Tampa Bay Redfish

The trout bite on the lower tides has produced some nice keepers. The fish are ranging from 15″-18″ with an occasional 20″-25″ mixed in. We are fishing the edges of most grass flats and having success. Live scaled sardine free lined has produced better than a sardine fished under a cork.

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The trout bite continues to stay strong with plenty of keepers and over slot fish being caught. Incoming or outgoing tide has produced some nice fish. You just need moving water.

Tampa Fl Fishing Charters

The weather has even brought out the snook. We have been catching them on the low incoming tides.  Look for the bite to get better has the water continues to warm.

Things are pointing in the right direction for an awesome spring. We may even start to see some early season tarpon show up.

Tarpon season is right around the corner. Season runs from late April to August with May and June being peak season. Call now to reserve your day. 813.732.5971

Sheepshead

The sheepshead bite has been good and should continue to be good this month. As they prepare to spawn, they will continue to school up around our wrecks, artificial reefs and rock piles in the bay. Fiddler crabs and shrimp are good baits. I like to fish as light of tackle as possible. I fish a 25lb Berkley fluorocarbon leader. I either us a 1/2 ounce jig head or a knocker rig to get the baits down.  Sheepshead offer excellent table fair with a lenient bag limit of 15 per angler which make them a winter time favorite.

Trout

The trout bite has been a little funny to say the least. The warm weather we have been having has made it hard to locate quality fish.  Areas that seem to hold fish during the winter months are holding fish but not like usual. That doesn’t mean to quit looking. If we continue to get warm weather we may need to start looking at our spring time areas. I like to start the morning off with a topwater plug like the Super Spook in a bone color. As the sun gets higher in the sky, I switch to a soft plastic lure like the D.O.A. CAL Shad in a white with a 1/8 to a 1/4 ounce jig head.

Redfish

Tampa Fishing Charters

If you have a kayak, a boat that can get super skinny or like to wade-fish, then you should love this time of year. With our negative low tides, fishing the potholes has been producing some nice redfish. Getting to the potholes is the challenging part. Shrimp on a jig head or a 1/0 Daiichi circle hook with a split shot will do for the live stuff. If you like to throw artificial, you have a wide variety. When working potholes, the D.O.A. shrimp is hard to beat. The key is to not over work the bait.

Best of the Rest

The warm weather has started up the snook bite. If the warm weather continues, look for the snook to be moving toward the mouth of the rivers in our area. If temperatures get to normal and water temperatures drop, look to fish the TECO power plant runoff. The variety of species this area holds is amazing. Snook, redfish, trout, shark, pompano, permit…the list goes on.

To book a Tampa fishing charter with Tampa Bay fishing guide Captain Will Shook call, 813-732-5971 or email CaptainWillShook@gmail.com

Trout

Trout season will officially open this month and with the new FWC rules, it will stay open all year.  The regulations are still 15”-20” with 4 fish per angler.  The trout fishery in Tampa Bay has been phenomenal and our region has a lot of areas to target them.  From the Alafia River all the way down to Joe Island, the area will hold plenty of trout.  Live shrimp or artificial will work.

Tampa Bay Trout Fishing

Fish the shrimp under a popping cork with a 20lb Berkley fluorocarbon leader and a 1/0 Daiichi Circle hook.  For artificial lures, use any soft plastic jerk bait or swim shad on a 1/8 or 1/4 ounce jig head.  As far as colors, I prefer white and nuclear chicken.

Sheepshead

The sheepshead bite should heat up all month long.  They will be schooling up around our region’s artificial reefs, wrecks, and rock piles preparing to spawn.  Shrimp is usually the easiest bait to get, but if you can get your hands on some Asian green muscles or sand fleas you are sure to have a great time. The bite on a sheepshead is very subtle, so you have to almost anticipate the bite.  I like to use a 1/2 or 3/4 ounce jig head to get the baits down.  I also use a knocker rig with a #1 Daichii circle hook.

Power Pant

The TECO power plant in our region has plenty to offer this time of year.  The hot water runoff from the power plant keeps the waters in the area around 75 degrees.  The warm temperatures attract many different species…Snook, redfish, trout, pompano, permit, cobia, sharks, and the lists go on.  It can also get crowded with beach-fishermen.  Just bring along some common sense and be courteous of others. Also, the manatees will use this area to survive the winter, so be on the lookout and follow all the signs for slow zones.

Best of the rest

If the warm weather continues, look for the snook and redfish bite to continue to stay hot.  Fishing all of our area river systems will reward you with some nice trophy size fish.  The flounder bite continues to surprise me.  I have caught more flounder this year than the last three years combined.  Fish any sand or hard bottom and you are sure to find some flounder.  A shrimp fished on the bottom with a jig head or split shot will produce good fish.

To book a Tampa fishing charter, call Captain Will Shook 813.732.5971 or email CaptainWillShook@gmail.com

Tampa Redfish Action

The redfish have been in with the schools of mullet.  Live sardine and cut-bait have been the bait of choice. Free lined on a Berkley 25lb fluorocarbon leader and a 1/0 Daiichi circle hook is the rig we use. The key is to be quite as you approach a school. With the water clarity and the pressure, the fish are very spooky. Light tackle is a must to get the casting distance you need. The longer the cast the better.

