Tampa Fishing Charters Fishing report
the bite remains strong between the pesky fronts that keep dipping a little to far south. Snook are feeding well on the incoming tides and the late afternoon bite is phenomenal as long as the tide is moving. Scaled sardines are the choice baits right now. Snook have been averaging anywhere between 24 and 30 inches lately and the occasional over slot fish has been elusive as of late, but that will change after the fronts stop coming.
Redfish are around and feed well on the higher tidal stages, mullet are key to finding the redfish right now, generally they mil around with the mullet looking for a meal stirred up by the mullet tail, its an easy meal for them. Cut pinfish and large sardines are cut in half and socked around the mullet school. The fish have been on the large side with some over the 27″ slot limit.
Big trout have began pushing into the middle part of Tampa bay and should be here for a few weeks, recent catches of fish up to 25 inches have been common. This is a waiting game, the fish are big and not in schools, so fishing expansive flats with salt and pepper bottom works well, you may only get a couple bites but they are worth the wait!
Mackerel and ladyfish are abundant around the bay, fishing shoals near the shipping channels produces the Spanish into the 6 lb range and often times a stray kingfish in the 40 lb class shows up, its quite the battle on light tackle. These are great fun to catch and good on the grill. The ladyfish provide non stop action while the mackerel are here and there, I look for more mackerel to push in as the weather becomes more stable.
To book your Tampa Fishing Charters give me a call or text at 813-714-0889
or email me at tim@swiftfishcharters.com