No more cold fronts — please, let it spring into summer
Water temps are on the rise again, and, again, the bite is improving.
The last week of March’s water temps fell into the mid 60s after the cold front, which kind of put a damper on the bite — especially the snook bite.
But, don’t fret, water temps in the mid 70s are here, and the snook bite is here, too. Rallies of 20-30 or even 40 snook in a day are not unheard of. Make sure to have an ample supply of white bait and you’re in business. Expect to catch numerous snook 20-26 inches. Bigger fish, slot-size fish, are mixed in but require a little more dedication before they’ll bite. If you’re into “camping on the fish” you might find success.
Spotted seatrout are showing in better numbers every day. They’re beginning their spawn, so catching large trout can be more common than normal. Remember, handle with care, since the big trout are full of roe. Live shiners and pinfish are top producers as bait. Topwater plugs such as MirrOlure’s 84 MR will attract curiosity from large trout.
Finally, Spanish mackerel, kingfish, jack crevalle and shark are being found around structure in the Gulf of Mexico. Depths of 20-50 feet are a good place to start looking. Bait schools showering the surface are a good indicator there are predators in the area. Pull up quietly and cast baits to the edges of the schools to hook up. For the sharks, a fresh-cut chunk of jack crevalle or mackerel will get attention in no time at all. Combine this bait with a circle hook and a wire leader and hang on tight.
Capt. Warren Girle is fishing nearshore structure and ledges for migratory fish such as Spanish mackerel and kingfish. By free-lining shiners behind the boat, Girle is hooking multiple fish at once. Spanish macks up to 24 inches are readily striking baits. The same applies for the kings in the 30-pound range, which are skyrocketing through the chum.
After catching macks and kings, Girle is dropping baits to the bottom for snapper and grouper. Mangrove snapper up to 20-inches are being caught on shiners combined with a bottom rig. The same bait and rig is attracting the attention of keeper-size red grouper as well as equally large gags.
Moving to Sarasota Bay, Girle is fishing the flats for snook. Rallies are not uncommon when using live shiners for bait. Fish ranging 26-36 inches are being caught along mangrove shorelines with good tidal flow. Expect to encounter large spotted seatrout mixed in with the snook rallies.
Capt. Rick Gross of Fishy Business Charters is catching plenty of snook. Fish 20-26 inches are abundant. Slot-size fish are being caught with regularity, although rallies of smaller fish are more common. Free-lined live shiners are the best of the best for catching snook and Gross has his baitwell full.
Spotted seatrout are being found from Terra Ceia Bay to Sarasota Bay. To catch the speckled fish, Gross is casting artificials such as soft plastics combined with a jig head or topwater plugs such as the Rapala Skitterwalk. Live shiners under a popping cork are producing fish.
Around nearshore structure, Gross is finding mangrove snapper and flounder. Both species are being caught on live shiners combined with a bottom rig. Around the structure, Gross is finding Spanish mackerel and ladyfish.
Capt. Aaron Lowman at Island Discount Tackle in Holmes Beach is fishing the flats of Sarasota Bay for snook and spotted seatrout. Respectable numbers of snook are being caught in depths of 2-4 feet of water around mangrove shorelines and oyster bars. Live shiners, or “snook candy” are being free-lined on 20-pound fluorocarbon leaders to trick the snook to bite.
For the trout, Lowman is fishing slightly deeper water. At depths of 4-7 feet, Lowman is finding slot-size trout in decent numbers. Live shiners under a popping cork are being inhaled by hungry trout over deeper grass flats. In between trout bites, expect to encounter Spanish mackerel and jack crevalle.
Lastly, on calm days, Lowman is venturing out to the nearshore reefs in search of Spanish mackerel and shark. Macks up to 20 inches are being caught as well as jack crevalle. By chunk baiting the macks or jacks, Lowman is hooking into blacktip sharks in the 50-pound range.
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier says pier fishers are still catching sheepshead with consistency. If you haven’t had your fill of sheepherding, you can go to the Rod & Reel Pier. Pier fishers using shrimp, fiddler crabs or tubeworms are finding success. Sand fleas are producers, too.
Black drum and flounder are making appearances now and again. This bite is mostly occurring for pier fishers targeting sheepshead with live shrimp. Both the drum and flounder adore a fat shrimp dangled in front of their nose.
Migratory fish, such as Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, pompano and jack crevalle are being caught on speck rigs or silver spoons. Expect macks up to 20 inches and pompano 12-14 inches.
Finally, snook are being seen at the R&R. The lucky pier fishers using live shiners, pinfish, shrimp or ladyfish are hooking an occasional linesider. Look for snook fishing at the R&R to get better and better as water temps rise.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.