West Central Florida Forecast

Capt. Ray Markham covers the fishing forecast from Aripeka to Longboat Key, including Hudson, Anclote Key, Tarpon Springs, Dunedin, Clearwater, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Anna Maria Island and Bradenton. Contact info: RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM; 941)228-3474; www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

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Action Spotter Podcast

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July 25-28 Report

The first half of the week saw some good moving water coming off last Sunday’s full moon. Snook pounded baits around the passes and along the beaches. Inshore and nearshore action with mangrove snapper was very good. Red snapper action continues, particularly in depths beyond 100 feet.

OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE

Increasing threats of severe afternoon thunderstorms this week should be part of your offshore planning. Paying attention to the weather band on your VHF radio can help you avoid them as well as radar if you have it. Make sure all your safety gear is up to snuff and leave a float plan with someone onshore.

As anglers continue to fish for red snapper it’s apparent that one thing is clear. A lot of these fish are there to catch. With allowable dates for various anglers to fish for these species, be it commercial, recreational, or federally permitted boats, checking the dates is highly recommended as with any other species you target.

Good numbers of a variety of groupers are being caught beyond 110 feet of water off Pinellas. The same goes for the snapper family. Depth also offers a greater size differential where deep water may not be fished as frequently and larger fish of most species being caught.

Slower tides for the weekend as we come off last Sunday’s full moon will offer better opportunities for anglers to pinpoint anchoring on spots a little easier. Chum slicks won’t carry as far but will tend to drop below the boat where anglers are dropping lines, making for more concentrations of fish to catch.

Dolphin, aka. mahi, are being caught out beyond 150 feet of water around weed lines and other floating debris. There have not been huge numbers reported, but something to be prepared for. When it comes to mahi, they have small stomachs, and if you’re going to try and attract these fish with chum, be sure the pieces of chum are very small and doled out sparingly to avoid filling the stomachs on these fish, effectively shutting down the bite.

INSHORE

If you had a graph of barometric pressure this week, there’s no doubt in my mind that you’d see some big dips and humps in it. Lots of fast-moving thunderstorms have moved through our region this week, dumping several inches of rain at a time. The triggering effect that barometric pressure makes on fish can be easily documented and time on the water will tell you that as well. It’s very tempting to stay out longer than you should as a thunderstorm approaches but every year some do try it and unfortunately the results can be disastrous. High winds, rough seas and lighting can be deadly. Use good judgment when tracking storms to ensure you get to a place of safety when these storms approach. Some people have recommended running underneath a bridge to be safe, and I’ve tried it myself, but in some cases, rapidly building seas and waves rolling under these bridges can force high-profile boats up on the underside of the bridge on the crest of a wave damaging towers and consoles, or even sinking the vessel. So be sure you have a plan to find safety in plenty of time.

The snook bite has been off the charts. While you’ll find good numbers of large female breeders out on the beaches and in the passes, areas around the mouths of rivers will see snook pouring into residential canals that have storm drains from residential retention ponds being staked out by snook to chew on tilapia or bluegill as these fish flow out of the storm drains. Matching the tilapia or bluegill with a similar profile and color can make for some great action. Lures such as the Bill Lewis Rat L Trap, 28MR MirrOlure MirrOdine, Berkley Stick Shad 90 and others can be deadly effective.

Redfish seem to be flushing out of backcountry waters with all the rain lately. We should have a great late summer/ fall run of big fish that are due to be showing up just about any time. I look for them around the next new and full moons to show in better numbers along the beaches and just inside the passes before they flood into Tampa Bay and surrounding waters. Gold spoons have been working well on reds in upper Tampa Bay. The Eppinger Rex is one I’ve had success with as well as the Johnson Silver Minnow. Both are weedless. Another favorite for reds of mine is the MirrOlure Lil John on a 1/8 oz. jig head. When working the grassy spots, I’ll throw either burbon or mangrove/ red glitter colors and when working the potholes my top color choices have been molting, sour lemon, or opening night.

Trout fishing has been on the upswing recently along the coastal barrier islands and inside bays, particularly from Indian Rocks to Anclote Key. Water depths ranging from 4 to 6 feet have been holding good numbers of specks over 20 inches that fall into that one fish over 19 inches that you can possess, but I don’t keep those larger fish to eat. I prefer one around 17-18 inches tops. A variety of lures will catch trout but one of my favorites is the trusty old DOA 3-inch night glow Shrimp. It’s never failed me for working depths from 1 to 8 feet of water.

FRESHWATER

Lots of rain lately has finally been topping off some of the small ponds and lakes in the region that were about dry. Because some lakes saw fish kills due to lack of oxygen or much lower levels of water, this new influx of rainwater cools the lakes with fresh oxygenated water, and the remaining fish can spread out, making them more difficult to target. One observation is that during these periods of heavy rain, the perimeter of these lakes will see insects washing out of the shorelines and overhanging limbs of trees. Look for hand-tied flies to possibly be the most productive. Imitations of worms, grubs, crickets, grasshoppers, and spiders will all work. You can pick up a starter fly rod combo for under $100, but the better quality starter kits usually start at a bit more around $150-175. Find one of the local fly shops or clubs and there are always a few guys or gals willing to show you the basics to get you into fly fishing. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!

Capt. Ray Markham
RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM
(941)228-3474
www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

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PREVIOUS REPORTS

July 19-21 Report

Full moon madness is upon us this weekend as mangrove snapper spawning peaks with Sunday’s full moon. Whether you’re fishing inshore or offshore, you have a shot at catching these fish.

OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE

Anglers will have possibly the best opportunity to catch some of the largest mangrove snapper of the year this weekend. Every year, mangrove snapper reach their largest size around the full moon of July as they spawn. Offshore depths will typically hold the largest fish. As the depth gets shallower toward nearshore and inshore waters, the sizes of these fish tend to get smaller. Deep Gulf depths beyond 100 feet tend to hold mangos in the low-to-mid teen sizes. Nearshore waters can produce mangos around 5-to-8 pounds, and as you enter the bays, expect these fish to range from 10 to 16 inches in length. Rock piles, ledges, hard bottom areas and artificial reefs will hold these fish. A bright moon will have these fish seemingly chewing the bottom out of the boat at night. A cloudless night is best. But if the night is cloudy, you can expect a good dawn and mid-day bite on the following night.

