Aripeka to Longboat Key
Includes Hudson, New Port Richey, Anclote Key, Tarpon Springs, Dunedin, Clearwater, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Anna Maria Island and Bradenton.

July 3-6

This is going to be a busy holiday weekend. Boat traffic will be at the max unless the weather is bad. The weather forecast for the weekend continues to be somewhat of a wet one, but this past week, we’ve seen small cells of rain continuing to come onshore from the southwest moving to the northeast. While it won’t be raining all the time, scattered rain will likely be expected for your holiday weekend.

OFFSHORE

Very few skippers have opted to take on the 3-to 5-foot seas and greater, generated by southwest winds this week reaching 30-knots at times. So, what happened to the fish this week? Fish likely struggled to get close to bottom structure to get out of the rough conditions caused by the weather. It’s a good bet that upon a window of good weather, grouper and snapper will be chewing like crazy, because they will be hungry from waiting out the bad weather. Should that weather window open, the seas will likely continue to remain rough for a couple of days pending lighter winds.

Rapidly approaching, is next week’s 38th annual Old Salt Loop Billfish Tournament, this year to be held in conjunction with the Mike Alstott Family Foundation Inshore/ Offshore Shootout will kick off the events with a Casio Night and Texas Hold ‘em in St. Petersburg. This year’s event will feature not only the billfish event, but a youth event, and an inshore/ offshore event. Fun for all in this charity event for children is expected for the entire family.

INSHORE

While tarpon trips have been cancelled all week because of the southwest winds and rain, those anglers who chose to fish inshore for snook, trout, redfish, flounder, and whatever else bit were treated to some fantastic fishing. Much higher than normal tides, caused by the southwest winds blowing in excess of 20-knots pushed large volumes of water up inside all the bays, raising the water levels up to overhanging mangroves. Working the perimeters of the mangrove islands and skipping baits like the DOA Shrimp or CAL Jig with shad tails produced excellent redfish that were up in the bushes feeding. As the tide shifted to go out, reds and snook began to pull out and way from the bushes giving anglers access to the fish, and some hot action.

Tides for the weekend include a hugely dropping tide late in the day, as we approach next week’s full moon. This big drop should trigger some great action inshore, and for tarpon anglers, if the winds lay down and shift direction, it could bring on the bite for those soaking live crabs in the passes and at the mouth of Tampa Bay.

The big deal for the north West Central Region this weekend is the opening of scallop season July 1 north of the Pasco/ Hernando county line. Anglers are reminded that a saltwater fishing license is required to harvest scallops while accessing the scalloping area from a boat. A pair of fins, a mask, snorkel, and mesh catch bag are all that’s needed to collect these tasty mollusks. Also required is a diver down flag on the boat.

Anglers who have been scoping out the area starting from Hernando and working north are finding some scallops on grass beds in 5-to 8-feet of water. Heading north to the “Chaz” areas west of the mouth of the Chassahowitzka River can be productive. When in doubt, look for the fleet of boats to locate productive areas. Higher morning tides should minimize groundings in the area. Rocky bottoms abound from Hernando north, so exercise caution if boating in these areas where you are not familiar with the bottom terrain.

FRESHWATER

Heavy rains at times has filled lakes and ponds to the brim spreading fish out and making it more difficult to locate these fish. Find storm drains in these lakes and typically you’ll find some fish. Edges of the lakes will hold panfish. Crickets, worms, and other small insects will be good baits, thus giving an edge to fly fishers who mimic this forage with their flies.

When you want to know where to go, tune in to ESPN 1040 AM radio Saturday from 7 to 8 a.m. Captain Ray Markham and Garry Feldon will take live, on-water reports from the area’s top guides and anglers on Florida Sportsman Magazine Radio Live! ‘Til then…catch ya later!

By Capt. Ray Markham |  flatback@tampabay.rr.com
(941) 723-2755 home
(941) 228-3474 cell

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