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Tampa Bay - South Shore
Capt. Fred Everson
June 4, 2007
Tampa Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report
If you were expecting some respite from the wind, it occurred last Thursday for about four hours. Then it started to blow again. But the good news is that the redfish are biting and water clarity was somewhat improved – at least on the days I fished.
Wednesday I had a mackerel trip scheduled. The plan was to net some threadfins on the range markers off Cockroach Bay, and that part of the plan worked out. One toss of the net and I was done, however, finding the bait took some doing because of the ever present chop. I finally saw some flashes about six feet down and filled the net with big threadfins.
There were several schools of mackerel on the surface just north of the Bahia Beach Reef, but by the time I got to them, it was too rough to fish. I had two young kids on the boat, and I could hardly stand up to cut bait, so we headed inshore to fish for anything that might bite. The first stop took us out of the wind south of Sand Key, and we caught a trout, a ladyfish, and numerous catfish. The bright spot of the day was a shark or cobia that ate a chunk of ladyfish. We had to pull the anchor and chase the fish or get spooled, but the hook pulled 10 minutes into the fight.
Next day the wind was calmer than it has been, but the sky was overcast. I had kept the threadfins from the day before on ice and they were still nice and firm. Our second stop in Little Cockroach Bay we hit a pod of redfish on the shadow line of the mangroves just inside Mag’s Hole. Keli Emery caught and released a half dozen keepers and I put a fish in the box, and lost another. All the fish came on cut threadfin fished on RipTide jig heads.
Capt. Larry Malinoski braved the wind and went to the other side of Egmont Key and brought two tarpon to heel. He said the bite has been hot there despite the blow. He went back the next day and had a repeat performance.
Tropical Storm Barry arrived on cue, two days into hurricane season, but winds are forecast to lighten up after it passes.
For more information, call Capt. Fred Everson at 813 830 8890, or visit his website at tampabayfishingguide.com.
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