Mangos aren’t the only snappers bending rods. Red snappers continue to fill coolers along with a variety of other fish. Scamp grouper, porgies, vermilion and lane snappers, and many others are in the rod bending exercise. Captain Brian Morgan of Captain Morgan’s Fishing Adventures out of Marine Max in Pasadena (St. Pete.) continues to put his clients on some quality fish. Along with those species already mentioned, a recent trip got into some decent-sized mahi and a few others.

INSHORE

Anglers up and down the coast in this region have been reporting good action with trout to 20 inches. Soft plastic jigs like the CAL Shad and MirrOlure Lil’ John are getting their share of specks, but the DOA Shrimp suspended under a popping cork has sparked a good bite from bigger fish in Sarasota Bay and parts of Boca Ciega and Tampa Bays. The Intracoastal Waterway from Indian Rocks to Anclote is producing fair numbers of redfish and snook, especially around the passes. Many of both have been over-slot. The occasional pompano has been caught along with some flounder to 18 inches.

Coming up on the full moon this Sunday, you can expect some better tides for fishing the flats. Look for periods of good moving water. During the slower times, work areas near passes or where two bodies of land are close to each other where water has to flow. Pay attention to wind-blown currents and their direction.

FRESHWATER

The full moon this weekend can be great for bass and bluegill fishing. Both tend to fire up during the major and minor solunar periods. Typically, you’ll find the major periods when the moon is directly overhead or beneath the Earth. Minor periods will be on the horizon. Majors last about an hour to nearly two hours sometimes but minors will be roughly an hour. Be where you want to fish during these periods with lines in the water for the best success. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!

Capt. Ray Markham
RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM
(941)228-3474
www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

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July 11-14 Report

Excessive heat is taking its toll on both anglers and fish. With feels-like temperatures to 111 degrees F and water temperatures pushing 90 degrees, heat-related illnesses have become a problem recently. Fish in small shallow ponds have been reported dying from lack of oxygen. Hydration is the key to avoiding heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses. Proper hydration starts the night before getting on the water, not when you start to feel thirsty.

OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE

Red snapper fishing continues to be good for anglers getting out beyond 100 feet of water. Capt. Dylan Hubbard says they have plenty of elbow room on the rails for more anglers. Good numbers of yellowtail, mangrove, vermilion, and lane snapper are being caught.

Nearshore, anglers are finding plenty of mangrove snapper, lane, and yellowtail snappers along with the occasional red snapper. Capt. Jason Stock, who runs out of Anna Maria in his Yellowfin has consistently been putting his clients on a variety of snappers, Blackfin tuna, cobia, porgies, permit, African pompano, and more.

INSHORE

While the heat has been on, thunderstorms have also been cranking up along the coast. The hardbottom areas of lower Tampa Bay have been producing good numbers of mangrove snapper to 15 inches. Most anglers have been using live shrimp if they can get it, but a variety of jigs will also work as well as artificial shrimp. Hanging a frozen chum block over the side of the boat will bring plenty of these feisty fish to the boat for anglers to catch. Small pieces of cut pinfish and smaller live pilchards will also work.

Tarpon fishing has slowed down since the last full moon. Fewer numbers of fish are on the beaches, but there are certainly enough to target them. Along with them come sharks—lots of sharks. Anglers trying to reel up reef fish are having a difficult time getting a whole fish up to the boat before a shark eats it.

Finding grass patches with scattered sandy potholes with good moving water in depths ranging from 5 to 8 feet will be holding some nice spotted seatrout. Tandem-rigged jigs called DOA Deadly Tandems are reeling in the fun for anglers, catching two fish at a time. The secret to catching doubles is once the first fish is hooked, keep a tight line and your rod bent but slowly reeling the fish in. As the fish shakes its head, the second jig will dance around attracting fish following the hooked one. If you plan to keep both fish and they are both of legal size, netting both fish will ensure that they can go in the cooler without losing them. Use of the rubber-coated landing nets will help keep the fish’s slime coat from being removed in the event a fish must be released, improving its chances for survival.

Redfish are finding some cool spots under boat docks along the ICW in Pinellas and in the Manatee River near the mouth. Live pilchards are working well but anglers who can skip a DOA Shrimp up under these docks have a good shot at landing redfish, snook, mangrove snapper, and flounder.

FRESHWATER

If the summer heat has you beat, head out just before sunrise. Topwater frog baits worked around shorelines of lakes and rivers will produce some bass. Small poppers or foam spiders will take both bass and bluegill on a fly rod. Once the sun begins moving overhead, Roadrunners and an assortment of other jigs will produce both bass and bream until it’s time to head back into the AC. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!

Capt. Ray Markham
RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM
(941)228-3474
www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

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July 4-7 Report

Rolling into the holiday weekend ahead, there will be heavy boat traffic on the water. Be aware that alcohol and drugs will affect some boaters who make the bad decision to use while boating. On-water boating accidents soar during this holiday week, even without the influences of drugs and alcohol. Don’t be a statistic. We will also see some negative low tides as Friday’s new moon will have some big effects on tide levels.

OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE

As of Monday night, Hurricane Beryl, the first Atlantic hurricane of the season, was spinning up winds to 150 mph. It’s that time of year, and preparation should be done by now, but in the event, you have not prepared, here’s your warning shot to get ready. Maintaining vigilance of these storms can minimize damage in the event one heads our way.

Offshore fishing has been off the charts lately. Anglers have been bagging some big mangrove snapper, vermilions, lanes, yellowtails, and a lot of big red snapper. The productive depth range for some of the largest ARs has been between 120 and 150 feet. This is the same depth range that anglers had been landing some big red grouper, that had a season closure July 1. Reports of a few mahi have been seen out around the 150-foot mark as well. Look for weed lines of Sargassum or other flotsam. Iland Lures, from L & S Bait Company, have worked well for mahi in a variety of colors.

