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Tips for a successful Tampa fishing charter

Good tips for family fishing charters for Tampa Bay

Family fishing charters Tampa

Guiding is so much different than I ever imagined when I started. I always thought that every Tampa fishing charter had to be filled with tons of trophy fish. As I enter into my 16th year of guiding I realize that guiding is so much more than just catching fish. Every trip is different in its own way and offers benefits for the customers along with challenges for guides. Here are good tips for family fishing charters Tampa.

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Top Places To Fish In Tampa Bay!

Tips to catching nice Redfish in Tampa Bay

Top Places To Fish In Tampa Bay!

Tampa Bay is one the best places in Florida to fish. Some of the nations most targeted fish live right here in Tampa Bay. You would be surprised the variety of species you can catch in a single trip when fishing Tampa Bay. In additions to some great fishing we have some of the top beaches in the nation spreading from as far south as Anna Maria to all the way to to Clear water beach. Top places to fish in Tampa Bay is right here.

 

Snook is a top targeted fish in Tampa Bay

Snook is one of my favorite fish and Tampa Bay has some of the best Snook fishing around. Sizes range from 16 to 45 inches with the average fish settling in at 22 inches. Snook fishing is very popular to the bass guys because they resemble a bass but get bigger and fight harder. So if you are a bass fisherman go ahead and get your next Tampa fishing charter on the books. You will love Snook fishing.

 Redfish is another fish to catch

Red fish is another dandy and the west central Florida is no slouch when it comes to Red fish. With miles of flats and back country its not uncommon to see a big school of 300 fish milling down the flat in search of some type of meal. You will also find success underneath the Mangroves that cover Tampa Bay. Red-fish are here year round but some of the best months to target the big breeder fish are around September and October.

Grouper are a top targeted fish

Grouper is another big fish that we target here in the Tampa Bay area. Most people typically think that Grouper are an offshore fish and they are, but we also have a great Gag Grouper fishery in the bay. Its a blast targeting Shallow water Grouper. We can catch them year round but reason opens June 1st so they become a highly targeted fish in the summer. If you like a strong pulling fish then you need to do some Grouper fishing in Tampa Bay.. For more information on the season and Regulations check out FWC website

 

The silver King

The Silver King is another great fish for Tampa Bay. While most of our Tarpon fishing is from May to July we do have fish that Rome Tampa Bay year round. The migration fish the run the beaches run from May to the end of June. These fish are easy to find as they are aggressively rolling up and down the beaches. The bay fish tend to be at there best around the July to October time frame. These fish can be in excess of 200 lbs and the Little Manatee and Hillsborough rivers  will hold the baby Tarpon in the 10 to 30 lbs range. Both are a blast and will give you the adrenaline rush that fisherman dream of.  Its a true blessing to call Tampa Bay home my entire life and I enjoy having the opportunity to show people some of its best qualities. Tight lines!

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Wreck fishing in Tampa Bay

Wreck fishing in Tampa Bay

Wreck fishing in Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay is a premier fishing destination when targeting multiple species right inside the bay. With plenty of towers markers and spoil islands there is more than enough places for fish to hide. These areas hold plenty of structure oriented fish  and make for some great fishing during the summer months. You can expect to have some great action packed Tampa fishing charters when you venture out into the bay. You will catch some of the most sought after fish in the Gulf of Mexico right inside the bay. Wreck fishing in Tampa Bay is a  hidden jewel.

 

What bait to use when wreck fishing?

Bait is always the first chore on any Tampa fishing trip. When bay fishing I like to have plenty of live pinfish and Greenbacks. I also like to have a bunch of dead greenbacks or even better Threadfin Hearing. We use a lot of dead bait so the morning bait run can be somewhat time consuming but worth the extra time needed.  We catch our bait while on the Tampa flats fishing just about year round. When its cold bait moves deep. In the summer bait has its hatch and typically is all over the flats. Our net of choice would be the Barracuda 12 foot 3/8 or 1/4 inch mesh depending on the bait size. Toss a little chum and you will be pulling in hundreds of bait and ready to go fishing.

Types of fish you will catch while wreck fishing?

As mentioned above Tampa Bay is filled with artificial reefs and wrecks from one end to the other. These wrecks are loaded with all types of structure and fish are not far behind. Fishing the wrecks,reefs, and ledges inside Tampa Bay will make your next Tampa fishing charters an epic day. One any given day we can catch Grouper,Snapper, Flounder, Sharks, Tarpon and Cobia just to name a few. Most of the time we can do this all in the same spot. Tampa Bay is a truly amazing fishery.

What type of tackle we will be using while fishing wrecks in Tampa Bay?

Tackle, techniques and tips are the last important part to fishing wrecks inside Tampa Bay. When fishing wrecks you want to have a variety of rods from a light tackle inshore rod for the Mangrove Snapper and Triple Tail, to the big heavy spinning gear for the bigger gamefish like Tarpon,Goliath Grouper,Gag Grouper and Sharks. Both of my preferred rods and reel combos are the Tsunami Evit 3000 size for light tackle and the 400 to 5000 for the heavier gear. Match this with the medium 8 foot action Tsunami Carbon rod for the lighter rig and the Extra Heavy spinning rod for the heavier stuff and you are ready for some great fishing in Tampa Bay. Check out the entire Tsunami line up.

 

Another great tip to help catch fish on these wrecks would be to have a good sonar with side imagining. This will help you find structure and actually see what type of structure is down there. I love the Lowrance Live units or you can’t go wrong with the Simrad GO12. Both offer a variety of features that will help you catch more fish. Check out some of the latest products at Navico

 

For more information on booking a fishing charter in Tampa Bay with me go straight to my website