Don’t get caught with your waders down
Upcoming low tides this week show promise for wade fishers. During the winter months, we experience extreme low tides in the Tampa Bay area. We call them “negative tides.” When these tides occur, it’s time to break out the waders and do a little exploring on the vast expanse of grass flats our area has to offer.
Negative tides enable us to wade to spots that are impossible to reach on a normal low tide, target large potholes and ditches on the flats, as well as channel edges.
The fish that inhabit these grass flats on normal tides either have to find deeper water during negative tides or will hang in these potholes and ditches until the tide rises. This makes them an easy target. Generally, if you can find fish in this scenario, you’ll find a bunch of fish — trout, redfish and snook.
When wading, we like to pack light and we usually fish artificial baits such as jigs and spoons. You might be walking quite a distance to get to your spot, so only take what you need.
Until next week, enjoy those low tides.
Jonny Keyes of Island Discount Tackle says catches of big flounder are being reported at the shop. “Most people I talk to have been fishing the beaches around small structure,” Keyes says. He suggests Berkley Gulp 3-inch jerk shad or live shrimp for best results. On the flats, reports of nice trout have been coming in. Fishers using top-water plugs at sun up have been catching the bigger fish.
“As the sun gets up high, try fishing the deeper flats with a Cotee jig,” Keyes suggests. “You may not get as many bigger trout, but you’ll catch a lot of slot fish,” Keyes adds.
The inshore grouper bite is still going strong. Reports of keeper gags have been coming in from fishers trolling the shipping channel around the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Keyes suggests trying the nearshore reefs once the Gulf calms down a little. “I think that colder water is going to push them in close,” he adds.
On a final note, Keyes adds that reports of stone crabs are good. “Try baiting your traps with fresh-cut mullet,” says Keyes. “That seems to be working best.”
Capt. Rick Gross of Fishy Business Charters says he’s picking up slot redfish in canals and in the backwater. “With winds out of the north,” Gross says, “you want to fish areas protected from the wind.” He thinks that even a degree or two change in water temperature can produce a better bite.
Gross is also catching numbers of catch-and-release trout. “Live shrimp under a Cajun thunder cork is a good bet,” Gross says.
In closing, he adds, “If you’re looking for fish for dinner, try just off the beaches a couple of miles,” Gross has been catching black sea bass, flounder and “plenty of Key West grunts” just off the beaches in 35 to 45 feet of water.
Capt. Warren Girle reports the gag and red grouper bite is still consistent at depths of 40 to 50 feet. “Most reds are shorties,” says Girle. “But there are some keeper gags down there.” In the same areas, Girle has encountered doormat-sized flounder to 22 inches. “Most of them are in the 16- to 18-inch range, but occasionally you catch the big one,” Girle adds.
Moving inshore, Girle says he’s has been catching redfish and trout in Sarasota Bay. “Slot-size redfish have been the norm, but you have to find the schools,” Girle says.
A lot of smaller trout have invaded the deeper flats in the bay. On these same flats, Girle says he’s also catching bluefish to 3 pounds and Spanish mackerel. “We’ve been catching a few pompano here and there as a bycatch. Try using live shrimp under a cork.”
Dave Sork at the Anna Maria City Pier says he is still seeing pier fishers reeling up flounder. “They’re catching them on live shrimp under and around the pier,” Sork says. “Incoming tides seem to be the ticket,” Sork adds.
Fishers using fresh or frozen cut bait have been catching bonnethead sharks in the 2- to 3-foot range. Sork recommends using 30-pound steel leaders for these small, but feisty fish. “Their teeth might be small, but they’re still sharp.”
Capt. Mark Howard of SumoTime Fishing Charters reports the past week’s cold winds and a drop in the temperatures is indication that the winter pattern has arrived. However, a change in tactics can assure some nice catches of fish for the dinner table.
Howard reports excellent fishing on his charters with redfish and flounder making up the majority of the action. Howard says the key is to find potholes and put the bait on the bottom with a split shot.
He says, “With the cold arriving and drop in water temperatures, the shiners will be moving off the flats and the switch to live shrimp will begin.”
Looking forward, Howard plans to the move from fishing the shallow flats to deeper water. Deepwater docks will start to hold redfish, sheepshead and mangrove snapper.
Howard likes to take dead or tiny shrimp and chop them up and use them for chum. He says tossing them under docks or up-current of the target waters will draw the fish to an area. Howard hopes the sheepshead and redfish will provide the excellent angling action that last year provided.
“The speckled trout fishery opens in our region on Jan. 1,” Howard says. “Yes, I am counting the days!”
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