-shank, light-wire hook to get more bites in the very clear water. A split shot just above the leader to get the bait near the bottom has been the winning tactic. Trout fishing is decent on the grass flats in 5 to 7 feet of water. More short fish are showing up of late, so moving a lot to find the bigger fish is required. Live sardines have been working well, taking fish to 18 inches regularly.
Tackle shop roundup
Gandy Bait & Tackle (813) 839-5551: Zack says warm water and warm weather is slowing down the action a little, but there are good shots at bagging some fish right now for those who adjust their approach. Focusing on fresh dead bait is helping anglers hook more redfish, with cut sardines or threadfins doing the job around mangroves and docks fished in the region of the Gandy Bridge. Work as close to the mangroves as possible when the water is high. More snook are showing up, as it appears the fish that had been on the Gulf beaches and in the passes are wrapping up their spawn and pushing inside. Many are reporting seeing them under lighted docks at night. Fish moving tides around mangroves. Trout fishing has been productive for those who have moved to fishing grass bottom in deeper water, with 6 feet and deeper productive when using jigs or live shrimp. On overcast days, moving shallower can be a winner. Mangrove snapper fishing is one of the best things going and anglers are taking lots of keepers fishing any kind of structure, including reeds, rocks, bridge and dock pilings with live shrimp. Tarpon remain in the bay in good numbers, from the Skyway to near the top of the bay. Sharks are everywhere and are at levels many are calling a nuisance. For those who want to battle with them, a fresh dead bait and a little chumming in the current will bring them to you. There are some Spanish mackerel schools around in deeper, open water, though they can be hard to locate, as their numbers are down in the very warm water.
Riviera Bait & Tackle (727) 954-6365: Jacob says the bite has been a little off over the past week, though he’s hoping for a spark in action this week with more rain and overcast skies predicted. Redfish have been holding their own, with good numbers of them being found. Singles and doubles have been about as good as it gets, however, so lots of hunting and moving around bars and mangroves is needed to connect. A chunk of dead bait works best right now in the warm water. Tarpon have been there around the bay. Anglers throwing large swim baits at them are reporting hookups. Offshore, rocky bottom and breaks just out in the Gulf have been giving up mangrove snapper. The bite has been a little inconsistent, but the hope is that will take a turn for the better this week. Live shrimp on the bottom gets them.