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Tampa Bay - Saltwater
Capt. Matt Ercoli
January 11, 2001
Tampa Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report
Berrrrr! It sure has been cold down here on the gulf coast. The good news is that we are now into a warming trend and it's about time! Last week was pretty cold and the water temperature was about as cold as I have seen it. The cold didn't deter a few brave souls from going fishing though; as a matter of fact we had some very productive days considering the low water temperatures of 51 to 53 degrees. We had to improvise a little in order to have some success. Deep water canals and structure is the name of the game. Black Drum, sheepshead, trout, flounder and a few grouper made up the majority of our catch. The water temperature has begun to rise and I recorded 57 degrees yesterday in some spots. With the air temperature expected two rise into the 70's this weekend, I am projecting a rise in the water temperature to 60 degrees. This should start the fish to biting a little better. Last week was just too cold for fish and fisherman alike. We still managed to land lots of nice sheepshead from 3 two 5 pounds, a few drum each day from 7 to 10 pounds, several small to medium size grouper, and lots of small to medium size trout, including a few over 20 inches. Considering the conditions, I am not going to complain too much.
I believe this weeks fishing should pick up as the days become nicer, especially for trout, it's about time for us to start catching lots of them, large ones too. I can honestly say though, even with the rough weather, we have still been coming in with some nice fillets. If your looking to put some fish on the table this is actually a pretty good time of year to be out there. Shrimp, small hooks, and a little sinker is all you need to fill the cooler, and it's pretty consistent fishing. For the meat hunters a 5 or 6 pound sheesphead or even larger black drum is pretty darn sporting on light tackle.
So get out and catch some fish, that's why people come to Florida. Hey it sure beats drilling a hole in the ice, no offence to anyone though.
If you're interested in getting into our hot spring action it's time to start making your plans. Spring is right around the corner and my partner Shawn and I are filling up our schedules fast. Fly guys remember it doesn't get any better than late February - March for sight fishing snook on the fly. Most of the fish run between 22 and 30 inches and you'll see nearly every one of them you hook actually grab the fly.
I hope you have enjoyed my report and good luck fishing!
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