Other doable species have been African pompano, the occasional sailfish, blackfin tuna, wahoo, scattered kingfish, and cobia which might be also found in nearshore and inshore waters.

INSHORE

The full moon fishery exploded last month with big numbers of tarpon being landed, but within a few days beyond the big moon, many of these big poons headed for the horizon in the Gulf to spawn. These fish have been slowly returning and numbers should be increasing again, although fish may be lighter in weight since they spawned. This Friday’s new moon will make for some good moving water and extremes in tides, both high and low.

You can expect to find a lot of sharks around with tarpon in the area. Bull sharks, hammerheads, lemons, sand sharks, bonnetheads, black tips, and numerous other varieties of sharks have been around. Sharks have been taking several species before anglers land their fish. Be observant while landing fish. Sticking your hand in the water to land your fish might result in the loss of a limb.

Catch and release snook fishing has been excellent around many of the passes. The beaches along the shorelines have seen loads of snook cruising the surf as well. Areas within a quarter mile of the passes along the beaches have been the most productive. Anglers working the spoil islands and areas around Honeymoon Island, Caladesi Island, and Anclote Key have seen excellent action from some big spawning fish. Live pinfish and scaled sardines have been top-producing baits during periods of moving water. On slack or slow tides, dead baits on the bottom have worked well.

Redfish action has been on the increase in our entire region over the past couple of weeks. Recent heavy rains have cooled water temperatures somewhat, making these fish more active. During the day, we’ve been seeing redfish retreating to the shady areas under overhanging mangroves and along dock lines. Cut pinfish or cut ladyfish have been productive here, but if you can skip soft plastic lures like the DOA Shrimp up under the bushes, hang on, because both snook and redfish have been hammering these lures here.

Topwater fishing for trout has been one of my favorite things to do on the flats when I can get out early. The pre-dawn timeframe until a couple of hours after has produced some big speckled trout on several different topwater lures. The new DUKE DOG from MirrOlure, the MirrOlure 94MR21 Top Dog, one of my long-time favorites, and the Heddon Super Spook Jr. have accounted for some big trout recently when targeting these fish in the shallows. As daylight hours heat up, I’ll move out deeper combing the waters with a suspending 17MR or 27MR MirrOlure MirrOdine. Finally, in the heat of the day, I’ll target deep sand holes ranging from 5 to 8 feet of water around turtle grass patches with the CAL Jig with a Shad Tail or a MirrOlure Lil’ John. I’m finding trout, redfish, and a few flounder in the sand holes on the edges of the grass.

FRESHWATER

It’s been a slow process as much of the rain we have had recently has been moving quickly without dropping a lot of rain in a single area. Lake levels, however, are slowly beginning to rise, but still have a long way to go. Fish kills have been noted in several areas. The likelihood of the cause is oxygen deprivation. Retention ponds that get a direct influx of runoff from roads may have other issues that result in a fish kill. Regardless of the cause, always report fish kills to the FWC at the Fish Kill Hotline at (800) 636-0511. ‘ Til then…I’ll catch ya later!

Capt. Ray Markham
RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM
(941)228-3474
www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

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June 28-30 Report

While the first days of summer swept in last week, we continue to feel summer-like weather into the 90s. Coming off last Friday’s full moon, anglers had good action from the beaches to the horizon.

We celebrate our country’s Independence Day next week. Before getting on the water, double-check your safety equipment and be sure everything is up to snuff. The FWC and other enforcement agencies will be on the water July 4-6 to ensure that boaters are not under the influence of alcohol or drugs. You can plan on being boarded for inspection of safety equipment, your catch if you are fishing, proper licensing, and checked for BUI. For more information, go to https://www.nasbla.org/operationdrywater/home.

OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE

The occasional scamp grouper is being caught well offshore. Guys running well beyond the 120-foot mark are crushing the red grouper. Red grouper season closes at the end of the day on June 30 and won’t reopen until January 1, 2025, so get ‘em while you can. Red snapper fishing has been exceptional and will run until the end of the day on August 27th. With last week’s full moon, big mangrove snapper were caught offshore by anglers fishing on the party boat out of Hubbard’s Marina. Anglers working in nearshore and inshore waters also caught plenty of mangos, but they were typically much smaller in size. Good numbers of lane, vermilion, and yellowtail snappers are being caught along with porgies, and almaco jacks. Mutton snapper and African pompano are doable but not always in the catch. Pelagics are running well offshore where water temperatures are moderate for blackfin tuna, kingfish, wahoo, as well as sailfish. Cobia have been caught all over, from deep water wrecks offshore to nearshore and inshore waters.

A hearty group of bluewater anglers follows the direction of the LOOP Current as it moves into the Gulf of Mexico and up the coast from the Keys. This current comes from around the southern tip of Florida up into the Gulf bringing some cooler water and along with it, billfish. Over the years, anglers fishing the LOOP Current have caught sailfish. blue marlin, white marlin, swordfish, and a variety of other species. But often, anglers fishing roughly 70 miles or so from shore will run into wahoo and dolphin and more in the current as it approaches our coast over the next few months. This year’s 53rd Annual Old Salt Loop Billfish & Offshore Fishing Tournament will be held September 11-15, 2024.

INSHORE

It’s been a hot mangrove snapper bite in Tampa Bay over the past couple of weeks for anglers targeting these tasty fish. They seem to be on just about every piece of structure in the bay ranging from 4 to 45-foot depths. Hard bottom, rock piles, and artificial reefs have good numbers of these fish. Live shrimp and imitation shrimp like the DOA 2.75 or 3 inch Shrimp, and small jigs like the CAL Shad produce good numbers of these fish.

The snook bite has been crazy at night. Capt. Dave Pomerleau and his clients have been racking up big numbers of hefty snook around the passes and other spawning locations.

