With the arrival of the new moon, tarpon anglers are venturing back into the Gulf of Mexico in anticipation of the return of the silver king from offshore spawning grounds.
When the fish return, the bite can be good, as spawning can work up an appetite.
Fishing evening tides in the passes, as small crabs — a preferred bait — flush out of the bays, should be productive. These areas provide the perfect scene for the wary tarpon to stage up and wait for dinner to drift by. And they shouldn’t be finicky, as hunger takes over their inhibitions.
Fishing the beaches should be good, too, during morning tides as long as west winds subside. Casting live threadfin herring to schooling tarpon will generate a bite on most occasions.
Moving to the flats, targeting spotted seatrout is good in Tampa and Sarasota bays.
Freelining live shiners over your favorite trout flats should be productive. Try using the smaller shiners or hatch bait when targeting trout. They love eating the small baits and, as a bonus, you can save larger baits for catch-and-release snook. And you’ll want to have plenty of snook bait, as the fish seem to be everywhere right now. Whether fishing around the mangroves, piers, beaches or in the passes, you’re most likely to spot snook. Just remember, they are catch-and-release. So handle with care.
Lastly, small groups of redfish are being found around mangrove shorelines. Most catches are occurring while targeting snook.
On my Just Reel charters, I’m enjoying the abundance of snook that are inhabiting the backcountry.
On many mornings, I’m seeing 20 or more snook ranging in size, reeled to the boat. I’ve had quite a few slot fish of 28-33 inches as well as some over-slot fish, although the majority are 20-26 inches.
While targeting snook, I’m seeing a handful of redfish caught on most trips.
Lastly, spotted seatrout are waiting on the deeper grass flats.
Capt. David White is finding plenty of action working offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. In depths exceeding 100 feet, White is targeting American red snapper. By chumming heavily, he is luring fish up from their hiding places in the deep to frolic amid the chum offerings, making them targetable.
Once hooked, the powerful snappers peel off the drag as they quickly swim back toward the safety of bottom structure — reefs and ledges. Other snappers, such as mangrove and yellowtail, are reacting to the chum and are being caught in between the red snapper bites.
African pompano are another species being caught, a crowd-pleaser due to their ferocity on the hook and their delectable flavor on the plate.
Capt. Warren Girle is fishing for tarpon along the Gulf beaches of Longboat Key and Anna Maria Island. With tarpon making their way to local waters after their trek offshore to spawn, Girle is finding targetable schools along the coast. Casting live crabs or live threadfin herring as bait is working well to get a bite. Most catches are 75-125 pounds. Fishing the flats of Sarasota Bay is working well for Girle. In these areas, spotted seatrout are the dominant catch, with bluefish and Spanish mackerel mixed in. Catch-and-release snook are being caught on the flats during early morning tides.
At the Rod & Reel Pier on the north end of AMI, anglers are enjoying a variety in the catch from the Tampa Bay waters. Pier fishers using live shrimp as bait are hooking into mangrove snapper and a few redfish. Both species are being caught by anglers casting baits under the pier.
Although the snappers are not abundant, some anglers are managing to catch a limit of fish.
As for the reds, slot-size fish in the 20-inch range are being caught.
Catch-and-release snook are present at the R&R during the hours around sunrise. The fish can be found in the shallows around the base of the pier, which makes it possible to sight-cast to them.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.