Dropping temps can’t cool off local fishing exploits
Flats fishing remains consistent — consistently good — in our local waters for yet another week.
The recent cold front, as mild as it was, didn’t rock the boat much. Most spots I’m fishing were unaffected by the slight drop in water temperature.
Snook and redfish are feeding heavily on free-lined shiners. Moving tides, whether incoming or outgoing, are providing the best bite. So plan accordingly when fishing the flats. Peak water flow is key. On higher tides, I’m finding fish way up under the mangroves, especially during midday. On lower tides, fish are dispersing over the flat to deeper edges to feed.
Mangrove snapper are providing great light tackle action for inshore anglers — or, should I say, great frying-pan action. I’m finding these tasty little scrappers around rocks and docks throughout Lower Tampa Bay all the way down into Sarasota Bay. Live or fresh-cut shiners on the hook will do you right.
Capt. Warren Girle is fishing coastal structure with good results on Spanish mackerel and bonito. Both of these migratory species are ravaging live shiners free-lined behind the boat. Long shank hooks are a must when Spanish mackerel are in the mix — unless you want to spend your morning retying hooks. Spanish macks up to 24 inches and bonito exceeding 24 inches are the norm.
Moving out to nearshore structure, Girle is finding mangrove snapper and flounder. Both species are being caught on live shiners as bait. A bottom rig consisting of an egg sinker and circle hook, is resulting in the hookup. Also, cobia up to 25 pounds are being caught intermittently among the snapper and flounder.
Moving inshore, Girle is finding numerous snook throughout the flats of Sarasota Bay. Under-slot and slot-size fish are most abundant, although fish up to 38 inches are being caught.
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier says that although the wind is blowing hard from the north, fishing remains consistent. Mangrove snapper and flounder are being caught regularly by fishers who cast their bait under the pier. Live shrimp and shiners combined with a small split shot are the bait of choice.
Snook are being caught at the R&R, although this week most catches are on the smaller size, according to Malfese. For bait, live shiners, pinfish and select shrimp are producing a bite. For larger snook, try using ladyfish or lizardfish.
Finally, due to the flux of freshwater draining out of the Manatee River, the Spanish mackerel bite is sporadic. Malfese also notes that when the river is flushing out, the amount of baitfish around the pier to diminish, which may be why the mackerel are absent.
Capt. Aaron Lowman at Island Discount Tackle is fishing the southern flats in Tampa Bay southward to Sarasota Bay with good results on backwater species — snook, redfish and trout.
Lowman is dialed in to the action. His clients are finding bites on live shiners. He’s free-lining or using a popping cork. Sometimes, when fishing around docks, Lowman adds a small split shot to the rig to get his bait close to the bottom, where the redfish lurk.
Moving to inshore structure, Lowman is finding ample amounts of mangrove snapper. Most are 12 inches, although fish up to 15 inches are not uncommon. To catch these tasty fish, Lowman is rigging with a knocker rig consisting of a half-ounce egg sinker and a circle hook. Again, live shiners and fresh-cut shiners are producing the bite. Mixed in with the snapper are flounder and Key West grunts.
Capt. Rick Gross of Fishy Business Charters is rallying on redfish. Slot and over-slot fish just can’t seem to stop eating his baits. To find these abundant redfish, Gross is working the mangrove shoreline along Terra Ceia Bay and southward. Chumming with live shiners is aiding in the bite, keeping the redfish intrigued, especially when fish are on the move. Chumming creates an ample amount of time for Gross’ clients to place a cast among the schooling reds.
Working the oyster bars with free-lined live shiners is supplying Gross with plenty of action on hungry slot and under-slot linesiders.
Finally, slot-size trout are being found by Gross on the edges of flats in water depths of 5-8 feet, where grass and sand meet. Gross is producing a consistent bite by free-lining live shiners, as well as shiners combined with a popping cork.
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