Where have all the Tampa Bay fishies gone?
Capt. Little Jim Fesperman
January 29, 2009
Tampa Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report
The weeks prior to and following the New Year fishing was at its absolute best. The best I'd seen in the winter for many years. Big Trout, Snook, Red's, along with inshore docks holding tons of Gag's and Snapper all ready and willing to bite our bait. Then when the first major cold front of the new year blew through the Bay area it was as if Mother Nature flipped the "no feeding switch". We have had the worst catching in years. I have never had to work so hard and hit so many spots in a day to catch a few fish for my clients. With lots of Snow Birds in town wanting to go fishing, we go fishing when they want to go.
I know where the fish are hiding; however getting them to bite is another matter. Most Snook have gone way up the creeks and rivers in search of warmer water. With some Snook still in the protected residential canals laying on the bottom of the dark/muddy warmer water along side the Trout and neither wanting to eat only adds to our frustration We've seen docks with 10 to 20 Snook milling around and not interested in any bait we offer. The big Redfish reacted to the very low two tide days by being pushed off the flats and into deeper cuts and channels.
Don't get me wrong we are catching a few fish but its very hard work for this old man hitting 25 or 30 spots in a day. I know that we could get out of the boat and wade to the deeper potholes on the flats and slam the Trout but the average client is not equipped with wading gear plus they still remember the movie "Jaws".
I'm sure the big Trout and Reds will return to their normal feed patterns once we have a couple more fronts pass through to stabilize cooler water temperatures. The four tide days would also allow us to once again pole the flats chasing the pushing schools of mullet and Redfish.
Please God give us an early Spring!
Captain Little Jim Fesperman
Let's Go Fishing!
Hook Setting Charters, LLC.
(727) 515-8196
(727) 515-3689
[email protected]
Tampa Bay Fishing Forecast:
Look for cooler weather to stablize in the next month to six weeks and the fishing to improve to normal seasonal levels.
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