To book a Tampa fishing charter with Tampa fishing guide Captain Will Shook, call 813.732.5971, email CaptainWillShook@gmail.com or visit TampaFLFishingCharters.com

Tampa Bay Redfish

Snook

The Tampa fishing charters snook bite was on fire last month and if our water temperatures don’t drop too fast, the bite can continue all month. Fishing the areas around our rivers (Little Manatee, Alafia and Hillsborough) will produce snook. The snook move in and around the rivers to get through the cold months. Live scaled sardines are the bait of choice. When temperatures get cold, the snook’s metabolism slows and then it’s time to switch to shrimp. Free lined with a 30lb Berkley fluorocarbon leader and a 1/0 Daiichi circle hook is a great set up. Artificial baits like the D.O.A shrimp or MirrOlure MirrOdine are great baits. I like natural colors but find out what works for you.

Redfish

The redfish are more tolerant to the colder weather than snook. The bite continues to be inconsistent, but if you continue to work and put the time in, you will find the fish. Winter is a great time to work on your artificial lure skills. A spoon worked slowly over top of grass flats is a good way to work a lot of area fast and locate fish. Soft plastics like D.O.A shrimp, Berkley Gulp! shrimp, and jerk shad are good plastics. Hard baits such as MirrOlure MirrOdine, Zarra Spook, and Super Spook are great. You can pick these up at your local Tampa fishing tackle stores.

Trout

The FWC had a meeting last month and decided to have an open season year round for trout. This does not take effect until next year. Trout season will still be CLOSED in the Tampa fishing area December and will reopen January 1^st . We will still have some great catch and release action this month. As temperatures drop, the bigger trout invade our flats. Now is the time to get that “Gator” trout we are all after. On lower tides, work the drop offs and edges of the flats. As the tide comes in, move on the flats and work the potholes. Remember season will remain closed this month. Trout have a protective slime, so use a dehooker to release them.

Best of the Rest

The cooler temperatures will bring the sheepshead into Tampa  Bay fishing areas as they prepare to spawn soon. Rock piles, docks, and artificial reefs will hold fish. Live shrimp or sand fleas will work. If temperatures drop fast and water temperatures get cold, look to fish the TECO power plant. The different amounts of species you can catch are amazing. Cobia, sharks, snook, redfish, pompano… the list goes on. Make sure you pay attention to the no fishing signs. FWC will patrol the area.

To book a Tampa fishing charter with Tampa fishing guide Captain Will Shook, call 813.732.5971 or visit TampaFLFishingCharters.com

Redfish

The redfish bite was a good last month and should continue through November. I haven’t seen a lot of schooling fish. The fish we have been catching are in groups of 2-4 fish. On low tides, fish the edge of the flats. As the tide moves in, fish mangrove trees and oyster bars. When looking for a good flat, I look for the schools of mullet. Redfish and other game species like to hang around and feed on anything the mullet stir up. The key is to have a lot of live white bait to chum with. Live whitebait fished on a 25lb Berkley fluorocarbon leader and a 1/0 Daiichi circle hook is a great setup.

Snook

Snook season will remain closed but catch and release is still an option. Snook have started to make their move to their winter spots so look at some of the usual stopping points in our area. Tidal flow is important any time you are targeting snook. Target areas where the tide flows with good ambush points. Live scaled sardine (white bait) on a 30lb Berkley fluorocarbon leader with a 1/0 Daiichi circle hook free lined is a great snook rig. Remember to handle these fish with extreme care and as little as possible. We need to take care of the ones we have.

Trout

Trout season is set to close this month and remain closed through December if the FWC doesn’t change it. The FWC is asking for input from anglers on whether to have an open season year around for recreational anglers. Check out MyFWC.com for any changes. If season remains closed, catch and release is an option. The big “gator” trout will invade the flats in our region as temperatures continue to drop. Live shrimp or scaled sardines will work great but artificial lures are a lot of fun. It’s hard to beat a big trout crushing a topwater plug. Zara spook in a bone color is my favorite topwater plug. Play around with it and find out what colors and plugs work best for you.

Best of the Rest

We have had a great year for flounder. I like to fish sandy pot holes along any flat. Live shrimp or whitebait fished on the bottom will produce some nice flounder. Spanish mackerel should continue to keep anglers happy. If water temperatures hang around the magic number of 72 degrees, we should continue to have a good bite. Have a rod rigged for kingfish. Grouper will get active in our region. A great starting point is the ship channel. Troll a Manns Stretch 30 plug or a white buck tail jig and you are sure to score some nice gags. Be sure to keep an eye on the grouper changes coming down. Look for sheepshead to start to show up in our region. Most structure will hold sheephead. Dock pilings, rocks, and jetties. I like shrimp on a jig head. As water temperatures cool, more fish will show up.

