Wind and Rain finally Subside
Capt. Fred Everson
May 27, 2008
Tampa Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report
Tough weather conditions kept most anglers off the water much of this week. The wind blew Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and it was interspersed with rain, and we are scheduled for yet another cold front – at the end of May no less. It finally calmed down a bit on Thursday, but it rained most of the morning.
Keli Emery said she caught five keeper sized redfish on the flats between Sand Key and Piney point using chunks of threadfin on Rip Tide jig heads. She told me she tried some of the range markers for tripletail in the morning but wind pushed her onto the flats.
I am seeing lots of mangrove snappers around the docks at the mouth of the Little Manatee River, but most of them look to be undersized. Bigger fish may be found around deepwater structure in the bay. The Bahia Beach Reef, and the Reef at Port Manatee are good spots to fish for snapper. Small live shrimp on 1/0 circle hooks tied to light leaders will catch them.
Capt. Chet Jennings said the snook fishing has been slow on Southshore Tampa Bay for most of May. He said he has been catching a few redfish, and that bait has been easy to find on the flats, and on the range markers near the ship channels. He has also caught a couple of cobia, the latest was travelling with a bull shark off Sand Key – risky companionship I should think.
There are some tarpon around, but you need calm water to be able to see them. – they don't roll in a chop. I usually find them around the Power Plant in Apollo Beach this time of year. I like to throw jigs at rolling fish at first light before boat traffic puts them down. These fish are usually small juveniles under 50 pounds that are actually fun to catch – you don't have to fight them from a chair for an hour or more. Even on 20 pound test you can land them in a few minutes and release them no worse for the wear.
For those using the Cockroach Bay boat ramp, be advised that a trailer was stolen on Thursday evening. The poor guy had to leave his boat at a dock on the Little Manatee River, and was fortunate enough to know somebody who let him leave his boat there on a floating dock.
You can visit the captain's website at Tampabayfishingguide.com for charter info, or phone him at 813 830 8890.
More Fishing Reports:
