West Central Florida Fishing Reports
May 20, 2013
Tampa Bay
by
Fished inshore with a great group of people from Chicago; Sam, Diane, and Sammy Rappa along with their cousin Mick and his son Mike. Bait was somewhat scarce still on the flats, which is very unusual for this time of year. After making runs out to the Skyway pier for white bait we hit the grass flats of Terra Ceia Bay. After a few casts Sam (who is confined to a wheelchair) hooked up and his drag is screaming. Sam did a… Read More
May 11, 2013
Anclote
by
Fishing in our area is getting better everyday. We're still having the windy days that should have stopped some in march, but the higher temperatures are keeping the fish in the spring/summer feeding areas. Look for Snook trout and reds and flounder around mangroves on the high tides. on outgoing tides check the passes for Tarpon that are making their way up to the Anclote Keys. On low tides drift the flats for Trout and… Read More
May 09, 2013
Hubbard's Marina
by
Inshore - The speckled sea trout and red fish are biting well on the flats. Our crew has been taking kayaks to the flats a lot recently to take advantage of this recent spike. Also, the tarpon have recently moved in and can be found rolling in the John's Pass area daily. The best way to target them is to wake up early on an outgoing tide and wait for the pod to come swimming out of the pass and they will head down the… Read More
April 27, 2013
Tampa Bay
by
For the most part, if you name it you can fish for it right now. The inshore bite is great! Snook, Trout and Redfish are being caught in good numbers. Their sizes are ranging from small to large. Whitebait and cut bait are both working well, start with one of each to find out what they are in the mood for. The King and Spanish Mackerel fishing has been good and is getting better. Trolling spoons have been the preferred… Read More
April 26, 2013
Hubbard's Marina
by
Inshore - The mackerel and kingfish are thick right on the beach! You can easily catch a limit of mackerel right from the John's pass jetties. The speckled trout have apparently woke up from their winter hibernation, and they are hungry! Just a few days ago, while standing on our dock, I watched many fisherman bring in nice trout from under the bridge. They love live shrimp or D.O.A. Lures. Also, you can target the… Read More
April 21, 2013
Anclote
by
Spring time fishing has arrived. Fishing has been about a month behind with the colder than normal March, but things are heating up, in the air and water. Bait is switching away from the "go to" large shrimp to the "go to" whitebait. There are reports, and blacked out livewells (more important) of whitebait from Clearwater to Hudson. Tarpon have arrived... in Boca Grande. Over the next few weeks, they will continue… Read More
April 19, 2013
John's Pass
by
Inshore - The flounder are here and are starting to bite strong! They love the sandy patches in the grass flats or the sandy bottom of a shallow pass, such as Blinds pass south of John's Pass. The trout are starting to become more aggressive as the water warms up too! The real news however is that bait has moved into the passes and the mackerel and kings are hitting em' hard! I love this time of year, the weather is… Read More
April 06, 2013
Anclote
by
While the weather patterns have not been stable, fishing is still good in our area. Some of the season fish are a little slower to arrive than in past years, which is leaving a few species such as sheepshead sticking around. A well presented fiddler crab is a great say to snag one of these tasty, toothy fish. Finding fiddlers at local bait stores is an easy way to stock up, but if they are out of stock, there's ways to… Read More
April 05, 2013
Tampa Bay
by
The upcoming tides for the next week or so are looking good for all kinds of fishing. Right now is the time to be on the water. The fronts should be winding down and the water temps climbing. For you offshore or near shore guys I have had reports of the kingfish and mackerel filling in nicely. Trolling has been the preferred method but anchoring over hard bottom with chum and live bait is also working. Look for this bite… Read More
March 21, 2013
Tampa Bay
by
Bait in the lower Tampa Bay area is beginning to get thicker. Due to the warm winter it never really left but it is now getting easier to get. The key to filling your live well is being at the bait spot at the right time and with the right size net. As for the fishing, it has been good, the snook bite this last couple of weeks has been a lot of fun. Whitebait has been the key. A few chummers to get them going will help… Read More
March 05, 2013
Tampa Bay
by
Fishing for the first part of the week will mean deep holes and canals in the morning and shallow sunny flats in the afternoon. Start in the residential canals first thing and work the sunny side first. Pick baits that will get to the bottom and that you can work slowly. You can pick up the pace as the day goes on or as the bite dictates. Look for the Sheepshead bite to be the easiest followed by Trout. Later in the day… Read More
March 04, 2013
Anclote
by
Spring is right around the corner, and that will bring the spring time kingfish and Spanish mackerel run. Some kingfish are in the area now, but the varying weather should balance out over the next few weeks, and bring fish into a more regular feeding pattern. Kingfish and Spanish mackerel both love live bait, but also will not pass over a well presented spoon. Just as with all species, the bite will increase on hungry… Read More
February 09, 2013
Lake Manatee
by
Fishing at beautiful Lake Manatee this past week has produced some nice fish but the numbers have been down. As was the case last week, we had a strong cold front blow through on Thursday night that dropped air temperatures down into the low 40's and brought water temperatures down again into the lower 60's. This sudden water temperature drop with this front caused the crappie bite to slow way down. As the warming trend… Read More
February 07, 2013
Tampa Bay
by
Over the last week I have seen several snook in the area on flats and around docks. They have been extremely spooky, the few that I have been able to hook, have come from very long casts and with live or imitation shrimp. Be sure to lead the fish by several feet. Stealth is everything if you are going to have a chance at these fish. I have found some schools of redfish on the flats but they have proven to be challenging… Read More
February 05, 2013
Anclote
by
Fishing in our area has settled down. The last few weeks the weather has moved the fish around, but they seem to be staying in regular areas now. Fishing near the outflow of the Anclote power plant, we have found a nice variety of fish. The warmer water attracts bait and predator fish alike. Cobia have been attracted to this area year round, but the spring seems to pack them onto the flats in front of the power plant.… Read More
January 24, 2013
Anclote
by
Fishing in our area has been good. The fluctuating weather temperatures have moved the fish around, but it has not moved them as far into their wintertime spot as we have seen in past years. That being said, we have also seen up to 30 in grouper caught inshore. Wintertime tactics are the same in out area, live baits or artificials fished slow, presented as natural as possible. Wind may be a factor, so watch those weather… Read More
January 21, 2013
Tampa Bay
by
Fishing this winter has been absolutely phenomenal due to water temperatures staying around the high 60's to low 70's. The fish have not felt any true winter affects this year and appear to be moving into their spring time patterns. The low tides and clear water make it a challenge for anglers to trick these fish into eating our baits. I have found one of the most effective ways to get these spooky fish to eat is to put… Read More
January 19, 2013
Tampa Bay
by
I was recently hired for a corporate fishing tournament that encouraged parents and their children to fish together. I was informed that I would be fishing two adults and two kids, but we were to mainly focus on the kids. I know from past experiences that when fishing with kids, the key is to fish for sheer numbers of fish and not focus too much on species. There are a number of species that we could target with just… Read More
January 18, 2013
Lake Manatee
by
With great weather in our area for the past week the water temperatures have come back up into the upper 60's and the crappie fishing has been fantastic. Every day out the past week we have been putting good numbers of fish in the cooler. The size of the crappie also continues to amaze me this year with most trips producing many fish in the 13 ½ - 14 inch range, and it's not been uncommon to get fish in the 14 ½- 15 inch… Read More
January 17, 2013
Tampa Bay
by
The fishing pattern has been more like a Spring time pattern then a Winter one. The fish have been on the flats in one and a half feet to three feet in the middle of the day. DOA Shad Tail, MirroDine, Top Water, Aqua Dream spoons and live shrimp have all been producing trout from small to gator size. I did spend some time fishing docks this week and there are plenty of small gags around. Live shrimp and Shad Tail baits… Read More
January 16, 2013
Tampa Bay Kayak
by
Took Will from Sarasota out for a Redfish hunt this past weekend outside the Alafia River in Hillsborough Bay. With exceptional just-about springtime weather patterns we've been experiencing this winter, stalking the shallow flats for cruising fish was my plan. We got a semi-late start. Just enough to ride the outgoing tide out to the nearest desert that soon, with the turn of the tide, would be flooded with creatures as… Read More
January 04, 2013
Lake Manatee
by
Fishing at Lake Manatee continues to be outstanding. The only slow down has been trying to dodge the constant flow of fronts blowing through our area. The high winds that accompany these fronts has kept us off the lake on many days. When we are able to get out the bite has been great in spite of water temperatures down in the lower 60's. We are putting good numbers of crappie in the boat and many fish are over 13 inches.… Read More
December 31, 2012
Tampa Bay
by
The trout bite has been good from 6 to 2 feet of water. The larger trout are up in the more shallow water sunning themselves. These fish will be very spooky and will require a stealthy approach. Making long casts is going to be the key to hooking a large trout in shallow water. Paul Brown and MirrOdines along with DOA CAL Shad on a 1/16 oz jig head have been the baits that have been working for me. I am also leaving the… Read More
December 27, 2012
Whitebait-Tampa
by
Whitebait was very thick in about 4 feet of water at Culbreath Isles Flat on Christmas Day 12/25/12. The GPS coordinates are 27°56'0.94"N, 82°32'23.71"W. The baits are mixed, from about 2 inches to 5 inches. Purina tropical fish food has been the chum that is most effective. You can use a 8' to 10 ' cast net with a 3/8ths mesh. The water is crystal clear and the bait will stay distant from the boat. Give your chum a good… Read More
December 22, 2012
Lake Manatee
by
Fishing at Lake Manatee this week has been outstanding. I can remember times in the past years when we have caught more fish in the course of a day fishing, but never can I remember the size of the fish coming to the boat being bigger. The crappie we caught this week averaged 13-13 ½ inches with a lot of the fish over 14 inches. Big crappie of the week went to Tammi Wirth of Palmetto who caught a beautiful 15 ¼ in slab.… Read More
December 18, 2012
Anclote
by
With the end of the world around the corner, fishing should be your priority. While we are having a mild winter, temperatures may raise to around 950 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday. All kidding aside we have had great weather for inshore and near shore fishing. On the windy days hiding on the leeward side of islands have been producing top of the slot trout. Free lining a 3 inch shrimp hooked under the tail has been… Read More
December 06, 2012
North Pinellas
by
Weather in the area in starting to cool off. The constant heating and cooling has slowed the bite, but its not shut down. I did a recent trip with Captain Chad Petroski from Summer Skye Charters and David Tartaglia from The Online Fisherman and targeted areas from Anclote River to the north end of Honeymoon Island. We mostly hit the flats targeting trout and flounder. Slow presentation is key in the cooler waters. We all… Read More
November 30, 2012
Lake Manatee
by
As water temperatures have dropped into the mid 60's and numerous fronts continue to move thru the area the winter pattern is upon us. The saltwater fishing is not as productive as it was just a month ago. This triggers my winter move out to Lake Manatee for my winter and spring time crappie season. The past two weeks I've fished fresh water exclusively and have had mixed results. Most days we're catching good numbers of… Read More
November 29, 2012
Tampa Bay
by
Winter's versatile changes in weather are providing cool breezes and hot fishing throughout Tampa bay. We've been catching a bunch of Flounder on recent charters. Flounders tend to frequent the areas where you find Snook in the summertime. Sandy bottom inlets around rock jetties, bridges, and other structure hold a decent number of these fish. They eat shrimp, greenbacks, creek chubs, and just about anything that swims… Read More
November 27, 2012
Tampa Bay
by
Fishing has been off and on with the high pressures lately but there are fish to be caught. Trout are plentiful and they have been ranging in size from lower slot to mid twenty's. Shallow flats and a few deep holes is where I have found them. As for Redfish I have not found large fish or large numbers. All though the season is closed the inshore Grouper bite has been good. Docks, rock piles and bridges all have fish on… Read More
November 06, 2012
Tampa Bay
by
Even while in serious tournament mode, I took the time to help out a fellow angler in need. While fighting a snook that I was in desperate need of for the KFC Championship last Saturday, I couldn’t hope but notice a wade fisherman admiring my catch. Being the great guide that I am, (wink,wink) I called him over to join in on the fun. After a quick introduction I suggested he toss his live shrimp and cork combo into a… Read More
November 04, 2012
Tampa Bay
by
The fishing in South Pinellas this last week was productive with a mixed bag of fish. There are redfish in the area. I found them in deep holes around docks. Cut pinfish and ladyfish were my baits of choice. The trout bite was great! The only thing is, they are still very small. Most of them were under 18 inches but there are larger fish around. I have also caught several bluefish and plenty of mackerel while fishing the… Read More
October 20, 2012
Offshore John's Pass
by
On the last 39hr trip that left on October the 12th we came in with a nice catch, a 40lb cuberra snapper (the second big cuberra we brought in this year). We also caught our limit of amberjacks, about 300 mangroves and about 30 groupers. Catch from the 39hr overnight trip from 10.12 On the next few trips - Capt Mark will be specifically targeting Gag grouper. Capt Frank and Capt Bryon have been catching up the groupers… Read More
October 18, 2012
Terra Ceia
by
Fishing this past week continues to be awesome. With the new moon tides flushing plenty of water in and out of the bays the fish have been feeding. Redfish continue to be the target species right now and they are abundant. Most of the redfish we're keeping right now are in the 22-26 inch range, with the occasional over slot fish. We're throwing back lots of 18-20 inch reds, feeling confident right now in the fact we're… Read More
October 15, 2012
North Pinellas
by
Fall temperatures are starting to tease us with great fishing weather. The good part is the fish are taking notice early. Cobia are starting to been seen in shallower waters, and as it gets cooler look for them on the flats near warm water (Anclote Power Plant Outflow canal) They will be working the flats behind sting rays. Usually the schools of cowhead rays will be holding cobia. Sometimes one or two, sometimes twenty.… Read More
October 10, 2012
Grouper Fishing Tampa Bay
by
Grouper fishing in the shallow water of Tampa bay is still hot and some days hotter based on a report we just received from local angler and grouper fanatic Vance Tice. Vance is a professional angler, but not a guide in the traditional sense of the term. For a modest fee (less than half the cost of a typical grouper guide), Vance accompanies local and visiting anglers on their boats, and teaches them what they need to… Read More
September 23, 2012
Tampa Bay
by
Yesterday I fished in the annual O'Brien's Irish Pub's Christmas party. The owners give everyone who has worked there for the last year a day on the water with some of Tampa Bay's finest captains. Every year they turn it into a fishing tournament, this year the tournament was longest combined inches total inshore slam. This year my boat won, we had a combined 72" inshore slam. It consisted of a 27" snook, 28" redfish,… Read More
September 20, 2012
Terra Ceia
by
Fishing the past couple of weeks has been dictated by our weather. For the most part the fishing has been outstanding. We did have a few days right after some of the recent rains and high winds that made the fishing challenging but even on those days with a little patience and changing up the way we fished, and where we fished, we were able to produce some nice catches. As is always the case for me at this time of year… Read More
September 12, 2012
South Tampa Bay
by
Well with summer ending, the inshore and flats action in my area is really starting to heat up. That's the "good" news. The "great" news is... its only going to get better! As a cool front or two make their way down from the north and the days start to get shorter, the area water temps will begin to slowly drop. The fishes' complacent tendencies will give way to aggressive feeding and soaking cut-bait will be replaced by… Read More
September 02, 2012
North Pinellas
by
Fishing in our area has not suffered the same effects after Tropical storm Debbie that some places have. The water is somewhat churned up, but it didn't seem to bother the bite much. Redfish have been chomping heavily on the full moon tides the past few days. Both artificial and live baits have been productive. Try around the mangroves on the last part of incoming tide with cut pinfish or white bait. If you're having… Read More
August 30, 2012
South Pinellas
by
Before the wind really started to blow this week the inshore bite was great. There are plenty of Redfish in the South Pinells area range from mid slot to upper thirty's. The middle of Tampa Bay is loaded with Mackerel and Sharks. Target them around the channel markers and under large bait pods on the surface. Spoons bucktail and live bait such as white bait and Pinfish will get you hooked up. The Trout bite has been a… Read More
August 29, 2012
Terra Ceia
by
Fishing continues to be good but not great. We are catching good numbers of redfish and snook. Spanish mackerel and ladyfish are all over the bays right now chasing the big schools of bait. This is a great time to take young kids out fishing, throwing a live shiner on the outside of these large bait schools of bait ensures a quick hookup of a trout, spanish mackerel or trout. Redfish have been hit or miss and sometimes… Read More
August 23, 2012
Lake Tarpon
by
Well, the water on Lake Tarpon is about 82 degrees and the largemouth bass bite has been pretty tough as of late. There is a bass tournament on the lake on Tuesday nights from 6 pm till 930 pm. Weigh-in is at Anderson Park State Ramp. This tournament costs 30.00 to enter with a optional $10.00 big bass pot, it is a 100 percent payback. This tournament runs from when the time changes in the spring till the time changes… Read More
August 19, 2012
Terra Ceia
by
Fishing this week has been good despite the brutally hot temperatures. I find myself hoping for rain just to soak me down for a couple of hours to stay a little cooler. Redfish continues to be our first target in the mornings and they have not disappointed us. We are catching good numbers of slot size reds in the 19-22 inch range. On Monday I had two fisherman out and Jason Humphrey from Sarasota managed to boat a… Read More
August 18, 2012
Upper Tampa Bay
by
Today I had the pleasure of fishing with Kris Greene on his brand new Fin Chaser boat. We talked earlier in the week and he had asked me if I could show him around the Upper Bay north of the CCC (Courtney Campbell Causeway). So headed out around O' Dark Thirty in search of bait which has been a little difficult in the bay for the past couple of weeks. Instead of running all the way down to Bayside flat, where i have been… Read More
August 06, 2012
South Pinellas
by
My fishing pattern over the last two weeks has been pretty much the same. I am still catching good numbers of Redfish on high water using cut Pinfish. The Grouper fishing inside on rock piles and ledges will continue to stay consistent. The number of keepers may get smaller do to the extended pressure but there are plenty to be caught. Snapper are also plentiful and can be found in the same locations as the Grouper. The… Read More
August 03, 2012
Tampa Bay
by
It is not too often that I get to go out and do some fishing myself. When I do, I usually go out scouting new areas and often times this results in not catching fish. Recently, I had family in town and my brother-in-law, David, wanted to go out and do some fishing. We have been out together before so I knew he was good with scouting a bit too. We made the run from Upper Tampa Bay to an area I have heard was holding bait… Read More
August 01, 2012
Terra Ceia
by
This past week's fishing has produced some very good fishing at times and some fishing that left my fisherman wondering if there really was fish in the waters we were throwing lines into. This is a typical summertime fishing pattern. With water temperatures in the mid to upper 80's fish are no different than us humans, they are lethargic and not willing to expend a lot of energy for a meal. With this said our fishing has… Read More
July 30, 2012
Anna Maria
by
Hot summer action offshore of Anna Maria Island. The fishing is hot like our weather right now offshore. Our party's are catching some really big gag grouper,lots of firetruck red grouper,scamp, a variety of snappers,with some,monster mangrove snapper,mahi mahi [dolphin] not flipper,sharks.barracudas and a few kingfish. For the largest gags go deep to beat the heat in a 180 ft -200 ft to get your world rocked with a… Read More
July 24, 2012
Florida Middle Grounds
by
Three P.M. Friday evening, the Florida Fisherman is loaded to the gill with enough food and drinks to feed a small army. The weather is picture perfect, Middle Grounds here we come. Let's try trolling. Mister Joe May is using a green spoon. Numerous bonito have been caught. Joe hooks into another bonito. Hold on, that's no bonito. It's a big boy. What a fight! "I am give out." Differently from a bonito this monster is… Read More
July 17, 2012
South Pinellas
by
Whats hot right now? The air, water and the Grouper bite! The inshore Grouper spots are on fire right now and from the reports I have gotten from other guides so is the offshore bite. Hand sized Pinfish or Grunt are the bait of choice. Look for rock piles and ledges along the outside of the ship channels and around the Skyway bridge. This bite should continue to be good for a while. The high water and air temps are… Read More
July 13, 2012
North Pinellas
by
The water in North Pinellas is clearing up. The water is still tea colored, but it has not shut down the bite. Large schools of Spanish Mackerel are on the flats as well as in the passes feeding on schooling glass minnows. Look for birds diving at the surface of the water, and the macks thrashing the surface and coming out of the water after the bait. Match the hatch is the game as always. Small silver spoons or small… Read More
July 01, 2012
South Pinellas
by
Look for the fishing to get better as the water cleans up from all of the rain run off from the upper bay. As the water clarity gets better the Trout bite will as well. I have had a good Redfish bite and even found a few Snook! The Snook were in the cleanest water I could find and with the most movement. The Redfish were eating both live and dead bait. In dirty water, Redfish will rely on their keen sense of smell to… Read More
June 29, 2012
North Pinellas
by
Fishing in our area is not very productive right now. I'm sure many people in our area have more serious things to worry about right now than fishing. If you're planning on getting on the water over the weekend, plan for some difficult fishing. The water is very churned up all over our area. Today we took a trip all around Anclote Key and found all the water very dirty. Visibility is less than three feet. We decided to… Read More
June 28, 2012
Tampa Bay
by
A few weeks ago I received a call from a brother firefighter who wanted to know if I could take him and his son fishing. He informed me that he had a limited schedule and had only one day available. He said his son was on leave from the military and was only going to be coming home for a few days. He gave me the date and I checked the tides and bite forecast on theonlinefisherman.com. I informed him that the day he… Read More
June 20, 2012
Florida Middle Grounds
by
Friday, 3 P.M. under very cloudy conditions the Florida Fisherman says good-by to Madeira Beach. Our destination, the Florida Middle Grounds, home of the monsters.This is a very special occasion for us. We welcomed back Mister Larry Miller, and the 'Jersey Boys,' Mister Kile Stevens, & Mister Brandon Caldwell. Larry has been a regular on the Florida for years; he has been away. It was a real honor to welcome him back.… Read More
June 18, 2012
South Pinellas
by
This coming week will be great for high water fishing up tight to the Mangroves. Moving water will be key. Focus on the tail end of the incoming and beginning of the outgoing for redfish. Try using cut pinfish and get it as far under the Mangroves as possible. If you are looking to bag a few Snapper the Skyway around the dolphins and rocks are a good place to target. Live shrimp or small bait fish such as White bait or… Read More
June 12, 2012
North Pinellas
by
After the storms last week the water is still a little churned up. The problem I found is more the grass on top of the water than the water clarity. Tarpon on the south end of Anclote Key were being mistaken for grass, and vise versa. The plus side to grass in the water, is the haven it provides for fish. Ask those who do offshore fishing, and grass patches, and weed lines are the areas to target. Cobia, tripletail,… Read More
June 05, 2012
Florida Middle Grounds
by
ARS pay back time. Friday, June first, 2012, American red snapper season opens. The very best to one & all, let's go get them. Finally! It's ARS pay back time. No more free meals. Forty four anglers, and a full crew, departs Hubbard's Marina on the Florida Fisherman ll. We will be fishing two days before the full of the moon, the best time of the month. Will the fish be hungry? Let's go see. First things first, we are… Read More
May 30, 2012
South Pinellas
by
If you enjoy fishing then now is a good time to go! There are a multitude of fish to be caught right now. Spanish mackerel are on the beach and along the deep edges of the flats. They can also be found around the bridges and piers of the Skyway. Live bait such as whitebait and greenbacks along with silver spoons are all effective when targeting mackerel. I use heavy mono leader you may lose a few fish but you will get… Read More
May 28, 2012
North Pinellas
by
Tarpon, tarpon, and more tarpon. For those of you who have been out and have seen these, they are thick in out region. Large schools from Anclote Key south to Dunedin on the beaches, passes and in the ICW. We have seen about 50 at a time in the schools, all fish are over 100 lbs. Set up away from the fish and drift into the schools, casting also up current and presenting your bait as natural as you can make it look. When… Read More
May 25, 2012
Florida Middle Grounds
by
Friday afternoon around Hubbard's Marina means it's time to once again challenge the monsters of the fabulous Florida Middle Grounds. This time, we are going to fish deep, deep where the big boys play. As if we were not excited enough, here comes the Friendly Fisherman with a very nice catch of kings & Key West grunts. Wonder what a 1/2 day trip would be like? Just thinking of tinder, flavorful, fried grunts is making us… Read More
May 18, 2012
Tampa Bay-Kayak
by
It started off as a sundown tarpon trip off the bridge but 2-3' swells and over 3' of movement changed our minds. After a quick search for "rolling" fish and a few casts to some Spanish macks, we decided to head towards the mangroves outside Weedon Island. Withing minutes, some really nice trout kept us busy for several hours landing over 25 fish with 24" being the biggest on fly. We caught all fish on 8wt fly gear… Read More
May 17, 2012
South Pinellas
by
If you are looking to catch a fish of a lifetime then this will be a good week for you. The Tarpon are showing up in bigger numbers and the upcoming new moon will provide the perfect opportunity to catch one. Whether you like to fish them on the beach or at the bridge they are there. Let's all be courteous of one another and remember to give boats who are either anchored, drifting or working down the beach on their… Read More
May 10, 2012
Pass-a-Grille
by
She did it again!!! A few weeks ago The O'Brien's Irish Pubs held their second fishing tournament of the year. I was again hired by the owner of the Tampa Pub to take him, his young daughter, and a close family friend out for a day of tournament mackerel fishing. They had hired me in January to fish in their sheepshead tournament. In that tournament we finished first and second place in sheepshead, first place in redfish… Read More
May 08, 2012
North Pinellas
by
Continuous good fishing in our area, becoming better yet!! Bait is very abundant, but getting them before day break is key when targeting them on the flats. Once the sun comes up the bait are spooked very easily by the shadows and noise and dive for cover. There continues to be schools of snook on the islands. When in absence of bait, artificial baits such as a white bucktail jig can be used to target the snook. These… Read More
May 02, 2012
North Pinellas
by
Fishing in our area the last week has been great. As Captain Dave Rieumont has said, there are many snook on the North Pinellas beaches. There are also many 30 plus inch snook in the back country, in around the docks, barrier islands and canals around North Pinellas. Be careful when approaching these fish on the very calm days. We watched a boat drift up to an island and push snook right out of the area they were trying… Read More
April 30, 2012
Clearwater-Pinellas
by
The last few weeks I have been watching snook. They are starting to show up in bigger numbers on the North Pinellas beaches and passes. At first, I was finding them in very small schools from 2 to 8 fish. Clearwater Pass all the way up to the North Pinellas Barrier Islands have been holding most of these fish, with many in the Caladesi Island area. But, they have been difficult to catch. But this week has been different.… Read More
April 28, 2012
Lake Manatee/Terra Ceia
by
The high winds this week and water temperatures dropping back down into the lower the 70's were the big stories for this week. The days we were able to get on the water the fishing was very good. Trout made up the bulk of our catches this week with many slot size fish to take home for dinner. The trout this year are very healthy and fat making for nice size fillets. This year has also been an exceptional year for… Read More
April 24, 2012
South Pinellas
by
The fishing in the South Pinellas area is still good. The redfish schools have taken a beating but are still around the same areas. Being one of the first to show up where they're biting will help you boat a few before the crowds arrive. I have been finding redfish in smaller groups or alone on the flats or under mangrove shore lines. My baits of choice have been dead threadfins or live whitebait. The trout fishing is… Read More
April 24, 2012
South Pasco
by
Fishing in our area has been limited lately with the wind. Fishing docks, canals, and the leeward sides of spoil island has been best for comfort in the windy conditions. Large trout and redfish have been being caught around spoil islands near the Anclote river and 3 Rooker Bar. Whitebait has been the bait of choice for these fish, while a shrimp is still getting the job done if you can keep the pinfish off of them long… Read More
April 21, 2012
Lake Manatee/Terra Ceia
by
Fishing at Lake Manatee has been very tough the last couple of weeks. The algae bloom that has invaded the lake has made crappie fishing nearly impossible. Slow trolling jigs which is the method I like to use, picks up big globs of algae as soon as the jig is dropped off into the water. Bass fishing has been hit or miss depending on the wind conditions. These April winds have made life tough, when the winds do slack off… Read More
April 20, 2012
Anna Maria - Offshore
by
Fired Up! Spring Cleaning offshore of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key! On Show Me The Fish Charters running my 31 ft custom Morgan sport fisherman operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina, our parties are catching a wide variety of species. On our full day trips we are catching limit catches of fire truck red grouper.With the limit of 4 per person that's a serious meat trip. Plus catching monster mangrove snapper,… Read More
April 12, 2012
Florida Middle Grounds
by
Finally, our fishing season is ready to swing into high gear. Mangrove snapper and red grouper now, then ARS and gags. What a line up! Care to 'join us' on the Grounds? Easter Sunday weekend, a weekend to celebrate. What better way to start our celebration than a trip to the Marina, Hubbard's Marina. To help us celebrate we were honored to have with us seven sportsmen from Maryland; Team Maryland. These sportsmen/women… Read More
April 10, 2012
Tampa Bay
by
The weather for the upcoming week is looking good for fishing. The tides will be high at mid-day throughout the week. This will allow the fish to get in under the mangroves and provide fish with a shady place to spend the hottest part of the day. Fishing under the mangroves can be challenging but very rewarding. Placing your bait as close to or under the mangroves is key to getting the fish to bite. Dead and live bait… Read More
April 06, 2012
Tampa Bay
by
My last trip, I had the pleasure to fish with the Toll family. They were on vacation from Arkansas and wanted to see what our fishery is like. This family wanted to catch a variety of fish, but also wanted to catch some fish they could take home and eat too. I decided to pick them up and take them with me to catch bait at the Skyway. We also took a shot at some tarpon, snapper, and mackerel while we were out there. When… Read More
April 04, 2012
Lake Manatee/Terra Ceia
by
Fishing at Lake Manatee for crappie has slowed in the past week. We are experiencing an algae bloom that is making slow-trolling very difficult. We are still catching a few fish but keeping the spinner jigs free of algae has proven difficult. Captain Mike's clients holding their crappie catch of the day! Bass fishing has been hit or miss with the best results coming early morning and late afternoon. Live shiners is what… Read More
March 24, 2012
Tampa Bay - Kayak
by
Springtime is here or is it summertime? Na, it's springtime for sure, despite the high 80's temperatures. Waders, boots and jackets get stored and replaced with microfiber shirts, sandals and shorts. Springtime also means our flats, bays and beaches begin to come back to life. Fish of all species occupy these areas in search of bait returning from offshore. As the water temp warms up, the bite will improve. Pelagics are… Read More
March 19, 2012
South Pinellas
by
Fishing in the South Pinellas area is good. There are Spanish mackerel at the Skyway Bridge along with a few early season tarpon. Anchor your boat on the up current side of the bridge and let the tide carry your bait under the bridge. Some live chummers will help you get the bite going. I have good reports of kingfish within a mile of the beach. The Skyway Bridge is loaded with bait. You can find it at both the north and… Read More
March 17, 2012
South Pasco
by
The weather has been a large change from past years this "winter". I usually don't see whitebait in the area until later in March or the start of April. The whitebait has been coming in early due to the higher temperatures. With the bait here early, I think we'll be seeing spring, and summer runs of Spanish mackerel and tarpon early. There are some Spanish mackerel in the area, but they were needing heavy chumming to… Read More
March 17, 2012
South Pasco
by
The weather has been a large change from past years this "winter". I usually don't see whitebait in the area until later in March or the start of April. The whitebait has been coming in early due to the higher temperatures. With the bait here early, I think we'll be seeing spring, and summer runs of Spanish mackerel and tarpon early. There are some Spanish mackerel in the area, but they were needing heavy chumming to… Read More
March 16, 2012
Florida Middle Grounds
by
Last year on the Florida Fisherman at Hubbard's Marina, we had a record year. The fabulous Florida Middle Grounds proved -- even with all the regulations we are now under -- that Florida is still the 'Fishing Capital of the Entire World!' The Florida Middle Grounds, known for its 20'+ ledges, rocky-corral bottoms and numerous ship wrecks, is a natural aquatic wonderland; a dream come true for the serious angler. And, much… Read More
March 15, 2012
Lake Manatee
by
Fishing at Lake Manatee this past week has been excellent, with the exception of Tuesday. This is my favorite time of year to crappie fish. The big females are coming off the spawn and are feeding heavily. If you are looking for big numbers of fish this is not the time of year you will want to fish, that would be in the fall. If you are looking for big slabs now is the time of year to consistently get them. The window… Read More
March 06, 2012
Offshore Anna Maria
by
We have some great catches going on right now, but you have to fish in between the cold fronts this time of year. On Show Me The Fish Charters operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina, fishing out of a custom 31 ft Morgan Sport fisherman, my party's are catching greater amberjack, cobia, blackfin tuna, kingfish, mangrove snapper, porgy, triggerfish, door-mat size flounder, sea bass, bonita [little tunny], blacktip… Read More
March 01, 2012
Tampa Bay
by
The bite has been AWESOME between the fronts! Last week I ran a Monday morning trip. We whacked trout after trout on whitebait and DOA jigs. Whitebait under a popping cork was a deadly combination and the trout were also responding to the mirrOlure 17mr and 19mr in the green back and light side. The pattern of those mirrOlure 17mr's and 19mr's resemble a green back! I also ran a night trip on Monday! Snook were under the… Read More
February 27, 2012
Boca Ciega Bay
by
About three months ago, Tampa Fire Rescue held a fundraiser B.B.Q.to help a brother firefighter. They wanted to raise money to help out with his son's medical expenses. His son was paralyzed during his last week of basic training with the United States Marine Corps. I immediately bought one hundred dollars worth of tickets to try to help out. After talking with the coordinator, I also decided to donate a four hour… Read More
February 27, 2012
Boca Ciega Bay
by
About three months ago, Tampa Fire Rescue held a fundraiser B.B.Q.to help a brother firefighter. They wanted to raise money to help out with his son's medical expenses. His son was paralyzed during his last week of basic training with the United States Marine Corps. I immediately bought one hundred dollars worth of tickets to try to help out. After talking with the coordinator, I also decided to donate a four hour… Read More
February 24, 2012
South Pinellas
by
Fishing in the South Pinellas area has been good and should stay that way as long as the cold fronts stay mild. I have been finding large trout and redfish when fishing the outsides of mullet schools in two feet of water. Both the trout and redfish have been eating cut ladyfish along with gold DOA CAL shad tail and white Aqua Dream spoons. Fishing with shrimp or mullet scented Pro Cure will help the more finicky fish… Read More
February 24, 2012
South Pinellas
by
Fishing in the South Pinellas area has been good and should stay that way as long as the cold fronts stay mild. I have been finding large trout and redfish when fishing the outsides of mullet schools in two feet of water. Both the trout and redfish have been eating cut ladyfish along with gold DOA CAL shad tail and white Aqua Dream spoons. Fishing with shrimp or mullet scented Pro Cure will help the more finicky fish… Read More
February 08, 2012
Tampa Bay
by
If you were not able to get out this past weekend, do not fret. There is still plenty of phenomenal fishing to be had in Tampa Bay. I decided to fish the bay area on Superbowl Sunday with a few friends and try to catch a variety of fish species and test out one of Kris Greene's Custom Rods. If you have not seen or heard of his rods you are definitely missing out. Not only is it appeasing to the eye, but once you have… Read More
February 08, 2012
Tampa Bay
by
If you were not able to get out this past weekend, do not fret. There is still plenty of phenomenal fishing to be had in Tampa Bay. I decided to fish the bay area on Superbowl Sunday with a few friends and try to catch a variety of fish species and test out one of Kris Greene's Custom Rods. If you have not seen or heard of his rods you are definitely missing out. Not only is it appeasing to the eye, but once you have… Read More
February 02, 2012
Pinellas County
by
With weekly cold fronts coming through the Bay area, fishing the flats becomes difficult with higher winds that follow those fronts. An easy way to get around the wind is fishing areas that are protected by surrounding land and structure. Muddy bottom means warmer water A good place to start is the Cross Bayou in Pinellas County. You can find many species of fish around this area because there is a nice muddy bottom and… Read More
February 02, 2012
Pinellas County
by
With weekly cold fronts coming through the Bay area, fishing the flats becomes difficult with higher winds that follow those fronts. An easy way to get around the wind is fishing areas that are protected by surrounding land and structure. Muddy bottom means warmer water A good place to start is the Cross Bayou in Pinellas County. You can find many species of fish around this area because there is a nice muddy bottom and… Read More
January 24, 2012
Offshore Anna Maria
by
Fantastic fishing offshore!! We have some great catching going on right now and the weather is beautiful for this time of year. On "Show Me The Fish Charters" operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina. Fishing out of a custom 31 ft Morgan Sport Fisherman, my party's have been catching bone-bruising amberjack, red grouper, scamp, mangrove snapper, porgys, triggerfish, sea bass, bonita (little tunnys), blacktip sharks up… Read More
January 24, 2012
Offshore Anna Maria
by
Fantastic fishing offshore!! We have some great catching going on right now and the weather is beautiful for this time of year. On "Show Me The Fish Charters" operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina. Fishing out of a custom 31 ft Morgan Sport Fisherman, my party's have been catching bone-bruising amberjack, red grouper, scamp, mangrove snapper, porgys, triggerfish, sea bass, bonita (little tunnys), blacktip sharks up… Read More
January 18, 2012
Tampa Bay
by
Fishing the past couple of weeks has been good, the nip in the air has dropped the water temps a bit and the fish began to adjust. I was out with clients just before the front and the bite was fantastic! We boated over 100 fish in 4 hours! We worked an oyster bar and landed the fish above. Redfish and sheepshead this size were chewing well, it was one after another until......... .....these fish moved in and ran off the… Read More
January 14, 2012
Little Manatee River
by
A few forum members (gandyfisherman and lostmans1) and myself decided we wanted to switch it up and use our "fishing skills" to try a new area that we never fished before and figured we'd give Little Manatee River a try and we were definitely glad we did. We had a great day out there. We saw some beautiful sights and caught a lot of fish. We pretty much had the water to ourselves (we saw ONE boat the WHOLE DAY...kinda… Read More
January 10, 2012
Charlotte Harbor
by
Angling across the Shark Tooth Coast (Venice-Charlotte area) of Florida, winter fishing picked up tenfold with sheepshead, sea trout, silver trout, flounder and whiting. The best fishing was found on milder days between cold fronts, and after our first arctic freight train moved through Thursday, temperatures plummeted to 56 degrees, a drop of about 10 degrees in one night! The cold front is expected to shut down the… Read More
