Tampa Bay fishing Report April & May
Capt. Jason Prieto
April 8, 2009
Tampa Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report
Tampa Bay Fishing in Full Swing
Tampa Bay fishing has just been great! This is one of the best times of the year for so many different types of species. Later days and higher tides have really turned on the flats and backcountry spots. This is the time to get out there, you won't regret it.
Snook- are moving out from the backcountry areas and heading out to the outer flats getting ready for their summer spawn. Bait has started moving on the flats so fish are starting to be a bit picky! I like to downsize my leader to 20lb and Fluorocarbon is always my pick. Match your hook size to your bait. I usually use a # 1 Daiichi Bleeding Hook.
Tarpon- Really starts to heat up in May. I like to target the beaches in the early morning or passes and bridges in the afternoon. The key when fishing for Tarpon is preparation and patience. The tackle of choice is 50lb power pro on big spinning gear, 5ft, 80 to 60 lb Fluorocarbon leader and a 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook.
Redfish- is a great target in early May but as it starts to get hot towards the end of the month most schools will start to push into deeper water. One thing I like to do when targeting redfish is to have a variety of bait. Shrimp, Greenbacks, cut bait, chubs, and pinfish are all great bait to use when targeting redfish.
May will hold just about any species in the bay so this is the time to get out and do some fishing! I recommend always planning your trip around fronts and tides, but the best time to go fishing is when you can.
Captain Jason Prieto is a native resident of Tampa and has fished Tampa Bay and its surrounding waters for the past 20 years. He is owner and operator of Steady Action Fishing Charters which is based out of lower Tampa Bay. To book a charter, you can reach him at 813-727-9890 or www.steadyactionfishingcharters.com. If you would like to catch him on the radio tune into Outdoor Fishing Adventures Saturday mornings from 8AM to 10AM on 1040 sports talk radio. Tight lines!!!!
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