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Tampa Bay - South Shore
Capt. Fred Everson
December 14, 2005
Tampa Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report
A cold front passed across Tampa Bay Friday, and although the reports were sparse because of inclement weather, the snook bite has remained constant. Water temperature is still in the high 60’s, and snook have been feeding actively. The mouth of the Little Manatee River has been producing fish wherever the current is strongest on the peak flow of falling tides.
Catching live sardines was an adventure this past week, with few anglers finding any pilchards on the flats. Most who made the long run to the Skyway fishing piers found bait there, but netting enough bait to chum with has been a struggle according to the few local captains who went out this week.
Many anglers have been falling back on the abundant numbers of jack crevalles in the Little Manatee River. Devils Elbows is holding 7 pound jacks, as is the hole in front of the old fish house. I found a big pod of jacks thrashing the surface at the railroad trestle and we hooked three fish on light tackle. Two jacks smacked a half-ounce jig tipped with a four-inch shad tail, the other hit a large, live shrimp. The trick to tempting a jack to strike an artificial is to retrieve the lure in warp drive. There’s no such thing as reeling too fast for this fish.
Sheepshead continue to be a good bet on the high tides in some of the deep holes south of Sand Key. Hot catch and release on trout continues around the Cockroach Bay entrance channel. Artificial shrimp under a popping cork are a traditional favorite. Trout season remains closed until New Year’s Day.
Visit Capt. Fred online at tampabayfishingguide.com, or call Shell Point Bait and Tackle at (813) 641- 3662
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