Trout have been hitting around the top of the tide and the first of the outgoing in depths ranging from 5 to 8 feet of water around Pinellas Point and Fort DeSoto. TTR26 MirrOlures and 28MR MirrOlure MirrOdines have been meat-getters. Slow-sinking lures get down to the strike zone, making them super effective.

The redfish bite has been a little on the slow side in some areas lately with the hot weather, but for anglers working the mangrove-lined shorelines with cut or live pinfish or ladyfish, it’s been paying off. Capt. Bucky Goldman of Westchase has done well in the north end of Tampa Bay catching redfish, snook, trout, and a few other species. Patience has been a key to catching fish.

FRESHWATER

Rainstorms passing through the region have helped drop temperatures in many of the small lakes and ponds. However, there are still a lot of lakes that are not seeing rain, and lake levels have dropped radically. Fish kills have been reported in some areas with tilapia and bass turning belly up from lack of oxygen. If you see a fish kill, report it to the Fish Kill Hotline at (800) 636-0511.

Panfish are still active in some of the deeper lakes. Early in the day, you will find them around the shorelines. If you have clear access to the shore, a fly rod is a great tool for catching bream. Using small poppers or foam spiders on #8 or #10 hooks will get the job done. Live crickets or grass shrimp also work well on a long cane pole. Give it a try for some great-eating fish. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!

Capt. Ray Markham
RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM
(941)228-3474
www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

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June 21-24 Report

This full moon weekend will be loaded with fishing options. Good moving water inshore makes for exceptional snook and tarpon fishing. Offshore anglers choosing to use the cool of the night can find some mangrove snapper that will be eager to chew.

OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE

Much of this week has been too windy for most anglers to get offshore unless they like a little spotty weather. Winds ranging from 15 to 25 mph with gusts over 30 mph have been felt much of the week with brief weather windows for some nearshore action. Although it was still bumpy, a few hearty souls made it out to do a little bottom-dropping for some mangrove snapper with good results. This Friday’s full moon might fire up mangos and red snapper alike. If the seas settle and the wind machine stops, vermilions and yellowtails could also be in the catch.

Some terrific catches of red grouper and red snapper were reported early in the week aboard the party boats out of Hubbard’s Marina where they took advantage of the weather window at the last part of the weekend. Red grouper remain open through the end of June. Big mangrove snapper along with yellowtails, porgies, a few almaco jacks, some pelagics with some chicken dolphin, a big wahoo, some good action with cobia, and some recent catches of sailfish.

INSHORE

Good action with snook despite the breezy conditions was seen this week. Most of the action was by wade fishers or anglers fishing from docks, piers, bridges, jetties, and the shore. Strong easterly winds kept seas flat along the beaches for anglers attempting to catch snook in the surf. Good numbers were caught and released from Sarasota to Anclote Key by anglers using live shrimp, an assortment of jigs, and slow-sinking plugs.

Trout fishing was very good late in the day with the falling tide around Fort Desoto where several anglers reported the action while wade fishing using DOA Shrimp and DOA Deadly Combos when drifting with the outgoing current. On this full moon, we can expect a flush of shrimp moving out into the Gulf to spawn. Most passes will see a lot of shrimp right around sunset and into the night. A lantern, headlamp, and a dip net with a bucket can make for a fun night of catching some delicious shrimp for cocktails or dinner. Bunces Pass Channel offers some wadable areas and along the flats near the channels. Be aware that you could have company with the number of sharks that are present along the coast. A recreational fishing license, either resident or non-resident is required unless exempt. Individuals can take 5 gallons of head-on shrimp per harvester per day. A possession limit of no more than 5 gallons, head-on, per vessel at any time is allowed regardless of the number of people onboard. For a full list of restrictions and allowable harvest of shrimp, go to myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/shrimp/.

Anglers targeting redfish should have some success this weekend on the incoming tide while hitting the oyster bars, particularly around mangrove shorelines where large mangroves overhang the water. Before the tide gets too high, when you can still skip lures and baits up under the bushes where there is shade, this might be your optimal location for catching some nice redfish. Live pinfish, shrimp, or cut pinfish will work well. Artificial shrimp such as the DOA Shrimp, Savage Gear Mantic Shrimp, or other soft plastic imitation shrimp will work well with these fish here. The object is to make sure you turn the fish and get them out of the bushes before they do their basket-weaving trick with your line.

Tarpon action should be good through the weekend unless winds kick up out of the west.

FRESHWATER

Water temperatures in some areas have dropped a bit over the past week with localized rainfall. Some lakes have seen a drop of as much as 8 degrees or more, contributing to more oxygenated water. This has been like a shot in the arm for bass. They have been more active and aggressive early in the day but continue to seek shady areas with cooler temperatures in the heat of the day. It’s still worth your time to get out and give it a try either early or late in the day.

‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!

Capt. Ray Markham
RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM
(941)228-3474
www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

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June 14-16 Report

Weather predictions have been right and wrong but they are what they are, educated guesses with no guarantee of accuracy. Looking at this week’s predictions, I would have had a hard time stepping outside without getting wet. But when I sit listening to thunder rumble and turn on the radar to see where it’s raining, it nearly always seems to be by-passing around where I am. We desperately need rain to fill lakes and ponds, cool down land masses, and lower water temperatures.

OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE

Fishing has been on fire in the Gulf of Mexico for those making it out between storms. Captain Jason Stock who runs his Yellowfin out of Anna Maria has had his hands full with his anglers pulling in red snapper, red grouper, mangrove snapper, a stray mutton snapper, some yellowtails, and a bull shark. It’s not uncommon for anglers to catch permit, African pompano, amberjacks or a plethora of other species when Stock targets them.

In St. Petersburg, Captain Brian Morgan of Captain Morgan’s Fishing Adventures out of Marine Max has been loading the fish box with some big American red snapper, scamp grouper, red grouper, mangrove snapper, and more. It’s been a consistent rod-bending experience almost daily with Capt. Morgan.

For the third consecutive year, Hubbard’s Marina has been awarded USA Today’s Reader’s Choice Best Fishing Charter in the country. The party boats running out of has consistently provided an excellent experience for locals and snowbirds alike since 1928 when Captain Wilson Hubbard founded the business, then in Pass-A-Grille, and now out of John’s Pass. Their knowledgeable captains and staff are dedicated to making the fishing experience top-notch. Where else can you get the best burger on the Gulf when you’re 60 miles offshore?

The West Central Region is blessed to have businesses like Hubbard’s Marina as well as hundreds of other fantastic charter fishing businesses that humbly make Florida the Fishing Capital of the World.

INSHORE

Slower tides this weekend could slow the action of ambush predators. With more rainfall, area waters will be cooler, which could invigorate fish. In some areas water temperature could drop as much as 10 degrees, oxygenating the water. Baitfish and predators alike will find areas that are the most comfortable. Look for signs of diving birds, jumping mullet, and surface feeding activity. The early morning hours remain the most productive but days with overcast skies are also productive, particularly for topwater and suspending lures for trout, snook, and redfish.

The upper end of Tampa Bay has been holding fair numbers of redfish and snook around Big Island and the Gandy Bridge. Tarpon have been showing up on the west side of the bay near the airport, Allen’s Creek, and the Bayside Bridge.

Large black drum have been caught around the Gandy Bridge at night. Drum up to 30 pounds and more have been caught by anglers using cut blue crabs around the pilings.

Anglers fishing just off the beaches in 15 to 25 feet of water have caught Spanish mackerel, spotted seatrout, whiting, sheepshead, flounder, and some pompano on both live shrimp and Doc’s Goofy Jigs.

Tarpon action on the beaches continues to be very good with multiple hook-ups being reported by most anglers using live blue crabs or threadfin herring early and late in the day. During the mid-day hours, cut bait has been out-producing live bait where anglers are chumming.

FRESHWATER

Finally, the West Central Region is seeing some rainfall. We will still need more rain to get us out of the drought conditions we have been in for months. Local lakes and ponds are beginning to rise to more normal levels, allowing fish to spread out in them. The cooler water temperatures will make fish more active. Rains will wash insects into the lakes and ponds, making this an excellent time for fly fishing. Hand-tied flies can be made to imitate spiders, crickets, works, and other forage almost identically with the right materials. Local fly clubs such as the Suncoast Fly Fishers in St. Petersburg and the Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers in Sarasota offer hands-on instruction by some of their members who are skilled at fly-tying. Tying these imitations can lead to catching some big bass and panfish with a fly rod. Give it a try and you might find a new sport to occupy your time. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!

Capt. Ray Markham
RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM
(941)228-3474
www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

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June 7-9 Report

Thursday’s new moon on the 6th will have some serious influences on our tides, making for 3.6 feet of water dropping on the afternoon outgoing tides. It might make it tough for bottom fishing offshore, but inshore fishing will likely explode.

OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE

American Red Snapper have been on the minds and lips of anglers up and down the coast and the fishing has been exceptionally good. It was bumpy when the season reopened last Saturday, but it seems some anglers may have found a sick day or three over the following week. The closing of amberjack and triggerfish shifts the fishing effort to other fish that are open and red snapper are in high demand. Red grouper remains open through the end of June.

The boats out of Hubbard’s Marina at John’s Pass are seeing increasing numbers and sizes of mangrove snapper showing up in almost all depths they are fishing. We should see an influx of mangos as they move in shallow depths to spawn over the next month or so. The average size for mangos inshore is around 12 to 13 inches. From there and beyond these fish increase in size to about 8 pounds beyond 100 feet. Live shrimp are a top mangrove snapper bait, but almost everything will eat live shrimp. Red grouper have been holding between 80 and 100 feet for their 10-hour trips, according to Capt. Dylan Hubbard. Add vermilion, yellowtail, and lane snapper, porgies, white grunts, and almaco jacks to the box and they are coming in with a nice mix of fish. There’s always a shot at a cobia, some blackfin tuna, wahoo, mahi mahi, or even a sailfish this time of year.

Capt. Jason Stock, of Anna Maria, fishing onboard The Full Send, took some of the boys from Power Pole out fishing and shooting some video of catch and release fishing for goliath grouper, permit, amberjack, and tarpon. Stock noted that they took some terrific video of a large school of tarpon while on the trip. Permit to about 25-pounds were caught and released. African pompano are another species targeted with success by Stock.

INSHORE

It’s still a tarpon game for most anglers hitting the water. An early morning pre-dawn bite and a late afternoon/ early evening bite might be top times to target these fish this weekend with the stronger tides occurring a few days on either side of Thursday’s new moon. Look for pass crabs, calicos, and blue crabs rigged on a 6/0 to 8/0 circle hook to be the go-to baits. Mid-day fishing can be good floating a threadfin herring or at night soaking a dead shad on the bottom. Top spots have been around the passes and along the beaches with the Skyway Bridge and Bean Point being productive areas to fish. Bunces Pass on the outside has also been good.

Artificial bait users have done well with the DOA Trolling Model Baitbuster and the new Super Heavy Trolling Model Baitbuster, depending on the depth you’re fishing. Also in the deeper waters off the beaches the 65MRFGO  or 65M11 MirrOlures have been productive. I personally like the MirrOlure Catch 2000 with stouter hooks for tarpon while fishing shallow beach areas up to about 8 feet of water.

Anglers have been searching for cobia recently that have been following rays in the bay. Look for them along sand bars where you might find crabs that will get sucked up off the bottom where cobia can get them.

Trout fishing has been fair-to-good lately in the cooler hours of the day. Work the shallows early with a topwater lure like the MirrOlure Top Dog or the Berkley Drift Walker 90 in depths ranging from 2 to 4 feet. As the sun gets higher in the sky, move deeper to between 6 and 8 feet of water using either jigs or slow-sinking lures such as the TTR26 MirrOlure or the 28MR18 MirrOdine.