January 08, 2012
Sarasota
by
A strong front passed through our area early last week dropping air temperatures below freezing and plummeting water temperatures by almost 10 degrees. However, after a few days of sun, water temperatures climbed back into the 60’s, and action resumed. Anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff, the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released trout, pompano, flounder,… Read More
January 07, 2012
South Pinellas
by
Fishing in the South Pinellas area has been somewhat tough. The fish have not been in the spots I normally find them in this time of year. This has forced me to hunt them down. I have found them on deep edges after fronts and on the shallow flats during warming trends in the weather. The canals and deep holes in the area are holding fish but not in great numbers. There are fish out there to be caught but you will have to… Read More
January 07, 2012
South Pinellas
by
Fishing in the South Pinellas area has been somewhat tough. The fish have not been in the spots I normally find them in this time of year. This has forced me to hunt them down. I have found them on deep edges after fronts and on the shallow flats during warming trends in the weather. The canals and deep holes in the area are holding fish but not in great numbers. There are fish out there to be caught but you will have to… Read More
January 01, 2012
Tampa Bay
by
This week the redfishing has been on fire! The negitave lows associated with the new moon have run the water out of the bay on the low tide, and the redfish are scouring the edges of flats in search of a meal! The bait of choice has been DOA Shad tails in Black Back and Gold Rush! The reds are mixed in with the mullet and feed well on the incoming tide! If your kids have been nagging you to get out, now is the time. The… Read More
December 27, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Atty. Cindy Riddell with a huge red grouper caught using a pinfish in about 130 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. The party caught lots more grouper fishing with Capt Larry McGuire; Show Me The Fish Charters. Great Gag Grouper catch Jeff Strickland AND Mike Bloomfield caught their limit of gag grouper using pinfish and sardines in about 60 ft of water, offshore of Anna Maria Island right before gag grouper season ended.… Read More
December 27, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Atty. Cindy Riddell with a huge red grouper caught using a pinfish in about 130 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. The party caught lots more grouper fishing with Capt Larry McGuire; Show Me The Fish Charters. Great Gag Grouper catch Jeff Strickland AND Mike Bloomfield caught their limit of gag grouper using pinfish and sardines in about 60 ft of water, offshore of Anna Maria Island right before gag grouper season ended.… Read More
December 26, 2011
Upper Tampa Bay
by
It’s Always an Adventure! “Follow me,” Capt Jim Lemke said as we waited for our clients at the dock. Jim and I were talking about where to fish, we both had sight casting charters, and we were working together to put our clients onto some fish! “Don’t let off the throttle, DO NOT let up,” Jim said to me. Words of wisdom, maybe I should not have followed so close and allowed more reaction time to get on it, maybe I should… Read More
December 24, 2011
South Pinellas
by
The weather this week has high temps in the upper 70's. This weather pattern will make for good fishing on the flat mid day. The overcast days will be better for big Trout. Try to plan your trips around the moving water this will make for a better Trout bite. The docks will be a source of consistent bites for the next few months. Some days will be better then others but you should be able to find fish either way. The… Read More
December 24, 2011
South Pinellas
by
The weather this week has high temps in the upper 70's. This weather pattern will make for good fishing on the flat mid day. The overcast days will be better for big Trout. Try to plan your trips around the moving water this will make for a better Trout bite. The docks will be a source of consistent bites for the next few months. Some days will be better then others but you should be able to find fish either way. The… Read More
December 20, 2011
Tampa Bay
by
Forget traditional late fall patterns, La Nina has Tampa Bay stuck in a heat wave. Our unseasonably warm weather has provided fishing more akin to springtime, than a few days before Christmas. Typically, scaled sardines become scarce by now and most anglers are forced to use live shrimp or artificial baits. But not this year, the water temperature on the grass flats remain in the 70s and most are still teeming with… Read More
December 19, 2011
South Pasco
by
Fish in my area has been great. I had Captain Shawn Neurath from Mission Fishin Charters out of Spring Hill on the boat with me the other day in Tarpon Springs fishing the Anclote River. Only a few hours on the water produced many redfish, trout sheepshead and a few flounder. Shrimp on a Matzuo sickle jig head is my favorite presentation, but I switched to shrimp on a 1/0 Owner circle hook to target the sheepshead. 25 lb… Read More
December 19, 2011
South Pasco
by
Fish in my area has been great. I had Captain Shawn Neurath from Mission Fishin Charters out of Spring Hill on the boat with me the other day in Tarpon Springs fishing the Anclote River. Only a few hours on the water produced many redfish, trout sheepshead and a few flounder. Shrimp on a Matzuo sickle jig head is my favorite presentation, but I switched to shrimp on a 1/0 Owner circle hook to target the sheepshead. 25 lb… Read More
.jpg&w=150&h=125&zc=1 "Clearwater")
December 17, 2011
Clearwater
by
This starts my favorite time of year and not because of the holidays. I like this time of year because everything gets scarce; like bait and fishermen. Water and air temperatures drop and so does the fishing pressure. I can never understand why fisherman don’t continue to fish the winter. You don’t have to battle the herd of boaters and jet skis at the public boat ramps. You don’t have to net bait all the time because… Read More
December 13, 2011
Upper Tampa Bay
by
Fishing this past week has been like eating at a good Buffet, what ever your pleasure! I fished with clients that wanted meat, silver trout were coming over the gunnels at a very rapid pace, at times I had a hard time keeping up! I also had clients just wanting to bend rods, that was done as well, fishing the creek systems we boated tons of redfish, trout, lady fish and sheepshead! One trip I think we caught over 200… Read More
December 11, 2011
Tarpon Springs
by
Fishing Tarpon Springs this past week has been really good. Pompano and trout have provided steady action around the power plant outflow for both pier anglers and boat fisherman. Goofy jigs with a pink teaser fly or live shrimp have taken the majority of these fish. Fishing the river has been great for sheepshead and redfish. Live shrimp, 1/0 hooks and #3 split shots with a 20# flurocarbon leader fished around docks or… Read More
December 09, 2011
South Pinellas
by
Look for the fishing to get better this week. The sudden drop in water temp will slow the fishing for a few days after the front moves through. Once the water temp begins to climb the fish will move out from the spots were they weather the front and begin to feed on the shallow flats in the warmth of the day. Slow bait presentations will allow the possible sluggish fish the best opportunity to strike. Focus on oyster… Read More
December 09, 2011
South Pinellas
by
Look for the fishing to get better this week. The sudden drop in water temp will slow the fishing for a few days after the front moves through. Once the water temp begins to climb the fish will move out from the spots were they weather the front and begin to feed on the shallow flats in the warmth of the day. Slow bait presentations will allow the possible sluggish fish the best opportunity to strike. Focus on oyster… Read More
December 02, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
On Show Me the Fish Charters fishing out of my custom 31 ft Morgan Sportfisherman operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina we are encountering great action on large red grouper, scamp, Greater amberjack, mangrove, yellowtail and lane snappers, porgy's, banded rudderfish, big barracudas and sharks. Best action on the calmer days is out past 100 ft. On the windy days fish closer in around 40 to 50 ft and there has been… Read More
December 02, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
On Show Me the Fish Charters fishing out of my custom 31 ft Morgan Sportfisherman operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina we are encountering great action on large red grouper, scamp, Greater amberjack, mangrove, yellowtail and lane snappers, porgy's, banded rudderfish, big barracudas and sharks. Best action on the calmer days is out past 100 ft. On the windy days fish closer in around 40 to 50 ft and there has been… Read More
November 28, 2011
North Pinellas
by
This past weekend I gave the Middle Bay a break and decided to fish in Pinellas to see what was bitting around there. Just to keep things simple I decided that we were just going to fish with shrimp and not go after whitebait. Target species of the day was redfish, sheephead, and black drum. I fished various areas ( docks, oyster bars, old boats, and mangrove shorlines ) and found the docks were producing the quality… Read More
November 28, 2011
North Pinellas
by
This past weekend I gave the Middle Bay a break and decided to fish in Pinellas to see what was bitting around there. Just to keep things simple I decided that we were just going to fish with shrimp and not go after whitebait. Target species of the day was redfish, sheephead, and black drum. I fished various areas ( docks, oyster bars, old boats, and mangrove shorlines ) and found the docks were producing the quality… Read More
November 26, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Just before he gag grouper season closed we caught a bunch of nice gag grouper. Red grouper is still open. There are still many other species you can target. Flint Besecker from Buffalo NY. with his limit of gag grouper caught at end of season. We were using live pinfish in about 50 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. Looks like the Besecker family will have grouper on the menu this Thanksgiving. Flint also caught and… Read More
November 26, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Just before he gag grouper season closed we caught a bunch of nice gag grouper. Red grouper is still open. There are still many other species you can target. Flint Besecker from Buffalo NY. with his limit of gag grouper caught at end of season. We were using live pinfish in about 50 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. Looks like the Besecker family will have grouper on the menu this Thanksgiving. Flint also caught and… Read More
November 24, 2011
Middle Tampa Bay
by
I wish everybody a happy and safe holiday this weekend. Fishing has been red hot in and around the flats of the Gandy Area. Redfish, Trout, and Snook can be found in any creek mouth or tidal lagoon. The Redfish and Trout have been the easiest fish to fool and are very opportunistic pouncing on live baits and artifical lures. Snook on the other hand are very keen on the whitebait and need to be chummed up to get them in… Read More
November 24, 2011
Middle Tampa Bay
by
I wish everybody a happy and safe holiday this weekend. Fishing has been red hot in and around the flats of the Gandy Area. Redfish, Trout, and Snook can be found in any creek mouth or tidal lagoon. The Redfish and Trout have been the easiest fish to fool and are very opportunistic pouncing on live baits and artifical lures. Snook on the other hand are very keen on the whitebait and need to be chummed up to get them in… Read More
November 20, 2011
Fort Desoto
by
The weather forecast for this coming weekend and into the week looks pretty good. The high tides will be before noon which will give you falling water at the warmest part of the day. I would start my day working the grass flats close to the mangroves and move with the tide out to the grass flats with sand holes that are several inches deeper then the surrounding grass. Throw 1/4 jig heads with a DOA shad tail and drag it… Read More
November 20, 2011
Fort Desoto
by
The weather forecast for this coming weekend and into the week looks pretty good. The high tides will be before noon which will give you falling water at the warmest part of the day. I would start my day working the grass flats close to the mangroves and move with the tide out to the grass flats with sand holes that are several inches deeper then the surrounding grass. Throw 1/4 jig heads with a DOA shad tail and drag it… Read More
November 19, 2011
South Pasco
by
Inshore species are still biting good and should continue to get better as the water cools, unless we get a cold snap. Bait for these are Pinfish and shrimp. Whitebait is still around, and I never like to pass up bait if I come across them. If the fish are biting on them, you can use them to chum with. Weather will be good for the next week. Winds are not blowing like they have been for the last few weeks. This will… Read More
November 19, 2011
South Pasco
by
Inshore species are still biting good and should continue to get better as the water cools, unless we get a cold snap. Bait for these are Pinfish and shrimp. Whitebait is still around, and I never like to pass up bait if I come across them. If the fish are biting on them, you can use them to chum with. Weather will be good for the next week. Winds are not blowing like they have been for the last few weeks. This will… Read More
November 18, 2011
North Pinellas
by
Fishing around Tarpon Springs has been good the past two weeks. Before the last major cold front the redfish were schooled up with the mullet and feeding heavily. I was on the water yesterday and unfortunatley was unable to locate the school of fish I had been so I went with plan B and went up the anclote river. Sheepshead and mangrove snapper have been biting good around almost any structure with good tidal flow.… Read More
November 14, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Offshore fishing has been very good on Show Me The Fish Charters, grouper, amberjack and goliath grouper all being caught in around 100 feet of water. Live Pinfish has been the bait has been the bait of choice. 11 yr old Matew Cemer from Bradenton FL with his first Greater Amberjack he caught using a live pinfish in about 130 ft offshore on his first offshore trip. Matew also caught grouper and snapper on a charter with… Read More
November 14, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Offshore fishing has been very good on Show Me The Fish Charters, grouper, amberjack and goliath grouper all being caught in around 100 feet of water. Live Pinfish has been the bait has been the bait of choice. 11 yr old Matew Cemer from Bradenton FL with his first Greater Amberjack he caught using a live pinfish in about 130 ft offshore on his first offshore trip. Matew also caught grouper and snapper on a charter with… Read More
November 12, 2011
Clearwater
by
Another week of hit and miss windy conditions has limited going offshore for kings macks and grouper. The good side of weather is that the cooler conditions have brought grouper in as far as in in Anclote River. Reports of limiting out in a few hours, and not having to face the small craft advisory winds are always good to hear. Finding rock piles is usually key, but I did hear a report out of Clearwater that they were… Read More
November 12, 2011
Clearwater
by
Another week of hit and miss windy conditions has limited going for kings macks and grouper. The good side of weather is that the cooler conditions have brought grouper in as far as in in Anclote River. Reports of limiting out in a few hours, and not having to face the small craft advisory winds are always good to hear. Finding rock piles is usually key, but I did hear a report out of Clearwater that they were being… Read More
November 09, 2011
Clearwater
by
This time of year again water temperature dropping will bring the gag grouper and the mangrove snapper concentrations closer to shore, making them more accessible to all boaters. But even more abundant will be the Kingfish and Spanish mackerel migration to the suncoast. Spanish Mackerel will be at the nearshore wrecks and reefs to the beaches and passes and up onto the grass flats. You can start by looking for bait pods… Read More
November 09, 2011
Clearwater
by
This time of year again water temperature dropping will bring the gag grouper and the mangrove snapper concentrations closer to shore, making them more accessible to all boaters. But even more abundant will be the Kingfish and Spanish mackerel migration to the suncoast. Spanish Mackerel will be at the nearshore wrecks and reefs to the beaches and passes and up onto the grass flats. You can start by looking for bait pods… Read More
November 06, 2011
South Pasco
by
Fish the past week has been limited it backwater due to high winds. Fishing around docks and structure in the anclote river has been productive. Shrimp and artificial bait has been my go to bait, due to the fact of not wanting to face the 15-30 mph winds to get white bait. Redfish, trout, sheepshead, and mangrove snapper have been getting most bites, with the occasional flounder in the mix(Let's not forget the ladyfish,… Read More
November 06, 2011
South Pasco
by
Fish the past week has been limited it backwater due to high winds. Fishing around docks and structure in the Anclote river has been productive. Shrimp and artificial bait has been my go to bait, due to the fact of not wanting to face the 15-30 mph winds to get white bait. Redfish, trout, sheepshead, and mangrove snapper have been getting most bites, with the occasional flounder in the mix (Let's not forget the ladyfish,… Read More
November 03, 2011
Fort Desoto
by
Trout and Flounder fishing has been good in the Fort De Soto area. The Flounder are eating shrimp imitations and DOA CAL Shad drug across the bottom. The Trout are eating the same baits but jigged just off the bottom. Trolling for Mackerel and Kingfish along the beach has proven very productive. Simply trolling parallel to the beach or targeting the bait pods with a silver spoon and a 2oz trolling lead is all it takes.… Read More
November 03, 2011
Fort Desoto
by
Trout and Flounder fishing has been good in the Fort De Soto area. The Flounder are eating shrimp imitations and DOA CAL Shad drug across the bottom. The Trout are eating the same baits but jigged just off the bottom. Trolling for Mackerel and Kingfish along the beach has proven very productive. Simply trolling parallel to the beach or targeting the bait pods with a silver spoon and a 2oz trolling lead is all it takes.… Read More
November 02, 2011
Sarasota Bay
by
This is one of my favorite months for fishing both inshore and the coastal gulf waters. Seasonal species like cobia, spanish and king mackerel will pass through our area as they follow warmer water and baitfish south. Albies (little tunny) will thrill fly anglers and tripletail will also provide sight casting opportunities. Reds and trout will feed aggressively in shallow water and snook will stage around bars and docks… Read More
November 01, 2011
North Pinellas
by
Fishing Tarpon Springs this past few weeks has really improved. This past week I concentrated on fishing the spoil islands around the mouth of the anclote river. I took advantage of the new moon high tides and slowly motored my boat until I was able to locate the big schools of mullet. Using cut pinfish and a #4 splitshot I was able to hook multiple slot redfish up to seven pounds. Fishing the same areas I also caught… Read More
October 31, 2011
Sunshine Skyway Bridge
by
With cooler weather offshore, fishing becomes more of an option for anglers that have bay boats. Deep-water fish start to show up closer to shore, in search of warmer temperatures. It’s not uncommon to find large Grouper and Snapper just a few miles offshore in the fall months. Any of the local wrecks and reefs are good starting points to find these fish. Bait I like to use, when bottom fishing, consist of almost… Read More
October 31, 2011
Sunshine Skyway Bridge
by
With cooler weather offshore, fishing becomes more of an option for anglers that have bay boats. Deep-water fish start to show up closer to shore, in search of warmer temperatures. It’s not uncommon to find large Grouper and Snapper just a few miles offshore in the fall months. Any of the local wrecks and reefs are good starting points to find these fish. Bait I like to use, when bottom fishing, consist of almost… Read More
October 29, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Fall fishing frenzy! Going on offshore of Anna Maria Island. On Show Me The Fish Charters running out in my 31 ft custom Morgan sportfish from the Bradenton beach marina. Our partys are having a fall fishing frenzy catching limit catches of gag grouper plus red grouper,mangrove snapper,amberjack,hogfish,lots of big spanish mackeral and some kingfish. From the Tampa Bay channel to close in reefs and most any good rock… Read More
October 29, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Fall fishing frenzy! Going on offshore of Anna Maria Island. On Show Me The Fish Charters running out in my 31 ft custom Morgan sportfish from the Bradenton beach marina. Our partys are having a fall fishing frenzy catching limit catches of gag grouper plus red grouper,mangrove snapper,amberjack,hogfish,lots of big spanish mackeral and some kingfish. From the Tampa Bay channel to close in reefs and most any good rock… Read More
October 27, 2011
South Pasco
by
The cold weather snaps have moved fish around. One of the good things about this is that there have been reports of Grouper in about 25 feet of water. Live pinfish on a knocker rig are rarely passed up. I took a trip recently with Capt. Shawn Neurath of Mission Fishin Charters out of Hernando County. We were catching keeper gag grouper in about 5-8 feet of water!! Kingfish have been caught on the beaches and on hard… Read More
October 27, 2011
South Pasco
by
The cold weather snaps have moved fish around. One of the good things about this is that there have been reports of Grouper in about 25 feet of water. Live pinfish on a knocker rig are rarely passed up. I took a trip recently with Capt. Shawn Neurath of Mission Fishin Charters out of Hernando County. We were catching keeper gag grouper in about 5-8 feet of water!! Kingfish have been caught on the beaches and on hard… Read More
October 22, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Gags and kings are here! Fishing offshore is hot and heavy this time of year but you may only have one or two nice days in between the cold fronts.On Show Me The Fish Charters running my custom 31 ft Morgan Sportfish operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina we are catching limits of gag grouper plus snapper,kingfish,spannish mackerel using live and dead baits inside of 60 ft. On some days that's as far normal folks… Read More
October 22, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Gags and kings are here! Fishing offshore is hot and heavy this time of year but you may only have one or two nice days in between the cold fronts.On Show Me The Fish Charters running my custom 31 ft Morgan Sportfish operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina we are catching limits of gag grouper plus snapper,kingfish,spannish mackerel using live and dead baits inside of 60 ft. On some days that's as far normal folks… Read More
October 20, 2011
Middle Tampa Bay
by
With the cooler water temperatures, the inshore fishing is starting to heat up. Water temperatures in the bay are now dropping into the 70’s, and the fish are on the move looking for food. This food comes in a wide variety, from shrimp and crab to pinfish, mullet and whitebait. I believe the fish feel the change as the days get shorter and begin to feed heavily before they become lethargic in the winter months. The… Read More
October 20, 2011
Middle Tampa Bay
by
With the cooler water temperatures, the inshore fishing is starting to heat up. Water temperatures in the bay are now dropping into the 70’s, and the fish are on the move looking for food. This food comes in a wide variety, from shrimp and crab to pinfish, mullet and whitebait. I believe the fish feel the change as the days get shorter and begin to feed heavily before they become lethargic in the winter months. The… Read More
October 17, 2011
Upper Tampa Bay
by
Bait........is everywhere! Trout are moving around day to day so you gotta move around to locate them! The best live baits have been sardines fished under a popping cork, or under a DOA clacking cork! I do for see shrimp becoming the top producing bait with in the next few weeks. The preferred depth has ranged from 1.5 feet to 5 feet. Capt Steve Betz and I were working a flat in Tampa together Steve located the fish, I… Read More
October 09, 2011
Tarpon Springs
by
Fishing Tarpon Springs this past week has been great! With the recent cold front and windy weather we have had I've had to move around a little bit to find the fish. High tides have continued to produce great redfish catches and it seems that the prefered bait is still either cut pinfish or ladyfish pitched as close to the mangrove shoreline as possible. Alot of bonnethead sharks have found their way to my cut bait this… Read More
October 07, 2011
South Pasco
by
Fishing in our area has been great. The cooler weather has turned up the appetite on the fish, but moved some fish to different areas. The cooler water has started to push fish into the outflow canal at the Anclote power plant. With cooler weather to come, this will increase in its productivity. This site can be reached by boat and foot, but get there early, it’s very popular. A weighted line will be needed to combat the… Read More
October 07, 2011
South Pasco
by
Fishing in our area has been great. The cooler weather has turned up the appetite on the fish, but moved some fish to different areas. The cooler water has started to push fish into the outflow canal at the Anclote power plant. With cooler weather to come, this will increase in its productivity. This site can be reached by boat and foot, but get there early, it’s very popular. A weighted line will be needed to combat the… Read More
October 05, 2011
Tampa Bay
by
I have cashed in my share of fun tickets the past few weeks! The charter business has been slow and it has allowed me time to fish with my son, brother in law, daughter ,wife and Dad. Fishing for hire has it's perks and is very rewarding, but when I fun fish I sometimes forget I am out there to have fun! I love to stalk redfish, they are my target of choice. In my last few fun trips I have focused on fooling these fish… Read More
September 26, 2011
Tarpon Springs
by
Fishing out of Tarpon Springs this past week has produced a variety of species. Wednesday I had a client fishing for spanish mackerel when an estimated 30 pound kingfish skyrocketed on his jig. Unfortunatley, after a 10 minute battle the fish wore through the leader. I found good numbers of bait around 7x and behind three rooker bar. Chumming with a mixture of purina tropical fish food, jack mackerel and menhaden oil had… Read More
September 24, 2011
North Pinellas
by
Fall is here and very welcomed as our weather will start to cool and the water temperatures come down a few degrees. The inshore slam of snook, redfish and trout will become more common on your fishing adventures. These three fish will be in common areas together more often then not. Whitebait will still be abundant on the flats and all three species will feed heavily on them as winter approaches. A medium… Read More
September 24, 2011
North Pinellas
by
Fall is here and very welcomed as our weather will start to cool and the water temperatures come down a few degrees. The inshore slam of snook, redfish and trout will become more common on your fishing adventures. These three fish will be in common areas together more often then not. Whitebait will still be abundant on the flats and all three species will feed heavily on them as winter approaches. A medium… Read More
September 22, 2011
South Pasco
by
Nature has ways of telling us things about fishing. One of these in the arrival of love bugs. When the love bugs are here, the mackerel are here. I had about a million on the boat the other day, and while I wasn't targeting mackerel, there was a lot of surface and bird activity, showing that the macks are surely feeding. Inshore they have been in the passes between Anclote Key and Three Rooker bar, and on the North… Read More
September 19, 2011
Tarpon Springs
by
Fishing out of Tarpon Springs has been on fire!! Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, bluefish and jacks are all over the flats and it seems like they are eating everything and anything you throw at them. My favorite method to fish the above mentioned species is to bring a chum block and anchor in 7+ feet of water. Once the fish are behind the boat I break out the fly rod and throw white clouser flies with 5" of number 1 wire to… Read More
September 17, 2011
North Pinellas
by
The weather has been great the last week. Hopefully it will stay here for the opening days of grouper season. Were going out on opening day and see how we do, pictures will be posted next week or on the fishing forum. Last week we were on the Spanish mackerel. We fish a school for about an 6 hours in the ICW on the south end of Anclote Key. We kept 19 all between 15 and 20 inches. Also in the school were huge lady fish… Read More
September 17, 2011
North Pinellas
by
The weather has been great the last week. Hopefully it will stay here for the opening days of grouper season. Were going out on opening day and see how we do, pictures will be posted next week or on the fishing forum. Last week we were on the Spanish mackerel. We fish a school for about an 6 hours in the ICW on the south end of Anclote Key. We kept 19 all between 15 and 20 inches. Also in the school were huge lady fish… Read More
September 15, 2011
Upper Tampa Bay
by
This is a great month to try and capitalize on the redfish that will come into our area. This fall you can find some of these big redfish prowling the beaches or moving to the inside up into the grass flats, oyster bars or mangrove shorelines. Stealth is important when getting on a school of these big redfish. Pole or troll, but no combustion engines anywhere near these fish. It will only shut them down. What is nice… Read More
September 15, 2011
Upper Tampa Bay
by
This is a great month to try and capitalize on the redfish that will come into our area. This fall you can find some of these big redfish prowling the beaches or moving to the inside up into the grass flats, oyster bars or mangrove shorelines. Stealth is important when getting on a school of these big redfish. Pole or troll, but no combustion engines anywhere near these fish. It will only shut them down. What is nice… Read More
September 10, 2011
North Pinellas
by
The past weeks weather has kept me off the water but not off my boat or away from fishing. Non fishing weather is a great time go over your fishing gear to have it ready for when it is good weather. Inspect your pole eyes for any cracks in them or to see if they are bent. Check your reels. Take off the spool on spinning gear and clean any debris and lube to keep them running good. Check your lines and leader, retie any… Read More
September 10, 2011
North Pinellas
by
The past weeks weather has kept me off the water but not off my boat or away from fishing. Non fishing weather is a great time go over your fishing gear to have it ready for when it is good weather. Inspect your pole eyes for any cracks in them or to see if they are bent. Check your reels. Take off the spool on spinning gear and clean any debris and lube to keep them running good. Check your lines and leader, retie any… Read More
September 09, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Charles Constantino with his largest red grouper on his first offshore trip using a live pinfish in 135 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. Charles was on a break from the Norwich Military Academy and is back in school and on his way to become another one of Americas great hero's. The big grouper was caught fishing with Capt Larry McGuire Show Me The Fish Charters operating out of the Bradenton beach Marina. Capt Larry… Read More
September 09, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Charles Constantino with his largest red grouper on his first offshore trip using a live pinfish in 135 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. Charles was on a break from the Norwich Military Academy and is back in school and on his way to become another one of Americas great hero's. The big grouper was caught fishing with Capt Larry McGuire Show Me The Fish Charters operating out of the Bradenton beach Marina. Capt Larry… Read More
September 08, 2011
Upper Tampa Bay
by
The Gandy area has treated me well the past few trips,something about the weight of the air in the predawn hours this time of year, inspires me! I began my last trip before the sun began to peek over the horizon, the terminal end had a chug bug tied on! This is a great bait for beginners and to fish in the dark, the gurgling of the plastic imitation makes the fish feed, although, I do not recall a bait fish ever making a… Read More
September 07, 2011
Tampa Bay
by
Right now we have a lot of redfish in Tampa Bay, the only problem is that they are still in a transition moving into their fall / pre-winter time homes. For the most part lately i am focusing on areas with oyster beds and/or mullet activity on the higher tides, and looking for tailing fish on the open flats on the lower tides. It is important for me to stay fishing even on my days off, to ensure i stay onto the redfish… Read More
September 04, 2011
Middle Tampa Bay
by
In between dodging Hurricanes and Tropical Depressions the fishing has been hot! Middle Bay has been very productive over the past couple of weeks and its only getting better. Redfish, Snook, and Trout have been a consistent catch for most anglers and the occasional Tarpon can show up for a nice surprise . If your an Avid live bait enthusiast like myself you can find scaled sardines on either the Hula Bay Flat or… Read More
September 04, 2011
Middle Tampa Bay
by
In between dodging Hurricanes and Tropical Depressions the fishing has been hot! Middle Bay has been very productive over the past couple of weeks and its only getting better. Redfish, Snook, and Trout have been a consistent catch for most anglers and the occasional Tarpon can show up for a nice surprise . If your an Avid live bait enthusiast like myself you can find scaled sardines on either the Hula Bay Flat or… Read More
September 03, 2011
South Pinellas
by
The fishing in south Pinellas is picking up. The bait is getting bigger and with some chumming, palm sized white bait along with several small pieces can be caught. I would recommend still using your smaller mesh net. Over the next week keep an eye out for Mackerel. Look for bait on the surface and work your baits around the outside of the bait pods. There are plenty of Redfish around mostly singles scattered around the… Read More
September 03, 2011
South Pinellas
by
The fishing in south Pinellas is picking up. The bait is getting bigger and with some chumming, palm sized white bait along with several small pieces can be caught. I would recommend still using your smaller mesh net. Over the next week keep an eye out for Mackerel. Look for bait on the surface and work your baits around the outside of the bait pods. There are plenty of Redfish around mostly singles scattered around the… Read More
September 02, 2011
South Pasco
by
The weather has started to change. I spent about 5 hours on the water Wednesday, and started to feel the cooler, comfortable temperatures, hopefully it will continue until the fall cold snaps. Take advantage of this comfortable weather, many offshore species will start to move in and onto the flats. September is usually when we see Cobia on the flats, and I personally am counting the days until Gag grouper season opens… Read More
September 02, 2011
South Pasco
by
The weather has started to change. I spent about 5 hours on the water Wednesday, and started to feel the cooler, comfortable temperatures, hopefully it will continue until the fall cold snaps. Take advantage of this comfortable weather, many offshore species will start to move in and onto the flats. September is usually when we see Cobia on the flats, and I personally am counting the days until Gag grouper season opens… Read More
August 28, 2011
North Pinellas
by
Fishing in the north pinellas area this past week has been fair. While I only got the chance to fish for a few hours last Thursday (with minimal results!) the guides I have spoken with have had some success catching lower slot redfish and some snook. The whitebait has still been on the small side so the bait of choice this week was live shrimp. Another report I am getting is excellent catches of blacktip and bonnethead… Read More
August 26, 2011
South Pasco
by
South Pasco With the tempature being up, I'm on and off the water early or night fishing around local dock lights. Thank you home owners who are putting these in. Be careful of your casts and try to retrieve any missed casts that end up on dock lines or boats. I have been using MirOlure Mirodines and Berkley Gulp on Matzuo 1/8 jig heads on 15-25lb Ohero leader around the docks. The lighter leader works great when the… Read More
August 26, 2011
South Pasco
by
With the tempature being up, I'm on and off the water early or night fishing around local dock lights. Thank you home owners who are putting these in. Be careful of your casts and try to retrieve any missed casts that end up on dock lines or boats. I have been using MirOlure Mirodines and Berkley Gulp on Matzuo 1/8 jig heads on 15-25lb Ohero leader around the docks. The lighter leader works great when the water is really… Read More
August 25, 2011
Ft Desoto
by
This time of year I spend a lot of time paddling in beautiful Ft. Desoto. Set just inside the mouth of Tampa Bay, Ft. Desoto is known for producing every species the bay has to offer. August/September are excellent months to target big bruiser Redfish in the Ft. On the new and full moon phases these fish will school up and feed aggressively. When approaching a school use caution not to spook them by staking-out up tide… Read More
August 25, 2011
Ft Desoto
by
August Kayak Report: Ft. Desoto This time of year I spend a lot of time paddling in beautiful Ft. Desoto. Set just inside the mouth of Tampa Bay, Ft. Desoto is known for producing every species the bay has to offer. August/September are excellent months to target big bruiser Redfish in the Ft. On the new and full moon phases these fish will school up and feed aggressively. When approaching a school use caution not to… Read More
August 23, 2011
Bradenton
by
My recent charters have been sprinkled all over Tampa Bay, from north of Gandy to south of the skyway. I have used some of my free time to do a little research and development with my son Jake! (That's what we call it so we can go fun fish). Of course the fun fishing co insides with where my trips are going to be!We began one trip in the bay, now when we do the R&D trips, it is all artificial,our first stop was an area a… Read More
August 23, 2011
Bradenton
by
My recent charters have been sprinkled all over Tampa Bay, from north of Gandy to south of the skyway. I have used some of my free time to do a little research and development with my son Jake! (That's what we call it so we can go fun fish). Of course the fun fishing co insides with where my trips are going to be!We began one trip in the bay, now when we do the R&D trips, it is all artificial,our first stop was an area a… Read More
August 21, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Taryn Cooper with a large red grouper she caught using a pinfish in 130 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. This was Taryn's first grouper trip and was on a family vacation Christine Buffington with her first amberjack she caught and many more using pinfish in 150 ft, offshore of Anna Maria Island. 350 lb Goliath Grouper caught by C.L. Fisher and sons Breccan,Keenan,Bradey offshore of Anna Maria Island in about 130 ft. The… Read More
August 20, 2011
North Pinellas
by
Fishing in the Tarpon Springs/North Pinellas area has been very productive. Its hot so getting out during the early morning or late afternoon is key. This time of year I like to steer away from the shallow water and find structure with shade and good tidal movement. Redfish have started to feed fairly well and I have been targeting these fish during high tide. Deadsticking a cut pinfish as close to a deep mangrove… Read More
August 19, 2011
Fort Desoto
by
Do to hot weather and storm systems getting out early is the way to go. Fort Desoto and the Tierra Verde flats have been doing fairly well with the inshore bite. Trout, redfish and snook can all be found around the islands in the area. Bait is still small so dont forget to bring a 1/4inch mesh net to prevent gilling your bait. I have been finding good numbers of trout around the south eastside of tarpon key in 4-6 feet… Read More
August 19, 2011
Fort Desoto
by
Do to hot weather and storm systems getting out early is the way to go. Fort Desoto and the Tierra Verde flats have been doing fairly well with the inshore bite. Trout, redfish and snook can all be found around the islands in the area. Bait is still small so dont forget to bring a 1/4inch mesh net to prevent gilling your bait. I have been finding good numbers of trout around the south eastside of tarpon key in 4-6 feet… Read More
August 12, 2011
South Pinellas
by
Im sure you have all heard if you want to catch fish you have to go early in the morning or evening time and this is true. But there are still fish to be caught in the middle of the day. Under cut Mangroves on high water are one of my go-to's for midday summer Redfishing. Using cut bait of your choice, cast as far back into the Mangroves as you can get it and that will do the trick. This can be a bit of a waiting game… Read More
August 12, 2011
South Pinellas
by
Im sure you have all heard if you want to catch fish you have to go early in the morning or evening time and this is true. But there are still fish to be caught in the middle of the day. Under cut Mangroves on high water are one of my go-to's for midday summer Redfishing. Using cut bait of your choice, cast as far back into the Mangroves as you can get it and that will do the trick. This can be a bit of a waiting game… Read More
August 05, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Hot summer days. Offshore fishing that is! Hot like the temperature. On show Me The Fish Charters running a custom 31 ft sportfisherman out of the Bradenton Beach Marina. My party's are catching lots of enormous firetruck red grouper, limit plus catches of amberjack,mangrove and yellowtail snappers,porgys,big sharks,and even a kingfish this week. We are even catching and carefully releasing lots of gag grouper and red… Read More
August 05, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Hot summer days. Offshore fishing that is! Hot like the temperature. On show Me The Fish Charters running a custom 31 ft sportfisherman out of the Bradenton Beach Marina. My party's are catching lots of enormous firetruck red grouper, limit plus catches of amberjack,mangrove and yellowtail snappers,porgys,big sharks,and even a kingfish this week. We are even catching and carefully releasing lots of gag grouper and red… Read More
August 01, 2011
North Pinellas
by
This is still a good month to try and hook up with a big snook. The big snook will still be in the spawning mode around the new and full moons. Big baits mean big fish. A large pigfish would be my first choice. A large pinfish is a good second choice. The outfit of choice would be a medium-to-medium heavy baitcaster. Baitcasting reels can hold a lot more line with a thicker diameter. The baitcasting rods have much more… Read More
August 01, 2011
North Pinellas
by
This is still a good month to try and hook up with a big snook. The big snook will still be in the spawning mode around the new and full moons. Big baits mean big fish. A large pigfish would be my first choice. A large pinfish is a good second choice. The outfit of choice would be a medium-to-medium heavy baitcaster. Baitcasting reels can hold a lot more line with a thicker diameter. The baitcasting rods have much more… Read More
July 26, 2011
Tampa Bay
by
We had a good tarpon season this year. Large numbers of tarpon were caught, however; not as many bigger fish, but a whole lot of fun either way. be ready to see them "rolling" past your favorite summertime redfish holes on their migration to their home for the remainder of the year. It's a good idea to stay prepared with a heavier rod just in case.Been running everything exclusively in upper tampa bay lately. The redfish… Read More
