Tampa Bay Area Fishing Charter Report

New report section starting today. Reports will be coming from several different area guides and on a variety of different styles of fishing techniques. Enjoy!

Redfish action has been about as good as it gets lately as long as conditions  have been right. Working the mangrove islands and mullet schools of Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg have kept the rods bent with drag screaming action.

Redfish

The seatrout bite should also be getting better by the day as we get into the lower water temperatures. The lack of sea grass on the surface as the water temps lower will make it easier to throw topwater plugs in the mornings for a spectacular bite. I like to fish near the bait schools and pay particular attention to casting at the edges of the visible schools. Don’t be surprised if a cobia eats your presentation as they’ll be in the same areas.

Snook are in their transitional areas looking for easy meals fattening their bellies before winter is here. Structures with moving water have snook nearby so work them thoroughly. Big scaled sardines and threadfin hearing are excellent choices for bait right now.

Redfish

I still haven’t got a chance to look off the beaches yet but I’m going to give it a look this weekend if I can break away from the flats fishing long enough. This time of year, going off and looking for things on the beach can very well mean running into schools of tarpon that’ll eat everything you throw at them. As they migrate out of the area in mass they’ll eat hard and my best bait is  a free lined pinfish on an owner hook. The flounder bite the last couple years has been outstanding and should keep up along with the gag grouper and spanish and king mackerel.

Until next report, keep em’ bent!

Capt. Chris