Snook fishing remains good for catch-and-release action in the passes and around spoil islands and barrier islands from Sarasota to Anclote Key. Whitebait has been the key for some anglers fishing live baits, but larger jerk baits like the 5.5 Jerk bait from DOA has been a hot lure rigged with a 3/0 or 4/0 circle hook or live bait hook in the nose of the lure. Ambush points have been hot spots for this lure. When the tides get ripping this weekend, dock lights will hold snook, reds, and trout, and few lures will work better than a 3-inch DOA Shrimp drifted in the current.

FRESHWATER

Bass are getting a bit more sluggish as temperatures rise. Very little rain has been seen in much of the West Central for a few weeks and it appears we won’t see much this weekend either. However, if you are an early riser you can drop a canoe, kayak, or jon boat in many of the local lakes with a trolling motor or paddle and a fly rod and probably catch your limit of panfish on foam spiders, or small poppers with #8 hooks. Key in on shady spots with some grass beds and look for fanned-out areas in the shallows where you might still find some spawning panfish. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!

Capt. Ray Markham
RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM
(941)228-3474
www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

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May 30-June 2 Report

Relatively calm seas and lots of sunny weather have been on tap, along with the heat. Mid-to-upper 90s air temperatures at mid-week remind us that summer is just a few weeks away. It’s time to bring extra water to stay hydrated. I’ve already been hearing about anglers having issues with the heat. Whenever you plan to spend the day on the water, it’s best to begin drinking lots of water the night before and leave the alcohol out to help prevent dehydration. Saturday, June 1 begins hurricane season. Preparing and making plans as the season begins is never too early.

OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE

Just over a week ago, the Coastal Conservation Association deployed a new artificial reef in the gulf called the “Rhodan Reef.” The structures for this reef range in height from 2 to 5 feet and will provide greater habitat diversity while attracting vast species of fish and appealing more to recreational anglers. The reef site is located offshore five miles west of Anna Maria Island at approximately 27.515400, -82.817100. While it takes time for fish to gather around new reefs, once marine growth begins to form fish will come explore the new habitat. They are usually excellent spots for attracting baitfish and once they take up residence it’s game-on for predators. The vast expanses of artificial reefs from Sarasota to Tarpon Springs provide terrific opportunities for nearshore fishing for smaller boats limited in range from 1 to about 30 miles offshore, attracting hundreds of species of fish and a plethora of marine life.

A few changes in regulations will occur June 1 that may influence your weekend game plan. Greater amberjacks will be closed from June 1 through the end of July in state and federal waters. Cobia don’t have a closure in the gulf, but as a reminder, to be legal, they must be a minimum of 36 inches to the fork of the tail in both state and federal waters, with a daily bag limit of one per person or two per vessel, whichever is less. A good number of these fish have been caught recently by tarpon anglers. Cobia have been mixed in with the tarpon schools since both tarpon and cobia love eating crabs. The strong outgoing tides surrounding the full moon flushed out crabs, shrimp, and other forage that these fish lined up to chew.

The recreational harvest of gray triggerfish closes June 1 and reopens August 1 in Gulf state and federal waters. Anglers still have until July 1 to harvest red grouper in Gulf state and federal waters.

Offshore fishing has been good this week with lighter winds and calmer seas. Anglers getting well offshore in depths over 100 to 150 feet have found floating grass and a few chicken dolphin. Offshore tide rips that ran around last Thursday’s full moon triggered stronger currents, creating trails of seagrass beds that attract baitfish and dolphin that feed on them. Small flashy jigs and an assortment of other lures work well on these fish.

INSHORE

The action on the water was almost as hot as the temperature this week. Tarpon fishing has been on fire and some scorching action is blowing up along the coast. Big schools of fish have been along the beaches as well as in some of their usual haunts for this time of year. Some of the hot spots have been the beaches at Point O Rocks down in Sarasota, New Pass, Longboat Pass, Passage Key, Bean Point, Bunces Pass, Blind Pass, and areas around the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. To the north, some big tarpon have been landed around the outside of Three Rooker Bar and Anclote Key. Up inside Tampa Bay, Port Manatee has had some fish as well as some areas in the upper bay. Over the next month, tarpon will get about as large as they get in pre-spawn conditions, and during the new and full moon weeks, some will head out into the Gulf during each period to spawn. Usually within a couple of weeks, fish will begin to return, although most will have lost weight during the spawn. Fish will be hungry and ready to eat when they return.

Catch and release snook fishing has been pretty strong lately around the passes and the beaches. Good numbers are being caught in the surf to the south along Casey Key and north to Anna Maria. The islands around Port Manatee are seeing some spawning fish. To the north, snook have been staging up around Caladesi Island, Three Rooker Bar, and Honeymoon Island on the high outgoing tides.

Redfish have been caught in Sarasota Bay around the Ringling Flats, Long Bar and Sister’s Keys. Palma Sola Bay has been holding some nice redfish and trout. Many have been caught on white bait or cut pinfish. Artificial bait users have done well with MirrOlure MirrOdines, Q-8 Super Bait and CAL Jigs with Shad tails. The oyster bars in Perico Harbor have been holding redfish and snook on the high incoming tides. Anglers throwing MirrOlure Duke Dogs and Heddon Super Spook Jr’s have seen some action with these topwaters catching over-sized and mid-slot fish.

FRESHWATER

Little-to-no rain tends to stagnate lakes and ponds during the late spring and summer months, raising water temperatures and depleting dissolved oxygen necessary for fish’s survival. Some of the most productive ponds or lakes this time of year have pockets of deep water where sunlight doesn’t penetrate to the bottom or perimeters of the lakes that have large overhanging trees or shrubbery providing shade in shallow areas. Finding these lakes isn’t difficult, Using sonar when you’re looking for depth and running the edges lakes will show how much shade is available at different times of the day.

In the shallows, look for surface vegetation, such as lily pads or hydrilla that big bass seek to stay comfortable. This can pose slight difficulties while trying to fish these spots, but weedless spoons like the Eppinger Rex or Johnson Silver Minnow rigged with a trailer can slither through most of it. Texas-rigged worms with a heavy bullet weight can punch through thick hydrilla. A jig-and-pig combo is another effective one to use when trying to fish otherwise unfishable water. Weedless topwater frog baits and the weedless DOA PT-7 topwater walking lure can be hugely productive when fished in some of the heaviest cover. In the early morning or evening hours, a buzzbait can draw heart-thumping strikes from big bass.

There are numerous options for fishing late spring/ summer patterns. Choosing the lures that best fit your situation will put more fish in the boat. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!

Capt. Ray Markham
RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM
(941)228-3474
www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

May 24-26 Report

Extreme heat for this time of year is making area waters much warmer than normal. Heat advisories have been noted, and anyone on the water or outside should make an effort to stay hydrated. The possibility of heat stroke and other heat-related issues can kill. Proper hydration starts the night before getting on the water, and drinking plenty of water before and during your time on the water can ensure that you don’t have these issues.

OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE

Amberjacks and triggerfish close June 1. Red grouper continue to be open through the end of June. Red grouper have been caught in a wide variety of depths ranging from 80 feet to 150 feet and beyond. Live pinfish, cut squid, and a few other baits have been getting the attention of some big red grouper.

Capt. Dylan Hubbard reports good action on their party boats out of Juhn’s Pass at Madeira Beach with mangrove snapper. Cut threadfins are working well on double-snelled rigs beyond 100 feet. Inside 100 feet of water live shrimp have been top baits. Their 12-hour extreme trips and 39-hour offshore trips are producing some big mangos and good numbers of vermilion snapper. Hubbard also says pelagics, like kingfish, tuna, wahoo, and cobia are around along with the possibility of billfish. Porgies and almaco jacks along with a few yellowtail snapper, lanes, and grunts are being caught.

Nearshore waters are seeing temperatures rise and along with it, Spanish mackerel and kingfish are thinning out as they go deeper and more north. Hogfish action also continues but has been slower.

Anglers running the beaches early in the morning are finding a few tripletail around the swim buoys and whatever flotsam they can find.

INSHORE

Tarpon are king right now on the beaches and around the bay bridges. This weekend’s full moon will create some ripping outgoing tides in the late afternoons and early evenings. It’s a good bet that the majority of anglers will be floating pass crabs out the channel at Egmont Key and around Bean Point. Good numbers of tarpon are showing up along Sarasota Beaches from Siesta Key to Longboat.

Dock lights and bridge lights are holding trout and snook at night. Look for some big snook in the passes. Fly anglers and anglers tossing jigs, DOA Baitbusters,  and live baits around the bridge fenders are catching some breeder-size snook.

Some of the deep grass beds are producing some upper and over slot trout down around New Pass. Anglers are having excellent success using Q8 Super Baits that are sold at CB Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key. Big Sarasota Pass has produced a few pompano. Mangrove snapper, pompano, and black seabass along with a few nice trout and Spanish mackerel have been caught in lower Tampa Bay and Boca Ciega Bay on Doc’s Goofy Jigs, and DOA TerrorEyz.

Terry Lee Gillingham of St. Pete. picked up some nice mangrove snapper while fishing around John’s Pass. Other anglers fishing there reported catching whiting, an occasional pompano, and trout and snook around the dock lights while fishing live shrimp. The islands and oyster bars inside the pass have been producing a few snook and some fat redfish on the new Berkley Stick Shadd 90 floating hard bait. The baitfish imitation is perfect for this area around the shallows and mangroves where the reds and snook have been feeding on scaled sardines in the area.

Good numbers of trout are being caught from Clearwater Pass to Anclote Key by anglers fishing a multitude of artificial lures and live shrimp. The shrimp fished under popping corks has been very effective around the spoil islands for both trout and a few redfish. Areas around the grass patches in 5 to 7 feet of water are holding trout to 3 pounds and have been caught on 28M MirrOdines as well as TTR 26 MirrOlures. Anglers jigging with the DOA Deadly Tandem rigs are whacking trout two at a time.

FRESHWATER

The lack of rain continues to heat up area lakes and ponds, driving fish to deeper areas with shade. Early morning efforts of anglers working the eastern sides of lakes in Pinellas where overhanging trees and vegetation are shaded are finding some decent action on big bass while flipping black and blue worms.

Lake shores may still be holding panfish that have been fanning beds and spawning. The Berkley Powerbait Gilly that imitates a small bluegill or other panfish have been devastating to bass that have been feeding on panfish that are on the beds. Rigged with an EWG worm hook this lure perfectly imitates this forage and will put a bend in your rod and a smile on your face. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!

Capt. Ray Markham
RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM
(941)228-3474
www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

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PREVIOUS REPORTS

May 17-19 Report

With some rain predicted toward the weekend, a slight cooling of area waters can invigorate fish inshore, leading to a good bite. Offshore anglers will have to pay close attention to weather buoys offshore to ensure that conditions warrant safe fishing. With Memorial Day approaching on May 27th, it’s a good idea to double-check all your safety equipment on your boat such as the dates on your flares and fire extinguishers, PFD’s and their serviceability, anchors, lights, horns, etc. Many boats will be boarded for safety equipment checks during this Memorial Day holiday weekend by FWC and Sheriff’s Marine Units. If you are uncertain of your safety equipment, call your local Coast Gard Auxillary and request a complimentary safety inspection.

OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE

It seems no matter where you go, you could be in the midst of some great action. The West Central Region has seen some good weather at times and those times have been productive for anglers getting out. Amberjacks have been chewing and now that the season is open, anglers are taking advantage of it and getting plenty of exercise catching these hefty brawlers. Most boats are finding limits of these fish as well as permit, blackfin tuna, mangrove, lane, vermilion, and yellowtail snappers when the seas allow.  Red grouper are also in the catch with some really fat ones coming from depths ranging from 100 to 130 feet west-southwest of Pinellas.

While stone crab traps are mostly out of the water now, tripletail are still around. It may take some time looking around but finding some floating debris or objects offshore or in nearshore waters might be the key to finding some tripletail right now. Running the swim buoys along the beaches can be productive early in the day before boat traffic and swimmers get out. Live shrimp rigged under a popping cork might be your best bet for live bait, but a small jig such as a DOA TerrorEyz or artificial shrimp suspended under a cork will also work well. The TerrorEyz suspends and sits horizontally under the cork and looks natural.