July 18, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Wahoo!!! A great week in paradise. Offshore action has been absolutely awesome this week actually the last six weeks have been phenomenal with American red snapper season open. On Show Me The Fish Charters running out in my custom 31 ft Morgan Sportfish my anglers are catching lots of red,mangrove,and yellowtail snappers along with firetruck red grouper up to 25 lbs, mahi mahi,porgys,big sharks,barracudas,catch and… Read More
July 08, 2011
North Pinellas
by
Snook fishing is still going strong around the Pinellas beaches (Clearwater-Anclote). Sight casting Snook on the beach has been pretty difficult with all the storms we've had lately. Rest assured, even if you don't see the fish it doesn't mean they are not there! Take your time and slowly work the area. Try to cover as much water as possible. With this approach you're bound to land a big Snook. The bait situation is… Read More
July 08, 2011
North Pinellas
by
Snook fishing is still going strong around the Pinellas beaches (Clearwater-Anclote). Sight casting Snook on the beach has been pretty difficult with all the storms we've had lately. Rest assured, even if you don't see the fish it doesn't mean they are not there! Take your time and slowly work the area. Try to cover as much water as possible. With this approach you're bound to land a big Snook. The bait situation is… Read More
July 07, 2011
South Pinellas
by
Summer is in full swing and you don't need me to tell you its hot! On a trip last week I had water temps in the mid 90's. Keep this in mind as you plan your fishing trips you don't want to run around outside and chase down your dinner in the middle of the day and neither do the fish. So, think coolest spot you can find. Deep water and shaded water are the two places I would start my search for fish. Look for high tides… Read More
July 07, 2011
South Pinellas
by
Summer is in full swing and you don't need me to tell you its hot! On a trip last week I had water temps in the mid 90's. Keep this in mind as you plan your fishing trips you don't want to run around outside and chase down your dinner in the middle of the day and neither do the fish. So, think coolest spot you can find. Deep water and shaded water are the two places I would start my search for fish. Look for high tides… Read More
July 04, 2011
Manatee County
by
As is usually the case, the full moon in June is a transitional period and often a very tough fish. That was evident last week when the bloom was off the bite for a few days. The Gulf roughed up when we were caught between Alex to the Southwest and a high pressure off the east coast. Most anglers will find the availability of white bait to be on the wane as well. Plentiful small pinfish are filling the bait void and work… Read More
July 01, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Fireworks going off on offshore action! On Show Me The Fish Charters our parties are watching fireworks with great catches of American red snapper and red grouper along with mangrove and yellowtail vermillion snappers,amberjack,huge porgy's,kingfish,barracudas and big sharks. Best action is offshore of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key in about 150 ft. Live and cut bait both working great with smaller pinfish and… Read More
July 01, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Fireworks going off on offshore action! On Show Me The Fish Charters our parties are watching fireworks with great catches of American red snapper and red grouper along with mangrove and yellowtail vermillion snappers,amberjack,huge porgy's,kingfish,barracudas and big sharks. Best action is offshore of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key in about 150 ft. Live and cut bait both working great with smaller pinfish and… Read More
June 29, 2011
Clearwater Pass
by
This is a really good time of year to fish inside and outside of Clearwater Pass. Snook and Tarpon heavily feed in and around the pass during the spring tides of summer. Don't get confused with the words "spring tides of summer". It sounds like a contradictory statement, but it is quite the opposite. Spring tides are the strong tides around the new- and full-moon phases. Two-three days before and after the new moon and… Read More
June 29, 2011
Clearwater Pass
by
This is a really good time of year to fish inside and outside of Clearwater Pass. Snook and Tarpon heavily feed in and around the pass during the spring tides of summer. Don't get confused with the words "spring tides of summer". It sounds like a contradictory statement, but it is quite the opposite. Spring tides are the strong tides around the new- and full-moon phases. Two-three days before and after the new moon and… Read More
June 27, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
On Show Me The Fish Charters our parties are getting red with great catches of American red snapper and red grouper along with mangrove and yellowtail snappers,amberjack,huge porgy's,kingfish,barracudas and big sharks. Best action is offshore of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key in about 140 ft. Live and cut bait both working great with smaller pinfish the best,that's like feeding candy to a baby.We have had a fantastic… Read More
June 27, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
On Show Me The Fish Charters our parties are getting red with great catches of American red snapper and red grouper along with mangrove and yellowtail snappers,amberjack,huge porgy's,kingfish,barracudas and big sharks. Best action is offshore of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key in about 140 ft. Live and cut bait both working great with smaller pinfish the best,that's like feeding candy to a baby.We have had a fantastic… Read More
June 26, 2011
South Pinellas
by
The Tarpon bite is still red hot along the beaches of Pinellas and Anna Marie, but the early bird gets the Poon! I have been on the beach with bait at sun-up. The best bite is first thing in the morning, before the wind kicks up. Look for rolling fish, just off the swim buoys, and out to around 14 feet of water. Use your trolling motor to get ahead of the pods and make a long cast, well in front of the school. Let them… Read More
June 26, 2011
South Pinellas
by
The Tarpon bite is still red hot along the beaches of Pinellas and Anna Marie, but the early bird gets the Poon! I have been on the beach with bait at sun-up. The best bite is first thing in the morning, before the wind kicks up. Look for rolling fish, just off the swim buoys, and out to around 14 feet of water. Use your trolling motor to get ahead of the pods and make a long cast, well in front of the school. Let them… Read More
June 23, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Fishing red hot, with American Red Snapper and Red Grouper.On Show Me The Fish Charters, operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina, my parties are seeing lots of red, with limit-catches of beautiful red snapper and firetruck red grouper. We have been going deep, running my custom 31 ft. Morgan Sportfish, starting out in about 120 ft., and ending up in 150 ft. for the best bite. Our guests are also catching… Read More
June 23, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Fishing red hot, with American Red Snapper and Red Grouper.On Show Me The Fish Charters, operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina, my parties are seeing lots of red, with limit-catches of beautiful red snapper and firetruck red grouper. We have been going deep, running my custom 31 ft. Morgan Sportfish, starting out in about 120 ft., and ending up in 150 ft. for the best bite. Our guests are also catching… Read More
June 16, 2011
Pasco County
by
Did a special trip with friend, Capt. Pat Horrigan of the Kayak Fishing Kayak series over the weekend. It started as a photo shoot for some sponsors but the sight of Reds all over quickly changed our plans a bit. Green Key is a beautiful area located in Port Richey, Fl. The water there is very clear and very shallow with endless opportunities at sight casting fish. the estuaries are mostly spring fed with a mixture of… Read More
June 15, 2011
South Pinellas
by
With the full moon this week look for the Tarpon bite to be good on the outgoing tide around the Skyway and Egmont pass. Dip pass crabs for bait and drift them with the tide. A large spinning reel with 50 pound test braided line on a heavy action rod will help you land these fish. The set ups I use are the Daiwa Saltist 4500 reels on a 7'6'' or 8' rod lined with FINS shock absorbing or PRT. Another fun fish to look for… Read More
June 15, 2011
South Pinellas
by
With the full moon this week look for the Tarpon bite to be good on the outgoing tide around the Skyway and Egmont pass. Dip pass crabs for bait and drift them with the tide. A large spinning reel with 50 pound test braided line on a heavy action rod will help you land these fish. The set ups I use are the Daiwa Saltist 4500 reels on a 7'6'' or 8' rod lined with FINS shock absorbing or PRT. Another fun fish to look for… Read More
June 13, 2011
North Pinellas
by
Fishing has been phenomenal for my clients and I these past couple of weeks in the North Pinellas area. Our main target has been the large snook that roam the beaches this time of year. Snook spawning occurs between the months of May through September around the new and full moons. Usually you can find larger schools of fish around the major passes (Caladesi, Honey Moon) and roaming the swash channel along these beaches.… Read More
June 13, 2011
North Pinellas
by
Fishing has been phenomenal for my clients and I these past couple of weeks in the North Pinellas area. Our main target has been the large snook that roam the beaches this time of year. Snook spawning occurs between the months of May through September around the new and full moons. Usually you can find larger schools of fish around the major passes (Caladesi, Honey Moon) and roaming the swash channel along these beaches.… Read More
June 09, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Pastor Greg Dumis of the Crossings church in Brandon FL with his beautiful catch of nice American Red Snappers. The party was fishing in about 125 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island on 6-2-11 with Capt.Larry McGuire Show Me The Fish Charters. Operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina. Cell 941-720-6475. Read More
June 09, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Pastor Greg Dumis of the Crossings church in Brandon FL with his beautiful catch of nice American Red Snappers. The party was fishing in about 125 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island on 6-2-11 with Capt.Larry McGuire Show Me The Fish Charters. Operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina. Cell 941-720-6475. Read More
June 05, 2011
Clearwater Pass
by
Fishing is excellent all around in the Clearwater area. Snook, redfish and trout have been feeding heavily on whitebait. Along the beaches there are plenty of snook with big trout mixed in. The more water movement you have the better your snook fishing should be. If you want to catch a trophy snook use a large pigfish or grunt. Make sure you use a hook relevant to the size of your bait. If you use a hook that is too big… Read More
June 05, 2011
Clearwater Pass
by
Fishing is excellent all around in the Clearwater area. Snook, redfish and trout have been feeding heavily on whitebait. Along the beaches there are plenty of snook with big trout mixed in. The more water movement you have the better your snook fishing should be. If you want to catch a trophy snook use a large pigfish or grunt. Make sure you use a hook relevant to the size of your bait. If you use a hook that is too big… Read More
June 03, 2011
South Shore Tampa Bay
by
Angler’s Almanac for June 08 Southshore Tampa Bay fishermen can look forward to mid summer fishing conditions for the next few months. As the air temperature heats up, the bite usually slows down. This is particularly true of mid day fishing. Some species thrive in the heat – Spanish mackerel, bluefish, mangrove snapper, and cobia all seem to bite better when the weather is hot, whereas redfish, snook and trout tend to… Read More
May 31, 2011
North Pinellas
by
It’s Tarpon time! Tarpon will show in St. Joseph sound grass flats in the early morning from now until August. The usual concentration of tarpon would be from the mouth of the Anclote River all the way south to seaside point which is in Ozona. You have to be on the water before first light. Any kind of top water or shallow diving hard bait will work. The D.O.A. baitbuster works well mainly because it has a single hook… Read More
May 31, 2011
North Pinellas
by
It’s Tarpon time! Tarpon will show in St. Joseph sound grass flats in the early morning from now until August. The usual concentration of tarpon would be from the mouth of the Anclote River all the way south to seaside point which is in Ozona. You have to be on the water before first light. Any kind of top water or shallow diving hard bait will work. The D.O.A. baitbuster works well mainly because it has a single hook… Read More
May 29, 2011
Howard Franklin Bridge
by
The big Black Drum bit has turned on under many of Tampa Bay’s bridges. Targeting these behemoths on light tackle has proved to be a rod and back breaking experience. Anglers aboard the Ms. Guided were treated to double and triple header action all week. Unfortunately Captain Jay only has one set of legs and was forced to make some rough decisions and usually stuck with the biggest fish first. Doc’s Goofy Jigs and a… Read More
May 28, 2011
Little Cockroach Bay
by
Local anglers reported slow fishing around the full moon last month. I spoke with Zeke Akroyd, and he told me he fished a fast falling tide at sunset expecting a hot bite. Instead he caught two flounder and two small trout. He also said he was catching some redfish in Little Cockroach Bay on the high tides, but many of the fish were close to the bottom of the 18 to 27 inch slot. Capt. Larry Malinoski had good luck this… Read More
May 27, 2011
Sunshine Skyway Bridge
by
Skyway Fishing Report This past Wednesday I decided to make the drive south from Tarpon Springs to the Skyway bridge in search of Tarpon. Putting the boat in the water at first light my party and I motored up to the bridge and had no problem locating enough threadfins for the day. Rigged with 50lb braid, 60lb florocarbon leader and 7/0 circle hooks we began to freeline our threadfins under the bridge with the tide. We… Read More
May 25, 2011
North Pinellas
by
Fishing in North Pinellas this last week has been hot and cold. The bait can be particularly tough to get. I would suggest getting on your bait spot early morning starting shallow and moving to deep water as the sun comes up. Bring lots of chum. A 10” 3/8ths mesh cast net should do the trick. The only steady fishing has been the trout bite. Big trout have been hanging around the passes and deeper depressions. Swash… Read More
May 25, 2011
North Pinellas
by
Fishing in North Pinellas this last week has been hot and cold. The bait can be particularly tough to get. I would suggest getting on your bait spot early morning starting shallow and moving to deep water as the sun comes up. Bring lots of chum. A 10” 3/8ths mesh cast net should do the trick. The only steady fishing has been the trout bite. Big trout have been hanging around the passes and deeper depressions. Swash… Read More
May 21, 2011
Manatee County
by
Not much new to report this week now that most target species are in town. On the open grass of local bays there continues to be above average action with trout,bluefish,spanish mackerel, and shark. There are quite a number of tarpon finning around the same deep grass areas. Any number of baits,live or artificial, are working very well. Snook and redfish have been spotty at best. The biggest concentrations of the… Read More
May 20, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Intense offshore fishing on the wrecks. On Show Me The Fish Charters operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina, are experiencing intense offshore action. Catching lots of amberjacks,mangrove and yellowtail snappers,blacktip and bull sharks on the wrecks about 30 to 40 miles offshore. On swiss cheese hard bottom catching red grouper,triggerfish,porgys and more snappers.But the best big red grouper catches are South off… Read More
May 20, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Intense offshore fishing on the wrecks. On Show Me The Fish Charters operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina, are experiencing intense offshore action. Catching lots of amberjacks,mangrove and yellowtail snappers,blacktip and bull sharks on the wrecks about 30 to 40 miles offshore. On swiss cheese hard bottom catching red grouper,triggerfish,porgys and more snappers.But the best big red grouper catches are South off… Read More
May 19, 2011
South Shore Tampa Bay
by
Go Fish May 19, 2011 Fishing was very slow last week despite good conditions. The wind blew for the first two weeks of the month, but water temperature was near perfect while staying in the low 80s. Despite that the action on Southshore Tampa Bay was very cool. I fished all day one day last week and the only thing that went right was catching bait. I netted enough bait to fish with all day with a single toss of the net.… Read More
May 17, 2011
North Pinellas
by
North Pinellas Snook are roaming all over the North Pinellas County beaches. Fishing with Capt. Chad Petroski this week he advised me that finding the Snook was not the problem, but getting them to eat was. Capt. Chad had fished from Tarpon Springs South and would find Snook in schools of 5 to 15. After using the various live baits and not getting a bite he switched to artificials getting the same results. Capt. Chad… Read More
May 17, 2011
North Pinellas
by
North Pinellas Snook are roaming all over the North Pinellas County beaches. Fishing with Capt. Chad Petroski this week he advised me that finding the Snook was not the problem, but getting them to eat was. Capt. Chad had fished from Tarpon Springs South and would find Snook in schools of 5 to 15. After using the various live baits and not getting a bite he switched to artificials getting the same results. Capt. Chad… Read More
May 14, 2011
Manatee County
by
Excellent trout,mackerel,bluefish, and pompano action continues to be strong on the inshore waters of coastal Manatee County. Throw in a slew of rodbenders as sharks,ladyfish,and jackcrevalle and you have the recipe for big fun fishing right now. Snook and redfish are pleasing anglers as well. Some of the biggest snook of the year should be encountered right now going into the spring/early summer spawn. Be careful to… Read More
May 12, 2011
Little Cockroach Bay
by
Go Fish May 12, 2011 Capt. Nick Winger stopped by with clients Monday after getting caught in a squall while fishing in Little Cockroach Bay. He said they caught two redfish along the mangrove shadowline fishing with cut bait, but told me the fishing there has been up and down. One day they are there, and the next they are gone. He was off to Boca Grande the next day for his first tarpon trip of the season. May and June… Read More
May 10, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Kingfish 11 yr old Harry Duxbury from England with his first kingfish caught with a sardine in about 40 ft offshore of Ana Maria Island. On a 4hr charter with Capt Larry McGuire Show Me The Fish Charters. Operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina. Big Jack attack Mike Romano with his first Amberjack caught using a live pinfish in about 120 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. The party also caught more amberjacks,grouper… Read More
May 10, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Kingfish 11 yr old Harry Duxbury from England with his first kingfish caught with a sardine in about 40 ft offshore of Ana Maria Island. On a 4hr charter with Capt Larry McGuire Show Me The Fish Charters. Operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina. Big Jack attack Mike Romano with his first Amberjack caught using a live pinfish in about 120 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. The party also caught more amberjacks,grouper… Read More
May 09, 2011
South Pinellas
by
The fishing has been great! Snook, Trout, Redfish,Cobia,Tarpon,Mackerel,Kings and a few random species can all be caught right now. There are fish on the beach, in the passes along the bridges, in the channels and on the flats. Tarpon can be found on the beach at dawn or around the bridges at dusk. Pass crabs,Threadfins and even Pinfish will get you hooked up with any of these amazing fish. Cobia can be found around the… Read More
May 09, 2011
South Pinellas
by
The fishing has been great! Snook, Trout, Redfish,Cobia,Tarpon,Mackerel,Kings and a few random species can all be caught right now. There are fish on the beach, in the passes along the bridges, in the channels and on the flats. Tarpon can be found on the beach at dawn or around the bridges at dusk. Pass crabs,Threadfins and even Pinfish will get you hooked up with any of these amazing fish. Cobia can be found around the… Read More
May 05, 2011
Little Manatee River
by
The month of May is generally one of the best months to go fishing on Tampa Bay. First there is the weather. It’s generally not as hot as it gets in June, July and August, and the water temperature is perfect for the widest variety of species. I suspect there are never more fish in the bay than there are in May. That is certainly true of bait. This month should see plenty of scaled sardines on the flats, and threadfin… Read More
May 04, 2011
Tampa Bay Bridges
by
Bahia Honda Channel, Boca Grande Pass, and Tampa Bay Bridges all have one thing in common this time of year... Big, bone crushing, rod bending, sky bound jumping Tarpon!!! And the last few weeks have been nothing more than amazing chasing Silver Kings across the state of Florida. Local customs and etiquette vary from place to place, but the underlying tactics of jumping "Megalops Atlanticus" remain the same. Read More
April 30, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
On Show Me The Fish Charters operating out of the beautiful Bradenton Beach Marina Fishing out of my custom 31 ft custom Morgan sportfish we are catching almost everything this time of the year. My party's are working hard catching gag and red grouper,kingfish,spanish mackerel,cobia,amberjack,mangrove,yellowtail and lane snappers,blacktip and other sharks .Action is hot starting at 40ft to 70 ft for the kings.I prefer to… Read More
April 30, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
On Show Me The Fish Charters operating out of the beautiful Bradenton Beach Marina Fishing out of my custom 31 ft custom Morgan sportfish we are catching almost everything this time of the year. My party's are working hard catching gag and red grouper,kingfish,spanish mackerel,cobia,amberjack,mangrove,yellowtail and lane snappers,blacktip and other sharks .Action is hot starting at 40ft to 70 ft for the kings.I prefer to… Read More
