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March is here and spring fishing has been great!!


Great Weather And Sunny Days Make The South Shore a Fishy Place!

It’s March and weather is starting to take a shift towards the spring. Days are getting longer, sun is shining brighter and every day the temperatures feel a bit warmer. This means spring fishing is upon us. Here is the most up to date report to keep you guys catching fish.

When I think March I can’t think of nothing other than Snook. Snook fishing is good just about year round but March is one of the best months to fish for Snook. You will find hundreds of thousands of fish moving out of the 4 major rivers systems that feed into Tampa Bay. These rivers provide excellent habitat for Snook during the cold months of January and February. During this time most Snook keep feeding to a minimum and focus more on survival. When that water hits the 70 degree mark they start to make their presence on the flats. At the same time we start to get our bait run and a mixture of the two and you will have some of the best Snook fishing of the year. Greenbacks are the key and can be hard to find as it’s still cold. I’ll give you a hint: look deep around the towers and bridges and bring plenty of chum and make sure to have a heavy 12ft net. Finding bait can be a bit tricky but it is the difference between catching a lot of Snook and just getting a few fish.

Once you have bait out of the way good places to look are creeks, passes leading in and out of the flats, and potholes. Snook will use these areas as ambush points and will let the tide bring the bait to them.  Tide (just mentioned) is another key ingredient to catching lots of Snook. Snook like to wait and ambush bait as they run through with the tide.  This means you really want to fish for Snook around the stronger tides of the month. These times fall around the new and full moons. Make a mental note that Snook like to feed at night anyways so fishing around the Full Moon at night is a great option. Chumming is a technique created decades ago by some of the best Snook guides around. This is the key to catching a lot of Snook. By chumming you create a feeding frenzy and Snook tend to put their guard down.  You can really have a banner day by loading up the well with Greenies.

Last bit of good information I can give you before heading out to the water is rigging. Snook fishing in March is great and rigging is simple. I love to just free line baits this time of year. Water clarity is very clear so 30lb Fluorocarbon leader will be perfect and keep your hook size small with 1/0 Daiichi circle hook. Match this with fins 10 braided line and you will have the perfect Snook combo.

If you would like to get out on the water to do a Snook fishing charter this would be the ultimate learning experience. I love teaching people about fishing, if you would like to get out call 813-727-9890. Tight lines!!

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The new year starts off with some cooler weather and great fishing!

Tampa Bay fishing

Well 2020 ended and man I’m glad to get afresh start with anew year. 2020 had surprises like no one could imagine and it has been a challenge to be a full-time fishing guide in Tampa Bay. But I am hopeful for a better 2021 and things will soon get better. Fishing wise 2020 was a good one and it ended on a good note with plenty for Snook, Reds and Trout mixed with a bunch of other species mixed in. Here is a look at what to expect for January of 2021

As water cools fish will eventually make their way up the rivers and creeks. Snook fishing looks to be very productive going into one of the colder months of the year. As long as the white bait stays in the bay the Snook fishing will continue to be productive. Look to fish creeks and residential canals as these areas that provide warmer water and we all know Snook like warmer water this time of year. Free lined bait is a great option; 30lb Fluorocarbon leader matched with Daiichi 1/0 circle hook will ensure for a safe release. Remember Snook are catch and release.

Bait will move around the deepest areas of the bay and eventually make its way to the mouth by the Skyway. Catching bait is a chore and can provide more challenges as it shifts to the markers. Having a good sonar is a plus so you can see it on the bottom. Bait tends to gather on the bottom as water is warmer. I also like to use side sonar or as Lowrance calls it Structure Scan. This actually shoots a signal to either side of the boat so you can see if the bait is actually inside the towers. Lowrance HDS makes great detail sonar that makes the job a little easier. Bring some chum to bring the bait to the surface and the heaviest 12 foot net you can find and you will be ready to catch bait.

If going through all that effort is not your thing, shrimp is another option that can be very productive during the winter months. You will catch a variety of species on shrimp and you don’t have to worry about throwing the net. Redfish love shrimp and makes for a slow presentation which is needed on the colder days.  Soaking a select sized shrimp on the bottom will be a very productive way to catch a ton of Reds this time of year.

Trout fishing has to be a top producer as well. Trout from all sizes flood the flats and seem to LOVE artificial bait. You will have a ball catching numbers and size. Zman paddlerz and minnoz soft [plastics are some of the top producers. Remember that Trout are very slimy for a reason because the slime coat protects them. It’s always a good idea to have a De hooker handy on the boat to release fish safely and to keep the kill rate down so we have fish for years to come. Tight lines!

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Tampa fishing Report for September 2020

TAMPA FISHING REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER 2020

We are coming to an end for the summer of 2020. While this year has been full of surprises in the fishing world from Covid 19, we have stayed busy late summer and our fishing charters have been successful. Snook, Redfish, Grouper, Cobia, Tarpon, Trout and many others have been boat side this summer. Here is your Tampa fishing report for September.

Redfish

Redfish are the highlight this month as big schools of breeder fish gather up in the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay. Redfish have been very plentiful this year with fish schooling up in good numbers especially around the new and full moons. I really like fishing the lower tides and finding fish on the outer flats roaming around eating anything in front of them. Both live and artificial baits are good options. I like throwing something with good weight to add to the distance on your cast. One of my favorite baits when fishing in Tampa bay is the z man chatter bait. The chatter bait works well when targeting big schools of Reds. It has plenty of weight, has flash and makes noise. This checks off all the boxes when looking for a bait to fish schools of Redfish in Tampa Bay.

Snook

Snook this time of year on the Tampa Bay flats. It’s not uncommon to catch 30 Snook on a fishing charter as we approach fall fishing in Tampa Bay. Snook  are some of our top sought after species for the month of September. Its just another species we target and make September fishing in Tampa so good.

Grouper and Snapper

Next on the list for the Tampa fishing report in September would have to be Mangrove Snapper and Gag Grouper. Both fish are considered nearshore or offshore fish but with the great Tampa fishing we have the pleasure of catching both species right inside the bay. This happens just a few minutes from the dock. Both Grouper and Snapper are plentiful and make for a great table fair. Sizes on Grouper for Tampa Bay are seasonal and have a minimum size of 24 inches and a bag limit of 2. For more information of the Grouper regulations https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/groupers/

Snapper have a different size with a minimum size of 10 inches and 5 per person. They are also open year-round.

Looking forward to fishing with you!

Thanks!
Jason