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Tampa Bay - South Shore
Capt. Fred Everson
April 10, 2003
Tampa Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report
Fishing Report From Shell Point Bait and Tackle in Ruskin
As we plod into the second week of April, the weather we experienced in March is starting to look pretty good. Yet another cold front passed through Tampa Bay yesterday, and it dropped water temperature again. Even a two degree drop will shut down a snook bite, and with forecast temperatures for the low 50’s tonight accompanied by hi winds, today and tomorrow will be a good time to sort out that tackle box and take care of all your honey-do’s.
Aside from the days immediately following the fronts, fishing has been better than respectable, but not quite up to the high expectations of April. Capt. Billy Nobles of Ruskin was on a hot redfish bite Monday and Tuesday. He said Monday started slowly, but the bite turned on mid afternoon and it was hot and heavy from there on.
I fished clients Monday and we had a fair outing. The first two stops didn’t produce, but the next time the anchor went over the side a lady client hooked a giant snook that ran all over a canal in Apollo Beach before breaking her off on a piling. Next stop we caught four keeper trout and a couple of jacks, and missed a few fish, but the snook bite never quite happened. But at the last stop of the day, we landed one short snook and had another break off because of a tangle with the float.
Offshore fishing continues to be hot. Capt. Larry Malinoski has been nailing schoolie-sized kingfish. He also reported hooking a large cobia, which bent the rod for nearly an hour before a mackerel ended the contest by hitting the leader knot.
We can’t complain too much about the April weather after such good stuff in March, but I sure hope we have seen the last cold front until next November.
The fronts have also concentrated the white bait into deepwater locations around structure, and it’s not as easy to find as it was a month ago. However, there is always the Skyway fishing pier when the tide’s not running too hard. I got bait there last Saturday morning on the slack tide and it was fairly simple – but throwing a net around that kind of structure is never easy.
Capt. Chet Jennings and I will hold a four-hour, information intensive, flats fishing school on Saturday March 19, 3:00 pm at the USF fish hatchery on 24th St. SE in Ruskin. Cost of the course is $40 per person, and pre registration is required. Call (813) 641-3662 during office hours, or (813) 641 7697 evenings to register and get directions.
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