April 28, 2011
Little Manatee River
by
Go Fish April Water temperature in St. Petersburg was up to 82.9 degrees this week and that means the fishing should be about as good as it gets. Snook are dropping out of the rivers and the backcountry to feed on scaled sardines that have arrived recently. Mike Strickland told me he hooked a big snook near the mouth of the Little Manatee River, but could not do anything with it. The big fish took him into the mangroves… Read More
April 27, 2011
South Pinellas
by
For the next couple of months , the Tarpon fishing in Tampa Bay will be as good as it gets. They will be found up and down the beaches from North Pinellas county to Sarasota and at all the bridges in the area. My prefered method for catching these amazing Silver Kings is drifting pass crabs either at the Skyway or at Egmont pass. As the hilltide starts to flush the water out of the bay the pass crabs will float to the… Read More
April 27, 2011
South Pinellas
by
For the next couple of months , the Tarpon fishing in Tampa Bay will be as good as it gets. They will be found up and down the beaches from North Pinellas county to Sarasota and at all the bridges in the area. My prefered method for catching these amazing Silver Kings is drifting pass crabs either at the Skyway or at Egmont pass. As the hilltide starts to flush the water out of the bay the pass crabs will float to the… Read More
April 26, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Niles Weborg Fire Chief of Ephraim Wis. with the King Mack pic of the week. Niles was using a sardine in about 70 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. We also caught many more kings,grouper,snapper on our king fest. Tom Spouillon alias [Capt Nemo] with a nice Blacktip shark he caught using a live pinfish in about 115 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. Tom and party also caught more sharks, grouper,snapper and amberjack. King… Read More
April 26, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Niles Weborg Fire Chief of Ephraim Wis. with the King Mack pic of the week. Niles was using a sardine in about 70 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. We also caught many more kings,grouper,snapper on our king fest. Tom Spouillon alias [Capt Nemo] with a nice Blacktip shark he caught using a live pinfish in about 115 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. Tom and party also caught more sharks, grouper,snapper and amberjack. King… Read More
April 23, 2011
South Shore Tampa Bay
by
Go Fish April 21, 2011 Capt. Larry Malinoski reported a hot grouper bite last week as he fished out of Shell Point Marina. Despite losing $20 worth of tackle, and getting broke off three times by big fish he managed three keepers and 12 shorts . He said he caught the best fish of the day on a number three planer with a six-ounce jig in 35 feet of water. Water temperature in St. Petersburg was up to 81 degrees last week.… Read More
April 20, 2011
South Pinellas
by
The fishing in the South Pinellas area is red hot right now! From the beaches to Weedon Island you name it its there. Tarpon are showing up at the Skyway, Reds are on the flats and around the Mangrove edges along with Snook. Trout are still in the pot holes and the Mackerel are filling in the passes and along the Skyway as well. The Pompano fishing should be getting better as the month goes on along with the Tarpon… Read More
April 20, 2011
South Pinellas
by
The fishing in the South Pinellas area is red hot right now! From the beaches to Weedon Island you name it its there. Tarpon are showing up at the Skyway, Reds are on the flats and around the Mangrove edges along with Snook. Trout are still in the pot holes and the Mackerel are filling in the passes and along the Skyway as well. The Pompano fishing should be getting better as the month goes on along with the Tarpon… Read More
April 19, 2011
South Shore Tampa Bay
by
Go Fish April 16, 2011 The trout bite on Southshore Tampa Bay was on fire this past week. Mike Strickland of Riverview spent two afternoons in Bishop Harbor at the south end of the bay and caught plenty of trout on both days and the fish were big – most were between 16 and 20 inches. He also told me he cast netted sardines inside the harbor. It’s great to finally see the bait making its way into the shallows. Big Spanish… Read More
April 14, 2011
Middle Tampa Bay
by
Water tempatures are rising in the bay and inland waters. With tempatures starting to touch the 80 degree mark bait and game fish are becoming very abundant. While fishing the Gandy area yesterday I came across white bait on every flat. The key to getting the bait is being there on the flat already setup and chumming at day break. When that sun starts getting higher the bait moves deeper and becomes a little harder to… Read More
April 14, 2011
Middle Tampa Bay
by
Water tempatures are rising in the bay and inland waters. With tempatures starting to touch the 80 degree mark bait and game fish are becoming very abundant. While fishing the Gandy area yesterday I came across white bait on every flat. The key to getting the bait is being there on the flat already setup and chumming at day break. When that sun starts getting higher the bait moves deeper and becomes a little harder to… Read More
April 13, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Big MackAttack! On Show Me The Fish Charters operating out of a new location the Bradenton Beach Marina my anglers are suffering from sore muscles from a big mack attack. The good news is the king mackerel invasion is here. Fishing out of my custom 31 ft Morgan Sportfish in about 40 ft to 70 ft we are catching lots of king mackerel on a variety of live baits and artificials. There are schools running up to about 35 lbs… Read More
April 13, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Big MackAttack! On Show Me The Fish Charters operating out of a new location the Bradenton Beach Marina my anglers are suffering from sore muscles from a big mack attack. The good news is the king mackerel invasion is here. Fishing out of my custom 31 ft Morgan Sportfish in about 40 ft to 70 ft we are catching lots of king mackerel on a variety of live baits and artificials. There are schools running up to about 35 lbs… Read More
April 11, 2011
South Shore Tampa Bay
by
Looks like we are in for another great weekend of springtime fishing in Tampa Bay. Anglers aboard the Ms. Guided did extremely well this week despite heavy rains on Tuesday and high Easterly winds on Wednesday. White bait had temporarily moved off the flats with the Redfish and Snook retreating into deeper waters. We targeted both species along deeper docks and residential canals along Tampa’s eastern shoreline with… Read More
April 10, 2011
South Pinellas
by
Finding clean water, despite these strong winds, has been key for good fishing. The lee side of islands and canals have paid off for me this week and my bait of choice has been live shrimp. The canals have produced a wide variety of fish. On Wednesday, we found Mackerel, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Redfish, Trout and Flounder by slowly working from dock to dock using live shrimp and DOA shad tail jigs. The flats have been… Read More
April 10, 2011
South Pinellas
by
Finding clean water, despite these strong winds, has been key for good fishing. The lee side of islands and canals have paid off for me this week and my bait of choice has been live shrimp. The canals have produced a wide variety of fish. On Wednesday, we found Mackerel, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Redfish, Trout and Flounder by slowly working from dock to dock using live shrimp and DOA shad tail jigs. The flats have been… Read More
April 09, 2011
Little Manatee River
by
Capt. Fred Everson Go Fish April 07 2011 Southshore fishing reports were good between the fronts this past week, with good catches of snook, trout, and redfish coming from all points south of the Little Manatee River. Brett Roberts told me he went grouper trolling on Saturday and brought 10 fish to the boat, four of which were keepers. He said none of the fish were monsters, but he had a good day trolling Bombers behind… Read More
April 07, 2011
St Petersburg
by
Report for St. Pete Fishing has been good! That said you do not need a livewell full of greenies to make a day of bent rods! Last week while fishing after the unleashing of rain from the heavens, I was at the bridge jumping between keeping my boat out of the pilings and tossing my net, I had about a hundred baits, but opted to leave the bridge and pick up some shrimp. After picking up my anglers Dan and his son Patrick,… Read More
April 05, 2011
North Pinellas
by
After this serious storm we had on Thursday huge amounts of fresh water has entered into the Anclote river and the surrounding areas. This dropped the salinity of the water severely and caused the fish to move out of the river and search for ideal conditions. The effects of the heavy rain also made the white bait push off the flats and made it difficult to locate. Though soon after this fresh water dissipates the bait… Read More
April 05, 2011
North Pinellas
by
After this serious storm we had on Thursday huge amounts of fresh water has entered into the Anclote river and the surrounding areas. This dropped the salinity of the water severely and caused the fish to move out of the river and search for ideal conditions. The effects of the heavy rain also made the white bait push off the flats and made it difficult to locate. Though soon after this fresh water dissipates the bait… Read More
April 04, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Cobia and kings are here! On Show Me The Fish Charters fishing out of my custom 31 ft Morgan sportfish we caught our first cobia of the year on 3-24-11 in about 125 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. While we were catching snapper and amberjack a huge school of Cobia came up to the boat and I cast a Zara Spook magnum surface lure to them and the largest one grabbed it and then I handed off to Bud Northway from Clarence… Read More
April 04, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Cobia and kings are here! On Show Me The Fish Charters fishing out of my custom 31 ft Morgan sportfish we caught our first cobia of the year on 3-24-11 in about 125 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. While we were catching snapper and amberjack a huge school of Cobia came up to the boat and I cast a Zara Spook magnum surface lure to them and the largest one grabbed it and then I handed off to Bud Northway from Clarence… Read More
March 30, 2011
Guatemala Sailfish
by
David Woodhouse an expert angler who has a passion for Offshore fishing , recently took a trip to the Pacific Ocean. Read More
March 29, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Terry Wilkerson with a nice amberjack he caught using a live pinfish in about 125 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. Terry and party also caught lots of blacktip sharks, more Ajs, porgys,snappers and catch and release grouper. Tight lines and good fishing.Thanks,Capt.Larry McGuireSHOW ME THE FISH CHARTERSCell 941-720-6475Website www.captlarrymcguire.blogspot.comEmail captlarrymcguire@gmail.comOperating out of the Cortez… Read More
March 23, 2011
North Pinellas
by
Redfish, trout and something you don't see everyday! In the last week and a half I have fished Tarpon Springs, Clearwater, upper Tampa Bay, Lower Tampa Bay and Long Boat Key. The results vary as much as the areas, in Tarpon Springs las week we targeted Trout first, scored on the DOA CAL shad tails, color did not seem to matter. we then moved on to catch whiting and silver trout, these feisty little fish were in 18 feet… Read More
March 19, 2011
Culbreath Isles
by
Buy some shrimp from your local tackle/bait shop. Find any river, canal, creek or waterfront communities that’s close to the intercoastal waterway. Start your way in to any one of the residential canals. If the tide is way out in the morning it will expose the docks that have the most water, usually if there is a sailboat or a big boat at the dock the water will have some depth to it. I also like docks with the most… Read More
March 12, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Great offshore action ! Spring break is here.On Show me The Fish Charters we fished offshore only one day this week due to the high wind. My party started the day with fighting a couple of big cobia that finally broke off. Then started catching lots of Amberjack, mangrove snapper and porgys. Bill Rolston from Canada finished the day off with landing a 5 ft blacktip shark using a live pinfish. The bite was non stop action… Read More
March 11, 2011
South Pinellas
by
Tarpon! Tarpon! Tarpon! the resident fish are making their way out from the back waters and deep mud bottom canals where they've spent the winter. They are already showing up around the bridges throughout the bay. The fish are present both day and night. In my opinion, I think night is the better time. Work the shadow line on the "up tide" side of which ever bridge you are fishing and let it float into the shadow. Bait… Read More
March 09, 2011
Upper Tampa Bay
by
Fished Upper Tampa Bay with Capt. Shawn and john in search of Snook. Found them. it all started with me sight-casting an 18" sitting shallow on an oyster bar. After that the bite was on! Over 22 Snook were caught and safely released up to 31". D.O.A. paddletail in pearl kept us on. We also managed to land a dozen reds to 18", flounder, lady fish and some PHAT Trout. All this in a short day. Water movement is a MUST for… Read More
March 08, 2011
Skyway North
by
. The people at the Skyway pier tell us that the waters are not only lighting up with fish, but -- thank goodness -- they're also loading up with fisherman hungry to get into the warmth after a winter few of us will forget, and one colder than many of us remember. When asked what they were seeing caught, said "Mackerel. Lots of mackerel. They're here all, day, and the people are having a blast catching them." The next… Read More
March 04, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Jack snapper happy! On Show Me The Fish Charters we had hot and heavy action before the wind started blowing with this mild cold front. My 31 ft custom Morgan sportfish can handle the high winds and seas but riding a roller coaster ride far offshore is not a lot a fun for most folks. Last weekend the fish knew the weather was going to blow and the amberjacks were chewing the bottom off the boat, feeding heavy before the… Read More
March 01, 2011
St Petersburg Pier
by
The St Petersburg Municipal Pier on the West Coast of Florida is a great place to take a child to fish for Spanish Mackerel. They have moved into the area, a frozen chum bag some live shrimp on a #1 hook or even a #0 or #00 sized silver spoon will do the trick. We used a 20lb fluorocarbon leader and had no cutoffs. Clarkspoons are excellent spoons to use for mackerel. I spent about an hour and a half with our publisher… Read More
February 25, 2011
Fort Desoto
by
The bite on the flats this past week has been great! There are tons of Trout on the flats and the channel edges. Friday we landed several over twenty inches with the big one of the day weighing in at 5 pounds and twenty five and a half inches long. Live Shrimp DOA Shad tail and 3'' DOA Shrimp have been the baits of choice for Trout and Redfish. There are still plenty of Sheepshead mixed along with some nice sized… Read More
February 15, 2011
South Pinellas
by
After this cold front we are looking at a week of clear weather with mid week highs in the mid 70's. What does that mean for fishing? It means it should be game on!Look for the fishing on the flats to be great. We should see a rise in water temp and that will get the fish moving. Look for schools of Mullet the bigger the better. Mixed in with the Mullet will be Redfish and Trout along with some Sheepshead. Live shrimp or… Read More
February 13, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
All Jacked up! With Amberjacks. On Show Me The Fish Charters operating out of the Cortez Fishing Center my party's are all jacked up! catching big amberjack lots of mangrove snapper,some yellowtail,lane and vemillion snappers. plus lots of Delicious reef fish like porgy's,sea bass and triggerfish. We are fishing areas that don't usually have as many grouper and American red snapper but they are very plentiful everywhere… Read More
February 05, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Mangrove madness On Show Me The Fish Charters we are experiencing mangrove snapper madness. Catching lots of monster mangrove snapper up to 6 lbs,plus tasty yellowtail snapper,lane snapper,vermillion snappers,super bad amberjacks,porgys,sea bass and triggerfish to fill our coolers. On the same wrecks, reefs and rock piles,without even trying we are catching and releasing over limit catches of Gag grouper up to 20 lbs… Read More
February 03, 2011
Lake Tarpon
by
The basst fishing in Lake Tarpon has been very good. Fishing from land for about two hours I was able to land 10 bass. All the bass were males and caught on a Texas rigged blue metallic gambler worms. Even though the water was cold the bass were very aggressive in taking the plastics. Switching to spinner baits and crankbaits for about 30 mins. produced no bass. I did find numerous bass beds, but they were void of any… Read More
February 02, 2011
South Pinellas
by
The cloudy water has been holding the fish. The water in the area has been very clear and has made for some interesting fishing situations. Clear water is great to look at and always makes me want to go swimming but for fishing not so good. The Trout bite in the area has been very good. One stop off of Bunces Pass we landed six keeper trout in a row. I located them on a channel edge that went from grass to sand. All the… Read More
January 31, 2011
Tarpon Springs
by
Fishing this week has been great, as long as you can adjust your target spices, and your mindset. With the recent front blowing through and the fact that I have been forced to fish the same spot the last 3 times with Dr. Greg I decide to go with my gut feeling and fish the Anclote area.The last 3 times I have fished with Dr. Greg the weather was less than cooperative, and we were forced to seek shelter in the upper… Read More
January 27, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Offshore heating up despite the cold. On Show Me The Fish Charters we are catching huge amberjack all day long plus lots of mangrove,yellowtail,lane and vermillion snappers,porgys,triggerfish,scamp, red grouper and catch and release gag grouper. The best action is on any of the wrecks,springs and ledges out past 100 ft. Best Red grouper bite is offshore about 165 ft due to the cold. Last Week Rob Lipsett chartered the… Read More
January 27, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Offshore heating up despite the cold.On Show Me The Fish Charters we are catching huge amberjack all day long plus lots of mangrove,yellowtail,lane and vermillion snappers,porgys,triggerfish,scamp, red grouper and catch and release gag grouper. The best action is on any of the wrecks,springs and ledges out past 100 ft. Best Red grouper bite is offshore about 165 ft due to the cold. Last Week Rob Lipsett chartered the… Read More
January 26, 2011
South Pinellas
by
We had a few nice days in a row that allowed the water temp to come up a few degrees which turned on some good fishing on the flats. I was able to find several nice sized Redfish along the mangroves that had oyster bars and deep pot holes in front of them. In one spot I fished I found a school of fifteen Reds give or take a few. The sizes have been from just under slot to upper slot. These fish were in skinny water and… Read More
January 22, 2011
North Pinellas
by
Redfish and more… North Pinellas County has an abundance of redfish. This is a great time to take some younger people fishing. It's a simple way to catch a bunch of redfish, sheepshead and black drum. Every dock and oyster bar on the mainland side of the intracoastal waterway should have these three species. Tide is not so important when fishing the dock structures. The easiest way to fish for them depending on the tide… Read More
January 21, 2011
Middle Tampa Bay
by
Buck Ems, and girlfriend Angelina, Buck is leaving for the Marines in 2 weeks! The report Today I fished with my regular client Mr. Vern, Buck Ems and Miss Angelina, after a cool ride to the place where the fish live and a short troll into position the bite was on! Angelina started off the day with a nice fat 18 inch trout, Buck followed with a quick toss and hook up, Mr. Vern, was on with a redfish! The hot bite was… Read More
January 17, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Fishing awesome despite cold.I made one trip this week due to the harsh winter winds. This is a tough year to find a nice day to fish but you will definitely be rewarded with a bountiful catch offshore in between the cold fronts. No one is out there on the reefs due to the high wind and the fish are stacked up and are ravenous , ready to be caught. On Show Me The Fish we are catching lots of big amberjack, and in the… Read More
January 16, 2011
St Petersburg
by
Fishing right now isn't the hard part, finding a place out of the wind is the challenge. The fishing has been just like the weather it comes and goes, it's hot one day and cold the next. But the good news is even on the slow days I am still catching fish. Flounder and Trout are almost a guarantee on every trip. How big they will be is a gamble but none the less they have been putting up a good fight. There are lots of… Read More
January 15, 2011
Middle Tampa Bay
by
Middle bay Fishing lately has been about as good as it gets! I heard someone the other day while at Tampa Fishing Outfitters say, “I can’t wait till the whitebait shows up”! Not me! I have enjoyed helping my clients catch fish on artificals, and not having to throw the net is always a bonus! Shrimp still hold the title as the top producing live bait! Places like Gandy bait and Tackle and marker 25 over in Tarpon Springs… Read More
January 13, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Big Jack attack!On Show Me The Fish Charters my parties are fighting all the big amberjack they can handle then catching lots of red grouper and an outrageous amount of tasty snappers which are my favorite to eat. Including flag yellowtail,monster mangrove,lane and vermillion snappers,triggerfish and porgys. Fishing in 115 ft to 155 ft offshore off Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key. Not targeting any areas that normally… Read More
