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Tampa Bay - South Shore
Capt. Fred Everson
April 28, 2004
Tampa Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report
Southshore Tampa Bay Fishing Report
The big news on the Southshore fishing scene has been the hot redfish bite. Big schools of reds showed up on the flats south of the Little Manatee River, and they were in a feeding mode. Capt. Billy Nobles brought five keepers back to the dock with a party of friends on Saturday and said they released many oversized fish.
Capt. Chet Jennings also reported finding plenty of redfish, but the best news is that bait has finally showed up on the flats. According to the local guides, the pilchards have finally come into shallow water to spawn. That’s a good thing, because shrimp have been coming into the shops have been a mix of smalls and regulars, with few large and no selects.
I did a cobia trip on Monday, but it was windy and the water was murky and we couldn’t find any ling on the flats. With the water temperature finally coming up, I expect to find them in deeper water around structure in the coming weeks.
The snook bite has also picked up with the rise in water temperature. Only a few days left in the season, which ends at midnight on May 30.
Don’t forget the Catch and Release in a Pot of Hot Grease Mackerel Tournament at Shell Point Bait and Tackle this Sunday. Captain’s meeting is at the shop in Ruskin at 10:00 am and the weigh in cuts off at 4:00 pm. Entry fee is $25 and includes a selection of mackerel tackle. A fish fry will follow the weigh in. Call the shop for directions or information, at (813) 641 3662.
And finally, for all those who fish around Cockroach Bay, be advised there is a submerged dredge pipe that has claimed a half dozen lower units this past week. The pipe runs offshore for about two hundred yards and is marked. Several who tried to run over it on plane have done serious damage to their motors.
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