Fishing Reports

OFFSHORE

Grouper fishing has been strong this past week with anglers working depths in the 50-to 85-foot range from Sarasota to Hernando Beach landing grouper up to 12-pounds. Out in Madeira Beach reported some great action this week on his bottom fishing trips. Fishing 50-to 60-feet of water out of John’s Pass, Zalewski had new anglers from Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing! aboard and boated gag grouper to 12-pounds, triggerfish, snapper, barracuda, trout, grunts, and others while dropping live and frozen baits. They also did some nearshore fishing on artificial reefs. Sore arms and smiling faces were the result of the day’s fishing. A few red grouper are still coming from cheese bottom southwest of Pinellas but the bulk of the fish caught have been gags.

Mangrove snapper fishing has been good on artificial reefs. Spanish and king mackerel have also moved in to chew on bait schools that are thick. Blue runners, threadfins, and Spanish sardines jigged up on sabiki rigs have been mainstays for live baiters. Spoons trolled at about 5-to 6-knots for both Spanish and kings have been raking in some big Spanish. There has been good action on trolling King Spoons behind numbers 1 and 2 planers and catching a few kings, but the Spanish have been tearing up the spoons. Macks in the 4-to 5-pound size are coming over the gunnels from the inshore reefs off Pinellas. The St. Pete. Beach, Treasure Island, and Madeira Beach reefs are all holding bonito, king, and Spanish mackerel, according to Zalewski. The South County Reef produced mostly bonito. In Bradenton reported good action with smoker kingfish in 65-feet of water while dropping live blue runners.

INSHORE

Bay area waters have been lit up with action this week. Look for it to continue as the mild weather graces the Suncoast. Spanish mackerel and kingfish have been working the beaches from Sarasota to Clearwater, with spotty action more north. Inshore waters inside Tampa and Sarasota Bays have been holding bluefish, Spanish mackerel, jack crevalle, and hordes of ladyfish. Jigs and spoons are effective when worked quickly. The occasional cobia is being spotted around range markers in Tampa Bay.

Trout fishing has picked up in depths of water 3-to 6-feet deep off Pinellas Point and the Clam Bar. Love’s Lures Tandem Jigs in pink, white, and clear/silver glitter are producing. The DOA Deadly Combination has been effective on trout in Sarasota Bay for Capt. Rick Grassett. His clients are working Buttonwood Harbor, Long Bar, and the flats of the Middle Grounds in Sarasota Bay and finding trout to 18-inches and better.

Snook action is heating up along the Suncoast. Night fishing around docks inside passes has been terrific for fly anglers tossing glass minnow patterns. I had stellar days on snook and redfish in Charlotte Harbor in Bull and Turtle Bays using an Estaz Maribou Minnow on 7 and 8 wt. fly rods.

Reds in the upper Tampa Bay are have been active just east of Weedon Island on the bar on rising tide. MirrOmullet walking baits from MirrOlure are catching reds to 8-pounds there.