Record Heat last week, and Even Hotter Inshore Bite!
Capt. John Rivers
May 25, 2017
Tampa Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report
With record-breaking temps, last week hot was and that's an understatement. Even though we broke heat records last week, it didn't affect the bite in a negative way.
Let's talk Snook first. I've been catching quality fish in some of my honey holes. Fish have been ranging from 18 to 27 inches with a few over 30. It's not been a problem getting bait for my Tampa Bay Inshore Charter trips. Just remember not to chum too heavily when fishing the mangroves. Next let's talk Redfish; they are all over the flats in medium to large schools. Cut bait has been working fine as well as live bait, but I've done better on cut bait like threadfin and cut ladyfish. Don't be surprised if you catch a nice big snook on the cut bait, as sometimes the bigger snook like cut bait more than the live baits.
Sea Trout fishing has been excellent early in the morning and late in the afternoon before the sun starts to set. Depths of 3-6 ft are producing the good bite. For trout, I usually switch out live baits with artificials like a MirrOlure 17MR or a top water plug.
These two lures have proven to show the best results on quality fish.
Next up is Tarpon. Yep, they are here and it should be a great time for targeting them in June and July. Large fish are showing up at the Skyway, Egmont Key and in Tampa Bay.
Pass Crabs are plentiful as well as threadfin, or you can use large white baits. I like using threadfin and pass crabs for tarpon, but if you like tossing artificials, you can cruise the beaches right now and toss top water and suspending MirrOlure baits such as the Purple Demon 52MR.
Lastly, let's talk Mangrove Snapper; they have moved in and I'm happy, as they are fun to catch and such good eating for my fishing charters.
A mild cold front came in and we finally got some much needed rain, which should drop the water temperatures some which should turn on the bite even more. So, as you can see it's been very good fishing despite the heat wave we had last week. Yes, the water temps were up, but this cold front and rain should bring them down to a tolerable level and keep the fishing on point.
If you're heading to the Tampa, St Petersburg or Clearwater Beach area and are looking for a fishing guide, I invite you to give me a ring. I've been guiding for the past 15 years and will provide you with a top-notch professional fishing adventure.
Tight Lines!
Capt. John Rivers
727-313-1781
www.tampabayinshoreguides.com
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