Tampa Bay Kingfish
Capt. Fred Everson
May 14, 2008
Tampa Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report
The winds were down earlier this week, but the tides were slow, and so was fishing on Southshore Tampa Bay by most accounts. Capt. Tom Rinehart of Apollo Beach reported finding some kingfish well inside the bay. He said he saw some bait skipping out of the water with no visible strike on the surface and put out some large baits and instantly hooked up with a 20 pound king. That fish cut off the monofilament leader at the side of the boat, but he went back to the same spot the next day with wire leaders and landed one 10-pound fish. He said he found the kingfish in the same spot three days in a row, about 12 miles inside the Skyway.
I ran to the other side of the bay on Wednesday with clients and we caught six fat slot sized trout and a three-pound bluefish, all on Mirrolure's 52M. The flat off Pinellas Point is probably the nicest stretch of water on Tampa Bay. Water clarity is simply incredible, and the flat is covered with whitebait. I threw a quarter inch net several times and caught bait with every toss without chumming, and they were perfect sized three-inch baits, but we never used any because the artificials were so effective.
Capt. Chet Jennings reported slow fishing for snook on this side of the bay much of the week, but he had better luck at the Skyway. He was fishing for tarpon, when a client asked, "What's that fish swimming around the pilings. Turned out to be an 80-pound cobia. The client hooked the brute, and it took 30 minutes to bring it to the boat on heavy tarpon tackle. Chet said it took all his strength to bring the gaffed fish into the boat.
I got broke off twice last week fishing from my dock. I was tossing a RipTide Mullet around the pilings and something big hit it soon as it hit the water. It headed for the oyster bar but finally doubled back under the dock and cut me off. I believe it was a black drum.
Capt. Jeff Horne stopped by on Friday and said the redfish were thick on the Southshore this week.
You can visit the captain's website at Tampabayfishingguide.com for charter info, or phone him at 813 830 8890.
Tampa Bay Fishing Forecast:
Tides will improve steadily ahead of the full moon next week. Water temperature is perfect, and I saw the first schools of threadfins on the surface last week. Spanish mackerel, tarpon, and cobia should all be following this bait.
Target Species:
Redfish, trout, Spanish mackerel, shark, tarpon.
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