January 08, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Nina West from Bradenton Fl with her first Amberjack she caught on 1-5-11. Using a live grunt for bait in about 115 ft offshore off Anna Maria Island. Nina also caught more Aj's,mangrove snapper,lane snapper,yellowtail snapper vermillion snappers,red grouper,porgys,and catch and release gag grouper and American red snappers without even targeting those two species. Nina was catching more fish than the men on the trip and… Read More
January 07, 2011
Middle Tampa Bay
by
Middle bay 1/7/11 With the opening of trout season in our region, I had high expatiations. They were met with the help of my little friend the DOA CAL paddle tail. This bait literally wore out the trout! Fishing the potholes and deeper flats of the bay provided good action. The live bait of choice was a regular shrimp rigged under a popping cork, judging by how the fish were inhaling the baits I would guess there are… Read More
January 06, 2011
Upper Tampa Bay
by
Fishing in the creeks in North Tampa Bay is producing very well right now. Redfish, Sheepshead, Flounder and Trout have been the main species. Due to the weekly cold fronts, these fish seek shelter in the creeks, trying to absorb heat from the mud bottoms in this area. Upper bay is a great place to fish but check your tides before you head out. This area is notorious for being shallow. Even the shallowest of flats boats… Read More
January 04, 2011
Upper Tampa Bay
by
Upper Tampa Bay Fishing Report I just spent the last 6 days fishing in the beautiful waters of Upper Tampa Bay experiencing nothing less than success. Places like Rocky Creek, Chanel A, Double Branch and Safety Harbour are holding high numbers of fish. Redfish from rats,( generally redfish under 18") to upper slots can be found munching on crustaceans and the like near mangrove shorelines and oyster bars near deep… Read More
January 03, 2011
Offshore Gulf
by
Staring the New year off with a bang of great offshore fishing.Show Me The Fish Charters ended the year with limit catches of gag grouper even on 4 hr trips. There was no shortage of gag grouper inshore and offshore of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key. Our parties are also catching red and scamp grouper,mangrove snapper,lane snapper,vermillion snapper,porgies,triggerfish and amberjacks. On Jan 1,2011 Noaa issued a… Read More
January 02, 2011
St Petersburg
by
This week I have continued to fish the residential canals on NE St Petersburg. Lots of small Reds and Trout with some nice upper slot or over slot mixed in. I was lucky enough to find a dock that produced over a dozen Reds the biggest being twenty five inches. Trout have been stacked up in the deeper water while the Reds seem to like the cover of the docks or the very shallow banks. There has also been a good number of… Read More
December 27, 2010
Middle Tampa Bay
by
From the publisher: Tim's a special guy, and both David Rieumont and I count him among the true resources and blessing this site -- and our entire community. It's easy to enjoy every time we see him or hear from him. I once told him not to let my feelings for him go to his head, to which he replied "My head's already big enough, Poyssick. You don't need to worry about expanding it". I know that not to be the truth. He's… Read More
December 24, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
We are celebrating happy holidays with gag grouper gone wild. Show Me The Fish Charter parties are catching limit catches of gag grouper for Christmas. Then heading further offshore to catch red ,black and scamp grouper,mangrove snapper and amberjack. This week the grouper action started out in about 50 ft and on any rock pile and ledge out past that. Amberjack are going strong out around 115 ft. Large live baits like… Read More
December 23, 2010
St Petersburg
by
The canals and channels around N.E. St. Petersburg have been my target area for last week. They have produced good numbers of small and mid slot fish. Reds, Trout, Sheepshead and Flounder have all been eating live and artificial baits. Live shrimp, pieces of shrimp and artificial shrimp have been strong producers along with shad tails. Be sure to get the bait to the bottom... slow is the key to the bite. The docks that… Read More
December 19, 2010
Cockroach Bay
by
Suit up boys and girls, it's freeeezing out there! We have been experiencing lower than average temps for this time of year. Time to start sleeping in and give the sun a chance to warm up the bay. Despite the cold weather, Redfish and Trout have been keeping many anglers busy. They can be found in the same areas and even mixed together in tight schools around creek and river mouths and backwater bays. Last Saturday I had… Read More
December 16, 2010
Upper Tampa Bay
by
Good day Tampa Bay The weather might not be cooperating but the fish are! Saturday was the day it was supposed to reach 71…………………………….nope! The fog was supposed to lift around 8am………………………………………….nope! The recent cold fronts were supposed to shut the bite down……………………nope! Fish Saturday was just shy of phenomenal! The day began with Matt, Melissa, Linda, and George showing up just before our scheduled 9 am pick up time.… Read More
December 15, 2010
South Pinellas
by
I didn't get to spend as many days on the water this week but the few days I did get out I spent in canals,out of the wind, targeting Sheepshead and whatever else was there. I found several mid slot Trout and some very nice sized Sheepshead. I noticed the Sheepshead ate best when the bait was slowly drug across the bottom. This cost me a few more baits due to hang ups on the bottom but produced some good sized fish. I… Read More
December 12, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
A nice cobia caught by Lee Smith using a live pinfish in about 130 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. Left to right are Lee Smith,Linda Schultz,Peter Dangler and Pam Turner all from Bradenton Fl. Lee needed a little assistance with his friends to hold the monster up for a pic.The party also caught lots of grouper and snapper out on a charter with Capt Larry McGuire SHOW ME THE FISH CHARTERS .Cell 941-720-6475. Operating… Read More
December 10, 2010
Anclote Key
by
Anclote Report Trout I fished this area doing a little research and development with Captain Steve Betz, for those who may wonder what that means I will give you my definition: research and development is :going fishing for fun but using the fact that I am a guide to justify it to my wife,(who by the way does not read my reports)!They seemed a little lethargic after the big blow last week; the bite was subpar to say the… Read More
December 05, 2010
South Pinellas Report
by
Fishing over the last week has been great! I have fished from my normal South Pinellas area all the way up to Weedon Island. A list of the fish caught is Snook, Trout,Reds,Flounder and some small Gags. The week started out on the flats and as the weather got colder and the wind picked up I moved to the canals with deep water and protection from the wind. There are still fish on the flat. The best flats will be the ones… Read More
December 04, 2010
Upper Tampa Bay
by
Flatties On The Flats I never thought that I would say this but Targeting Flounder in Tampa Bay is as easy as it gets these days.Almost every guide I have spoken to in the last few weeks have included "flattis" in there reports. Catching your limit is highly possible with a little knowledge. Gulf Flounder or Paralichthys albigutta, are found from North Carolina to Texas including South Florida and the Bahamas. They can… Read More
December 03, 2010
Apollo Beach
by
The South Shore of Tampa Bay has plenty to offer, and is a great place to fish in the winter. If you have not you are missing out! The Little manatee is holding redfish, snook and huge trout! Fishing last week with Kayak Guide Derick Burgos we landed 9 reds and 20 +trout and a couple of snook to complete the slam. The hot baits were the D.O.A. CAL paddle tail jigs in glow/gold rush and black back /gold rush. The trick… Read More
November 27, 2010
South Pinellas Report
by
Well, the fishing in the South Pinellas area has been slow for me the last week. However, there are plenty of Trout around. I have found good numbers of Trout in the residential canals with most on the small side, anywhere from ten to fifteen inches. To find the larger Trout I have slowly worked different depths of the grass flats using my trolling motor set on a slow steady speed. Plastic jerk baits, DOA shrimp and DOA… Read More
November 26, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
Bountiful catch over Thanksgiving. My party's had perfect weather and great catches this week. Filling the boat with gag,red and scamp grouper,amberjacks,mangrove,yellowtail and lane snappers,porgys,triggerfish,awesome cobia,sharks,barracudas and hooked up a few stray kingfish. There is great action on gags anywhere there is rocks or a nice ledge using live pinfish and sardines. On the calmer days go for the gold further… Read More
November 23, 2010
Middle Tampa Bay
by
Middle bay report 11/22/10 Fishing was pretty much like my last reports……..until……The full moon. The bite seemed to slow down a touch. Was it just me? Maybe I was just a little off I will find my stride! Trout: The best bite comes during the switch of the tide; the current breaks seem to hold the most fish. These fish are feeding well on live shrimp, and the DOA Jerk worms in the darker colors. I have been rigging the… Read More
November 15, 2010
Upper Tampa Bay
by
Question: What’s hot? Answer: What’s not! Fishing in Tampa Bay has been hot, hot, hot , to say the least! The hot bite has been everything! Trout are ravenous and feeding aggressively on pretty much any offering, the hot baits have been, DOA shrimp, the DOA and MirrOlure jerk worms, any shrimp pattern is working well. There are tons of little trout coming in just under the slot, but there are also plenty of mid to top of… Read More
November 14, 2010
South Pinellas Report
by
Sleeping in and no cast net throwing... it must be winter time! Don't get me wrong I love summer and the early mornings but winter is a nice break from all that. I have been starting my days around 10 am and focusing on docks and deep grass flats. Both areas are producing very well. I am finding the larger Trout in the 3 feet plus range with the over 20'' Trout in the 2 feet or less depth. I recommend the D.O.A. 3''… Read More
November 12, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
Gags gone wild!We fished most of this week but last Monday after the last windy cold front the gag grouper went wild along with lots of big red grouper,mangrove snapper,amberjack,barracuda,and sharks. The best gag grouper bite was with sea conditions at 3 to 4 ft in 50 to 80 ft depths. Live and cut bait was working great. The action was so intense that we even caught some big grouper with our hooks in their mouths where… Read More
November 09, 2010
Alafia River
by
Took some much needed time off and got to do what I love to do, fish! There's nothing better than getting a chance to explore our Bay area waters alone and without any distractions. That's what I like to call serious fishing. On to my journey I decided on the Alafia because this is an area that holds a mixed variety of fish in the fall. At any given time a Tarpon can be seen rolling, a Redfish tail may slice the calm… Read More
November 06, 2010
Middle Tampa Bay
by
Middle Bay Bait, is still around but the fish are starting to get into their winter feeding patterns, my advice would be to buy shrimp and for go the net tossing, I am!Unusual suspects roaming unusual parts of the Bay, anyone else witnessing this? Mackerel have been showing up in some odd places, creeks, rivers, little bays. They have been mixed in with the trout, and ladyfish, eating white bait! That said here is the… Read More
November 05, 2010
Upper Tampa Bay
by
If your not a fan of waking up early or throwing the cast net this is your time of year. The days of "Beating the Heat" are gone and now we have to worry about dodging the weekly cold fronts. Planning your day around the tides become one of the most important factors fishing Upper Bay due to winter lows and not wanting to be stuck in a creek for hours on end. A few dozen shrimp and a tackle box filled with some of your… Read More
November 05, 2010
South Pinellas
by
The fishing in the South Pinellas area has been some what inconsistent over the past week. One day the bite is slow the next its good. There are plenty of fish to be caught just plan on making several moves to catch your limit. Kingfish and Mackerel are the constant catch for the area. Mackerel are not only on the beach but in the passes and the channels along the flats. I caught several while Trout fishing. The Trout… Read More
November 01, 2010
Manatee County
by
Not a lot to add this week from the reports of the past few weeks. Water temperatures are holding fairly even, coming in at a few degrees either side of 80. White bait is plentiful around Manatee County, but as is usually the case at the first of November, the bait schools are constantly on the move in anticipation of that first strong cold front which will send them packing until next spring. All the reports I am… Read More
November 01, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
Fall feeding frenzy!Fall fishing frenzy is full blown offshore and nearshore on Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key. On our party's we are catching limit catches of American red snapper on the weekends along with red and gag grouper,a few scamp,monster mangrove snapper,amberjack,cobia,kingfish and big sharks. The best action is out about 140 ft using pinfish and sardines. Closer in nearshore there are all the Spanish… Read More
October 27, 2010
Middle Tampa Bay
by
So easy an 8 year old can do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bait, to find bait this week I received a phone call from Ray Charles, he said he saw it everywhere, I guess what I am truing to say is , it is everywhere!!!!! 3 is the magic number, 3 feet deep, 3 minutes of chumming, 3 throws of the net! Trout, Artificial baits have produced well, a DOA shrimp creeping along the bottom in potholes score big! The Terrorze is the top deeper… Read More
October 26, 2010
Tarpon Springs
by
The bait is very thick in North Pinellas County. But the flats are loaded with jelly fish. Make sure you dump your bait into some kind of basket or container first before you place it in your livewell. The bait is over near the “Danger Shoal” sign in front of the lighthouse. The bait is mixed with medium sized scaled sardines to large. Of course the usual pinfish are mixed in as well as some pigfish. A 8 foot to 10 foot… Read More
October 21, 2010
South Pinellas
by
The Trout bite in the South Pinellas area is awesome right now. Target these fish in two to five feet of water along the channel edges and deep pot holes on the flat. My best bait has been the Mirrodine mini in the Greenback color. Some days they are eating it on a slow retrieve and others they want it a little faster so work your bait at different speeds till you start to get a consistent bite. There is plenty of bait… Read More
October 15, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
Got Red this weekend!My party got red this weekend with a limit catch of Firetruck red grouper and American Red Snapper. We also caught big gag grouper, cobia,nice mangrove snappers,amberjack and lemon sharks. The bite was so fast and furious on the bottom game we never had a chance to deploy a flatline for kingfish and other migratory species for what I call my running game. Due to the extremely fast runs from smoker… Read More
October 11, 2010
South Pinellas
by
Well the trout bite has been my go to this week with good numbers of fish. The upper slot fish have been a little harder to fine but they are out there. I have been targeting the adges of the flats to start and moving in as the tide level rises. I have found most of the keepers in the deeper water three to five feet.Live bait has worked well but i am having the best luck with the mirrodine work slow. This pattern should… Read More
October 05, 2010
Middle Tampa Bay
by
Bait is thick, still, just gotta get out early! After the sun rises it becomes a little more difficult. The trout bite has slowed Capt. Steve Betz reports. “The numbers are down from the last couple of weeks” Heavy chumming is what gets them to bite. The fish were thick the past few weeks over the lush grass flats. My guess is the fish moved deep with the weather system that came through,. Look for the spotted ones to… Read More
October 03, 2010
South Pinellas
by
The Mackerel are here! The large schools of big Mackerel have yet to show up in the numbers that they will hit in a few weeks but there are plenty of smaller schools of good size fish out there. The tactic I am using for these fish is a run and gun type move. Look for surface activity or the birds at the top of the water. Simply pull close and make long cast through the school with a spoon, top water, sub surface lure or… Read More
October 02, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
Gag grouper hot offshore! I have had one trip this week so far due to the windy weather but it was fast and furious with gag grouper starting their fall feeding pattern.These bad boys are back in town in the 50 to 60 ft depths and have voracious appetite. We are also catching red grouper, mangrove snapper, triggerfish, amberjack, sharks, barracuda and hooking up some large goliath grouper.There are also lots of Spanish… Read More
September 27, 2010
Middle Tampa Bay
by
After baiting up for a recent charter I did something I have wanted to do as the sun was rising in the eastern sky. I grabbed a rod rigged with a mirrOdine and began fishing the chum slick, the result was a 26 inch trout! I preach this all the time, but the best place to catch a good fish is the chum line you create while catching bait. This day we had Mr. Lee of Tampa Fishing Outfitters, and a few of his friends, Capt.… Read More
September 24, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
Anthony Leveret assisting Robert Quidry Tampa Fl with his largest red grouper of his lifetime.Robert was using a live pinfish in 130 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. Another nice red grouper Robert caught on the same day. The party also caught lots more grouper,snapper,and sharks.Fishing with Capt. Larry McGuire SHOW ME THE FISH CHARTERS. Cell 941-720-6475. Operating out of the Cortez Fishing Center Bradenton Fl.… Read More
September 20, 2010
Middle Tampa Bay
by
Middle Bay Report Bait….is everywhere, any flat in the 3 foot mark is holding tons of bait. Redfish have been in scattered schools, eating anything from pinfish , white bait , and cut ladyfish. Look near the bushes on high tides, an incoming tide is better than an outgoing. The outgoing tide is flushing out the fresh water and killing the bait in the well. If you are going to fish the outgoing ,the fish are still there,… Read More
September 16, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
Pastor Greg Dumas lead pastor of The Crossing Chuch Brandon Fl. with a big cobia. Steve Ingram from Brandon Fl and Pastor Greg Dumas with their nice cobia's caught using live pinfish in about 130 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island.On this trip we were talking about a previous trip where a cobia swam up to the boat and Pastor Greg pitched a live pinfish to him and caught him last summer.Well it happened again with 3 cobia's… Read More
September 12, 2010
Middle Tampa Bay
by
Need a work out? I a m offering my services as a personal trainer also! All kidding aside, if you are looking for some back breaking, fish catching fun, look no further than any of our bay area bridges!! The black drum that invaded the bay in the spring have taken up residence at the big structure (bridges), to catch these back breakers, first either spend 15 bucks on a dozen crabs, or dig out your pass crab net, and… Read More
September 10, 2010
Fort Desoto
by
Well, its still hot out but so is the fishing! The bait is all over the flats and under the north Skyway pier. The sizes are ranging from palm width to hand length. I am still using my 1/4 inch mesh Leefisher net. There are still some smaller baits mixed in but not nearly as many as there were a few weeks ago. Water clarity has been a issue in the Fort De Soto area but that has allowed me to come close to schools of fish… Read More
September 05, 2010
Ozello
by
Kayak Tourney Hits Big In "The Land Of Oz" The Ozello Redfish Classic was a hit for Bay area kayakers. From weekend anglers to guides, entrants drove up to 100 miles not to miss a chance to wrangle with a backwater beast. Thanks to Capt. Pat Harrigan, Kayak Classics Tournament Director, for making this all take place. From the location to host and sponsors, Capt. Pat sure went all out for this event. Top prizes icluded… Read More
September 04, 2010
Middle Tampa Bay
by
Bout a hundred Sept 4 2010 I picked up my clients for a 4 hour excursion, while motoring to the redfish hole, David told me he has never fished before. So I wanted to take a few minutes to get his casting down and see what these guys could do, as I came off plane, it happened. A school of must have been a thousand fish pushed through. These were not reds, they were lady fish, mackerel and trout. We tossed nose hooked… Read More
August 29, 2010
Middle Tampa Bay
by
Target species, Tampa Bay redfish! Over the past week I have fished a redfish tournament, fished for fun and had a couple of charters in the mix. The one common denominator….reds! While fishing the Xtreme redfish series this past Saturday Jake and I boated around 15 most were in the 20 to 21 inch range, and we had half a dozen over slot fish up to 29 inches. The key was targeting shallow water on high tide, the water had… Read More
August 29, 2010
South Pinellas
by
The rain and wind over the last week has changed the fishing in the South Pinellas area. The good news is the rain and overcast days have dropped the water temperature. Over the last two days I have had water temps reading in the lower 80's. The lower temp has been good for the shallow water bite. I have had good luck catching Trout in the two to three foot range using top water and chumming with white bait. This has… Read More
August 26, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
Nick Victor-Smith from Anna Maria Island that caught an released around a 350 lb Goliath Grouper and jumped in the water and swam with him for a photo shoot before the release. Victor was using a whole mullet for bait in about 60 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island.The party also got busted off on more of these monsters and caught some nice gag grouper for dinner. Capt Larry McGuire SHOW ME THE FISH CHARTERS. Operating out… Read More
