 |
Tampa Bay - South Shore
Capt. Fred Everson
March 6, 2004
Tampa Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report
Shell Point Bait and Tackle Fishing Report for March 4, 2004
Shell Point Bait and Tackle Fishing Report for March 4, 2004
Last week’s cold front shut down the bite for a few days, but as soon at the temperature got back to normal, the snook bite turned on. The live baiters are slaying short snook, and some bait has finally returned to the Southshore flats. I’m hearing plenty of reports about redfish, but seeing very few hit the cleaning table at the shop. Most of the trout we’re hearing about are barely legal.
Captain Chet Jennings was out with a client this morning and they caught 30 snook, one of which was in the slot. Capt. Danny Guarino fished yesterday and also reported catching plenty of snook. Capt. Billy Nobles also said he found the snook willing most of the day.
Soon as the water temp comes up I plan to do some wade fishing with my new fly rod. If you have ever thought about getting into fly-fishing, now is a good time. Imported rods and reels are relatively inexpensive compared to the top of the line stuff, and the quality is good. Fly-fishing isn’t about catching a lot of fish, but it’s an entirely different fishing experience. It’s more of a man against fish thing because there is less mechanical advantage with a fly reel, and also because your holding the rod close to the butt.
One of my fly rod quests for this year is to hook a big cobia. I’ve caught a couple of cobia in the 10-pound class on a fly, but I want to do battle with a big dog. I bought a brand new 10 weight Pflueger rod, and a Pflueger machined aluminum reel and loaded it with 150 yards of 30# Tuff line for backing, and a saltwater taper floating fly line. That should do it.
The forecast for the next few days is for warm weather and that should bring the water temperature up. That will turn the snook back on, and push the mackerel up into the bay, hopefully along with some bait. The guides report that it’s thick under the Skyway Piers, but you have to be there at slack tide, and if the wind is up, throwing the net around the pilings is real adventure.
I spent yesterday on the water fly-fishing, and we saw good numbers of redfish and snook, but the wind made for difficult casting. We were not able to ever get a fly where it needed to be, partly because we were fishing from the boat. Should be warm enough to wade by next week.
The full moon on Saturday should kick all activity on the bay up a notch, but it may take a couple of days to see it. If we’re lucky, it may bring in some bait.
More Fishing Reports:
|
|
|
|