Captain Will Shook is a full-time captain. To book a charter, call 813-732-5971 or visit

www.TampaFLFishingCharters.com

Redfish

We had a decent showing of some schools on the Southshore last month. Hopefully they will stay around this month. If you are having a hard time finding schooling fish, go back to the basics. Find the mullet and you’ll find redfish. Live white bait has been the bait of choice. The key is to have plenty of bait to chum.  I have been fishing a 24” 25lb Trilene fluorocarbon leader with a 1/0 Daiichi circle hook under a cork. They will also be willing to eat most cut baits. Pinfish, threadfins, mullet and lady fish are all good choices.

Trout

 Trout fishing in our region has been phenomenal and will continue as temperatures drop. Most all grass flats with bait and tidal flow will hold trout. The key is to move around. These fish move every day and you have to move around to find them. Live white bait fished under a cork will do the trick for the live baiters. Shrimp will also work, but you will have to fight with the pinfish. Trout are easily fooled, so artificial bait is a good alternative. A good bait for beginners is a Berkley Gulp! shrimp fished under a popping cork. Get an  18″ Berkley Trilene fluorocarbon leader, 1/8 ounce jig head, and a cork. Just cast out, pop the cork every couple of seconds, and continue until you get a bite.

King/Spanish Mackerel

The spanish mackerel started to show up in our region late last month and should only get better. Areas around the Skyway and the main ship channel will hold both spanish and king mackerel. A chum block and plenty of live bait to chum with will draw attention from both species. For spainsh, long shank hook and 40lb Berkley Trilene leader should work. If you are getting a lot of cut offs, switch to light steel leader. For the king mackerel, steel leader is almost a must. A 30-40 lb steel leader will work. If you are running into a lot of short strikes, add a stinger rig.

Best of the Rest

We shouldn’t forget about Mr. Snook. Although it will be catch-and-release only, you can still have a good time. Look for snook to be making the move to the flats. Most flats in the south part of our region should hold fish. They will be fattening up for the winter and will be willing to take most baits. Areas with good tidal flow and bait will hold fish. Remember every fish out there is important to the rebuild of the stock so handle each one like it’s the last. If you are looking to just bend rods, look for the pods of glass minnow (bay anchovies) and you will find some bonita. Just toss a live white bait in the middle and hang on.

Redfish

We will start to see some pre-spawn schools show up in our region this month. Spawning season usually run from August through November with this month being the peak of the season. Live or cut bait will work. I prefer cut bait.  A cut threadfin, sardine, pinfish or ladyfish will be hard to turn down. If all else fails, go to the old trusty shrimp. I fish a 25lb Trilene fluorocarbon leader with a 1/0 Daiichi circle hook. Areas in our region from the Kitchen to Joe Island will hold redfish. Look for the mullet and the redfish shouldn’t be far behind.

Trout

I sound like a broken record with my trout forecast but they continue to bite. Last month was another good month, and I am looking forward to it continuing through the year. With water temperatures hovering around the high 80’s, continue to fish any grass flat in the 4ft-7ft range with good tidal flow. As temperatures fall, move to the shallow flats with good potholes and depth changes. Small scaled sardines (green backs) are my go to bait. I fish a 24” 25lb Trilene fluorocarbon leader with 1/0 Daiichi circle hook under a weighted cork. Trout is a good species to try out your artificials skills. Top water plugs like the Zara Spook or Mirrolure She Dog are good for an early bite. As temperatures rise, I like Berkley Gulp! Shrimp and D.O.A Cal Shad.

Snook

September usually means we are gearing up for open season. Not this year. FWC had decided to keep season closed until August 2012. This will give the snook in our area a chance to get through a couple spawn seasons. That doesn’t mean you have some catch and release fun. The Southshore region got hit hard but is holding some decent fish. Not like it did in the past but are catching some nice fish. If you do target these fish, handle them with extreme care to ensure a healthy release. Live scaled sardine free-lined is bait of choice. 25-30lb Berkley Trilene fluorocarbon leader with a 1/0 Daiichi circle hook will be good. Fish areas with good tide movement and ambush points.

Best of the Rest

Look for the spanish mackerel to show back up in our region. As water temps cool, the mackerel will follow the bait. A Chum block and lots of live scaled sardines will keep the action lively. A 40lb Berkley Trilene fluorocarbon leader and a 1/0 long shank hook will help with cut offs. If water temperatures cooperate, maybe some early season king mackerel will invade the beaches and maybe make their way into our region. Wire leader is a must for these drag burners. Live sardines, threadfins, and blue runners are the best baits. First spot for early season kings is the Skyway bridge and ship channel.

Tampa Redfish

 We are catching some nice fish on live scaled sardines. We have been fishing with a cork due to the size of the bait. The smaller baits are hard to through so using a weighted cork helps you get that extra distance. We are getting redfish ranging from 18″ to a few over 27″. The Tampa fishing charters for trout have continued to stay strong. The bite has been good all summer so look for it to carry over into fall. To book your Tampa Fishing Charters call Capt. Will Shook 813.732.5971 or email CaptainWillShook@Gmail.com