August 26, 2010
Tampa Bay
by
Overslot Redfish seem to have moved in all over. the flats. Cut pinfish, ladyfish and mullet,( frozen seem to have worked best) have caught nice numbers but lures such as Mirrodines and the lil jon in watermelon red flake have the rods bent. Redfish can be found spread out in pot holes and cruising mangrove shorelines. The last hour of the falling tide produced the best fish. Areas such as the Kitchen, mouth of the… Read More
August 19, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
OnShow Me The Fish Charters we are catching lots of gag and red grouper,large amberjack,spanish mackrel,lots of sharks [ blacktips,lemons,and reef] ,big barracudas,porgies,mangrove snappers and some catch and release goliath grouper.On monday 8-16-10 Nick Victor-Smith from Anna Maria Island caught an released one around 350 lbs and jumped in the water and swam with him for a photo shoot before the release.Our parties are… Read More
August 17, 2010
Middle Tampa Bay
by
8/15/10 Middle Bay Running out of the Gandy ramp the last few days I have found bait, uh, pretty much everywhere! No need to stress over where to find it, go anywhere, chum, toss the net 3 times and go fish! Reds seem to be making their presence known, recent trips have seen close to double digit numbers with the norm being 6 to 9 to the boat and 12 to 15 bites. Top baits, pinfish, white bait, cut lady fish, cut mullet,… Read More
August 11, 2010
Weedon Island
by
I had the oppurtunity Sunday to get back out on the water again with my good friend G. We decided to take the kayaks out and fish around the weedon island area. We launched from the St. Pete side of the Gandy and started our paddle towards the power plant. On our way there we found good schools of white bait on some of the deeper water grass patches in that area. With a couple of throws of the 8' net we had plenty of… Read More
August 11, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
Fishing Report & Forecast: Go Deep for the Summer Heat” Action offshore is boiling hot, with our catches of large red grouper and gag grouper. Lately we've been catching a spectacular variety of snappers – mangrove, yellowtail, lane, and American red snapper [released due to being out of season].. We've also had the pleasure to get cobia, nice sized amberjacks, and mahi-mahi dolphin (don't worry kids, it's not Flipper)!… Read More
August 09, 2010
Middle Tampa Bay
by
Gandy 8/8/10 My son and I fish the Xtreme redfish series; it is a monthly series and is run out of the Gandy boat ramp. This month we began our day fishing around the Weedon area. It was a tough bite we saw no redfish anywhere. We moved north of the Howard Franklin, our safe fish spot, and got 2 dinks. Jake and I decided to make a bold move, we ran even further north to a spot I had caught some nice reds back in April.… Read More
August 08, 2010
South Pinellas
by
The fishing in South Pinellas and Fort DeSoto area has been good the last week and we should see no change in the pattern for the next week. The bait is starting to grow to a better size, look for it at the Skyway piers; that is were I have found the larger sized white baits. The key right now for both bait and fish is to get out early. This coming weeks tides will be incoming in the morning which should allow you to… Read More
August 06, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
15 yr old Madison Banks and Jerry Banks with some of the gag grouper the father and daughter team caught.The Banks were fishing with pinfish in about 60 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island with Capt Larry McGuire Show Me The Fish Charters.Operating out of the Cortez Fishing Center Bradenton Fl Read More
August 04, 2010
North Pinellas
by
Our Publisher Gary, myself and my nephew Max decided to hit the North Pinellas beaches for some snook fishing this week. The first thing we did was chum up our whitebait with some tropical fish food at the shoal marker which is just northeast of the Anclote Key Light house. Still don't know where the bait is there? Check our bait reports on the front page. The GPS coordinates for this bait spot are there. Anywhere in… Read More
July 28, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
Jessica Kreke from Cincinnati Ohio with a smoker Kingfish caught in about 45 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island with a sardine. Trey Walding from Lakeland Fl with a large Firetruck Red Grouper caught using live pinfish in about 140 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. Read More
July 28, 2010
Middle Tampa Bay
by
Bait: Bait is where is should be, shouldn’t be, and used to be. I got a call for Ray Charles and he told me he saw the bait! I guess what I am saying is if you cannot find the scaled sardines….give it up! Trout: With the storm in the gulf Friday we experienced a north east wind, I chose to stay on the east side of the bay and see what happened. We managed to whip up on some trout from 12 to 24 inches and we got 5 over… Read More
July 28, 2010
North Pinellas
by
If you fish North Pinellas during July you can not go wrong fishing the beaches during the new and full moon phase. I did just that with my nephew and was rewarded with a excellent snook bite. The scaled sardines I cast netted over at the humps (old 7x marker or now the danger shoal sign) were large. I used a 1/4 mesh thinking the bait would be small but I was wrong it was well over inches. After chumming and collecting… Read More
July 24, 2010
South Pinellas
by
. Hello everyone hope all is going well in the fishing world! Fishing in South Pinellas has been exciting and productive this week. Bait is still plentiful but fairly small. If you have a 1/4'' mesh net use it in lieu of the standard 3/8’s nets to avoid the bait getting stuck in your net. As Tarpon season is winding down, I have begun targeting the big redfish that move into this area as they start their offshore journey… Read More
July 22, 2010
Fort Desoto
by
Ft. Desoto 7/21/10... Bait The bait is small but usable, any grass flat or bridge piling is loaded, with a little local knowledge and a good network you will score some nice baits for the day, my best advice would be to chum the piling and wait till you a see a few good baits then toss out the net! Reds Seeing some schools of redfish, if I may make a prediction, a great fall run of breeding fish, with the close in… Read More
July 20, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
Leah Brown below and Brent Brown Right of Bradenton Fl with a big reef shark, Brent caught using a half of a amberjack that a big barracuda attacked. The Browns were fishing offshore of Anna Maria Island in about 100 ft with Capt Larry McGuire SHOW ME THE FISH CHARTERS.Operating out of the Cortez Fishing Center Bradenton Fl. The couple also caught grouper,snapper,amberjacks and barracudas. Read More
July 13, 2010
Tampa Bay
by
Summer Slam Tampa Bay Fishing report The past few weeks we’ve gotten some much needed rain in our region. With temps soaring to 101 degrees fishing has been nothing more than uncomfortable. July’s afternoon rain forecast should put our Summer back into prospective. Early morning, pre-dawn trips are a must for a productive day of fishing. Late afternoon and evenings are great too if you can dodge the rain. If fishing… Read More
July 13, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
Go deep during the summer heat! Offshore fishing is and WILL be great this summer in West Central Florida area. Monster red grouper are one of the hot species this month. The best action you'll find is 120 ft and deeper for the fire truck red grouper. Along with these bruisers of grouper, we are catching gag & scamp grouper, American red snapper, mangrove snapper, yellowtail snapper, lane snapper, tilefish, and mahi-mahi… Read More
July 13, 2010
Middle Tampa Bay
by
Gandy 7/11/10 Trout, The flats in the depths of 2 to 5 feet have good numbers of small fish, they are great for bending the rods and the occasional keeper has been taken in the midst of the dinks! On a recent trip we were catching some dinks, I power poled up and drifted to new water the first fish was a whopping 25 inch trout, followed by 2 book end 18 inch specs. Snook The bite is a little slow but on the big outgoing… Read More
July 13, 2010
Mullet Report March 2011
by
I received a report from one of The Online Fishreman members. He has been supplying and sharing his mullet reports. He reported to me that there is huge schools of finger mullet up in the Rock Point and Courtney Campbell Causeway area. Over at Anclote there is mullet on many flats and moving around flat to flat. A commercial mullet fisherman told me that north of the Tarpon Springs area the mullet schools are thick. Read More
July 06, 2010
Englewood
by
June 12 th through July 5th Bait Bait was easy but has since made the transition to the hatch lings in Lemon Bay , do not fret, they work well! Make sure you have the 1/4 inch mesh net and load the well Trout Trout are, well, where trout like to be, any pothole near where you catch bait is a good place to start. After catching bait toss out a live one on a hook , you most likely will be rewarded for the little effort you… Read More
July 03, 2010
South Pinellas
by
As we all know Summer time is the time that most of our Florida game fish go out and do their spawning around the passes and near shore waters. A good Start would be going to one of the largest passes on the West Coast Egmont Channel. This channel is just a fish highway where you can find big 40 inch reds and snook on the beach and then go out to deeper water and catch bonita, kingfish, grouper and tarpon. I have been… Read More
July 02, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
Fishing Hot offshore of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key.My parties are catching black,gag and red grouper,mangrove and American red snappers,cobia,kingfish,porgys,amberjacks,barracudas,Mahi mahi [dolphin fish] not Flipper and a variety of large sharks.Best action starts at about 125 ft using live baits.The larger red grouper are moving in to this depth and should continually improve as the summer progresses.On my half… Read More
July 01, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
Capt Larry McGuire took Jim Mallow from Lakewood Ranch Fl offshore to catch his first true Black Grouper. Also Scott Taylor from Tampa Fl caught a nice firetruck red grouper. The happy anglers were using live pinfish in about 150 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. The party also caught a lot more red grouper, large gag grouper, mangrove snapper, sharks and a limit catch of American red snappers. Thanks,Capt.Larry… Read More
June 30, 2010
North Pinellas
by
This month most anglers will concentrate on tarpon and snook. They have great reason too. The bite should be very good. With the big push of tarpon along the beaches and snook in the spawn mode it should make for some great action. But the two species of fish that are great table fare yet don’t get heavenly fished are the permit and the pompano. If you have not caught these two silver slabs, this would be a great time… Read More
June 17, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
The Refer family Jon, Chris and Alicia caught a boat load of Smoker Kingfish while on a 4 hour charter with Captain Larry McGuire of "Show Me The Fish Charters" Capt Larry said the Kingfish were caught on a Flatlined sardine in about 50 feet offshore of Anna Maria Island. They also caught grouper, snappers and had a shark frenzy. The family was on vactaion and had never caught so many fish on a fishing trip. Thanks Capt… Read More
June 11, 2010
South Pinellas
by
I have been running most of my trips out of the Fort Desoto area lately and it has not been disapointing. You can find alot of different fish species in this area that will bite on different parts of the tides. For fishing the high incomming tides i like to target my usually suspects like snook trout and reds. These fish will stage on various structures but the ones that produce the best for me is shallow water rock… Read More
June 11, 2010
Offshore Gulf
by
Fantastic offshore catches! Show me The Fish parties are catching limit catches of grouper and red snappers.We are also catching lots of smoker kingfish, monster amberjack, big barracudas,a variety of large sharks,especially blacktips. Live pinfish and grunts has been working best with the action starting at about 130 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key. This report isn't about mahi, but being on Captain… Read More
June 07, 2010
South Pinellas
by
I have been running most of my trips out of the Fort De Soto area lately and it has not been disappointing. You can find a lot of different fish species in this area that will bite on different parts of the tides. For fishing the high incoming tides i like to target my usually suspects like snook trout and reds. These fish will stage on various structures but the ones that produce the best for me is shallow water rock… Read More
June 07, 2010
Mullet Report
by
I recevied a report from a commercial mullet fisherman. The Mullet are roaming in large schools in North Pinellas from Klosterman Channel all the way north to the Hudson. There are more mullet north then south. If you want to catch mullet from shore, there is access to great mullet netting off of Baileys Bluff Road in New Port Richey. Read More
June 05, 2010
North Pinellas
by
North Suncoast Forecast June 2010 The summer is here and the water temperature is now at the 80 degree level. The fish speed up along with the temperature. Tarpon and snook will be out on the beaches and the passes. Scaled sardines and threadfins will be in many places and the most used bait. But for big fish nothing beats a pigfish, grunt, mullet, pinfish, crab or frozen shad. The pigfish, grunt’s and pinfish can be… Read More
May 29, 2010
Tampa Bay
by
New Passion: Fly Tampa Bay fishing report About two years ago, I made it a personal goal to expand my fishing horizons by adding a fly rod to my arsenal. Next step, pick some flies, head to the pond and fish on! Or so I thought. Little did I know the dedication and hard work ahead. Much less from a kayak, so I decided to take that out of the equation for now. Making the decision to pick up a fly rod is like learning to… Read More
May 28, 2010
Lower Tampa Bay
by
Grouper, inside the big bridge! With the reds and snook running thin lately I have been changing gears and doing a little grouper digging, and the dividends have been huge! Loading the well with fresh white bait and threadfins then chumming has produced the best bites. Fishing ledges and wrecks in the bay we have been getting Grouper in the 20 to 30 inch range using heavy gear, with some of the fish getting caught using… Read More
May 24, 2010
North Pinellas
by
Fishing has been fantastic in the Anclote area. Everything is going off from snook to cobia and all in between are being caught. If your lookin for some good steady action any of the passes are holding good amounts of mackerel and bluefish. Anchor just up current where the pass flushes out and deploy a chum bag and start chopping up some fresh bait and should have the fish to the back of the boat in no time. A good light… Read More
May 19, 2010
Tampa Bay
by
Tampa Bay Fishing Report for May 19th 2010 May has brought plenty of sunshine to warm up our area waters to the fishs' "comfort" zone. These high water temps have the fish in stalking mode looking for everything from crabs to sardines. Being able to get on my kayak in a pair of shorts and even bare-foot is definitly nice for a change. Evening and pre-dawn trips are a must to avoid scorching rays from Florida's infamous… Read More
May 19, 2010
Middle Tampa Bay
by
Cobia —also known as black kingfish, black salmon, ling, lemonfish, crabeaters, aruan tasek, etc, these fish are hard pulling like a redfish, and can even be acrobatic like a snook! Recently I have been seeing them on one of my favorite trout flats, on a charter this past week I had a low incoming tide, I decided to go there first, right call! I deployed a chum bag, and we caught a few trout and mackerel and had some cut… Read More
May 06, 2010
Tampa Bay
by
Kayaking Weedon Island With all the beautiful scenery and endless mazes through mangrove laden creeks, Weedon Island Preserve has to be one of the most pristine fisheries for kayak anglers in Tampa Bay. The winds have been at about 10-15 knots out of the S/SW most of the week with a front moving in on the weekend. With Weedon being protected from the south it was a natural choice for a kayaker. I was surprised at the… Read More
May 03, 2010
North Pinellas
by
May 3rd 2010 North Pinellas County the St Joseph sound and Tarpon Springs area is now finally catching up to southern waters of South Pinellas County. There is now plenty of nice Spanish mackerel around n every pass. Just anchor up and chum with your live bait. Spanish mackerel will eat a small pinfish, but they like the flashy stuff like scaled sardines or threadfins. When I talk about chumming I use the scaled sardines… Read More
May 03, 2010
South Pinellas
by
Its starting to heat up out there! Not just the weather but the fishing is becoming very good. I have been running most of my charters out of the fort desoto area lately do to all the numerous amount of fish you can catch. Anyhting from pelagics like cobia, spanish mackerel and king mackerel are being caught just outside of Egmont key on the bouy markers. Troll the bouys and look at your sounder and see if there are any… Read More
April 13, 2010
Guide Reports
by
Reports from Professional Guides There are two categories of reports you'll find on TheOnlineFisherman.com. The first -- and what many of our readers find their favorite feature -- are reports from full-time professional guides. Those guides write reports based on their real-time, real-water experience. Add to that reports coming in from people like you and me -- just-plain guys and girls that love the sport, love the… Read More
April 09, 2010
Freshwater
by
What is this!!!!!!!!!  Eric Carrier caught this fish while throwing some artificials in a local body of water!! The first person to guess what this fish is will win a few packs of fish bite lures, which they could pickup at Tampa Fishing Outfitters from Captain David M Rieumont. Call this number to give your answer 727-204-9723. Remember first person with the right name wins the prize. We have a winner!!!!  More to… Read More
April 04, 2010
Tampa Bay
by
April 3, 2010 What do you do when the forecast calls for 85 degrees, 2-4 knot winds from the east with a light chop and plenty of sunshine? You grab your rods, reels, favorite tackle and don't forget your fishing buddy. In this case my buddy was fellow Slot limit team mate and excellent guide, Capt. Tim Whitfield. Our day started out at the Gandy boat ramp with plans of hitting several of our favorite, mort productive… Read More
March 30, 2010
Tampa Bay
by
Black drum schools have been the talk of the town this week and there are a gang of boats chasing these schools in full force. Use caution when fishing for these hogs from your kayaksa as a boat ( or two) may be literally an arms reach away. Live shrimp will almost guarantee a hook up but any scented soft plastic in darker colors on a jig head will work well. Schoolie spanish macks are appearing in small schools in… Read More
March 28, 2010
Upper Tampa Bay
by
Mack Attack 04-08-10 The Spanish Mackerel are in the bay and the ticket is scaled sardines. Chum up your bait and anchor up at any wreck, hardbottom or range marker. Short report. Long one coming. But here is a photo. Read More
March 23, 2010
Boca Grande
by
Report from the Boca Beacon Guides to make tourney all catch and release After calling on the state to make possessing tarpon illegal, the Boca Grande Fishing Guides Association announced this week that their annual tournament will go “catch and release†only event. The tournament is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, May 26 and 27. “Addressing a continuous and growing concern for the health of our great tarpon… Read More
March 22, 2010
Tampa Bay
by
Spec Trout Fishing Report for the Week of March 14th It's all about the trout! This week has been phenomenal for speckled trout. Many Tampa Bay area reports from several Capt,'s to those toothy specs. Just about every pothole in Joe's Bay was productive for me. Drifting or wading, while casting offerings to the grass edges in the 3'-7' depth range, should have you connected. Once you locate the fish, anchor up and… Read More
March 22, 2010
South Florida
by
This is where the South Florida fishing forecasts will be. Read More
March 22, 2010
Treasure Coast
by
Treasure Coast Report Each of these links are being reserved for reports coming into TheOnlineFisherman directly from our guides-in-the-field. If you're reading this link, it only means that one of our guides (or us) is late with their reports. But trust us -- they have been notified. The system does it for us :) Read More
March 22, 2010
SW Florida
by
FLORIDA FISHING REPORT FOR THE WEEK ENDING 05/08/10 by Capt. Butch Rickey With the tides this week being horrible until Friday, and given that I rarely guide for tarpon, the only trip I booked this week was Friday. So, in the absence of trips to talk about I thought I'd tell you about a wonderful father and daughter team, Bubba and Shelby Baker, whom I'm priviledged to have as close friends for many years, now. You see,… Read More
March 22, 2010
Boca Grande
by
Boca Grande Report Each of these links are being reserved for reports coming into TheOnlineFisherman directly from our guides-in-the-field. If you're reading this link, it only means that one of our guides (or us) is late with their reports. But trust us -- they have been notified. The system does it for us :) Read More
March 21, 2010
KayakReports
by
Each of these links are being reserved for reports coming into TheOnlineFisherman directly from our guides-in-the-field. If you're reading this link, it only means that one of our guides (or us) is late with their reports. But trust us -- they have been notified. The system does it for us :) Read More
March 17, 2010
Tampa Bay
by
The fishing is finally really turning on! Reds are chewing, and the surprise is the snook bite is....awesome! Some areas of the bay seem to more affected than others, the south shore of the bay seemed to take a harder hit than the middle bay. The bait is on the flats at last! Recently I have fished , Anclote, Dunedin, New Port Richey, UpperBay , Ft. Desoto and Weedon, all places had great fishing, but different, Anclote… Read More