There are still plenty of Spanish mackerel along the beaches and up inside Tampa Bay. You’ll find them wherever you can locate bait pods. The occasional flash of bait on the surface can indicate Spanish that are actively feeding and forcing the bait to the surface. Just off the beaches, you may still find plenty of kingfish. Some may be seen skyrocketing into the air while chasing bait. Trolling Huntington Drone spoons with a trace of wire leader will get bit. Spoons come in a variety of sizes, Choose the size that best resembles the size of bait you’re seeing. You can also Sabiki up bait to use live bait. Catching some blue runners will be a bonus bait for big kings. Slow-troll them as slowly as you can go and hang on with a light drag set.

INSHORE

Size and bag limits for trout seem to be working in our West Central Region. We have been seeing multiple-year classes of fish, and most recently anglers are catching some much larger over-slot gator trout in the mid to upper 20-inch range. Careful handling and releasing these over-slot fish will ensure that these big breeders can produce plenty of fish for next season. On days when water turbidity is present, the DOA Deadly combo works very well along the channel edges heading out to Fort Desoto and Pass-A-Grille. Good numbers of trout are being caught in Sarasota Bay as well just inside Longboat Pass around Jewfish Key and Sister’s Key. TTR26 MirrOlures and 27MR MirrOdines have been hot lures in the area. An early morning topwater bite can fire up with the MirrOlure Duke Dog around Long Bar in Sarasota Bay for trout and redfish. Fishing jigs on the drop-offs for trout and pompano. Doc’s Goofy Jigs have been a consistent producer here as well as along the beaches in 15-to20 feet of water just outside Blind Pass for whiting, trout, pompano, and Spanish mackerel. Similar action can be had around Anclote Key where some larger trout have been caught recently. Honeymoon Island has been holding some nice reds and snook. Tides will be a bit slower this weekend so work passes or pinch-point areas where water movement might be best.

Anglers fishing Joe Bay just north of the Skyway are finding some nice snook, redfish, bluefish, and trout. Tarpon have been plentiful from Port Manatee down to the Bulkhead and at Bean Point. Good action with poons on dead baits fished on the bottom for many anglers have them securing some ladyfish, mullet, or other bait to cut and fish on the bottom. But for anglers tossing artificial lures, skip the natural bait and the hassle of catching and keeping it alive and go with the DOA Trolling Model Baitbuster, especially around the Skyway Bridge and areas off Rattlesnake Key, and Emerson Point. Don’t overwork this lure. Allow it to sit in the current with minimal movement other than an occasional raising of the rod tip slowly and letting the lure fall if you are working depths ranging up to 20-to 40 feet. HANG ON! Big fish will nail it on the drop.

FRESHWATER

We’re finally getting some rain this week, which will likely cool area ponds and lakes down a bit. Water temperatures were getting too warm for this time of year, but fish were enjoying the temporary cool down. Bass will get active early in the day and around sunset with topwater lures like the Rebel Pop-R, chuggers, and prop baits like the Devil’s Horse.

Bluegill and other assorted panfish get active this time of year around the edges of lakes, ponds, and rivers. Crickets, grasshoppers, worms, grubs, and assorted fly imitations will fill a cooler quickly with bass and these scrappy panfish. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later.

Capt. Ray Markham
RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM
(941)228-3474
www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

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May 9-12 Report

Coming off the new moon this week we’ve seen some brisk tides and good action inshore and near shore for tarpon and snook. There’s been a consistent bite offshore as well. Look for some action around the major and minor solunar periods.

OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE

It’s been a potpourri of fish being caught offshore and in nearshore waters. Amberjacks, limits of red grouper, mangrove, lane, yellowtail, and vermilion snappers, porgies, kingfish, Spanish mackerel, hogfish, Almaco jacks, cobia, blackfin tuna, and permit have all been caught along with sailfish thrown in for good measure. To say that the Gulf of Mexico is hot would be an understatement with some great fishing. There is something at just about any depth you choose to fish, and with greater amberjacks now open, there is another target to aim for.

Concentrating on small ledges and breaks will often be more productive than the big relief that everyone seems to fish. These small ledges will hold fish that get overlooked by anglers who are running at speed while heading offshore. If you didn’t spend some time targeting tripletail and watching your bottom machine in the process and don’t already have a big book full of numbers of some great spots to fish, you might be SOL. When stone crab season was open, crabbers would drop traps on hard bottom—the same bottom that grouper, snapper, and others tend to hang around. An easy way of getting some productive areas to fish is to mark areas around where these traps are located during the season. You only have about 5 or so months more to wait for the next stone crab season to open.

INSHORE

I don’t know if you can say tarpon are an inshore or nearshore species. I guess it just depends on where you find ‘em and they are scattered everywhere from several miles offshore, to the beaches, and way up inside Tampa Bay. Juvenile poons can be found in brackish water up rivers and in many ponds adjacent to bays. These fish have been hugely active this week as we come off the new moon this past Tuesday. Excellent moving water late in the days has been flushing some crabs and shrimp out of the bays where tarpon are waiting to chew. The Skyway Bridge has seen a lot of action for anglers soaking dead shad on the bottom. Technically these baitfish are menhaden, but lots of locals call them shad. On the Atlantic coast, some call them bunker or pogies. But knowing exactly what you are fishing with can mean the difference between a hot bite or one that’s on the cool side. These fish have preferences of what they eat at times and in some cases, the tide and where they are located dictate what they eat.

Catch-and-release snook fishing has been productive. Two areas to target right now will be around and in passes, and along the beaches just outside the passes. Walking the beaches in the morning before the bathers get out might get you a fish or two, but the early morning sun being low on the horizon will make sight-fishing snook in the surf difficult. As the sun gets higher in the sky these fish become much easier to see in the surf. Remember, if you can see them, chances are they can see you as well, so it’s always best to keep a low profile. Casting to these fish is as easy as casting to the area where the water meets the sand. This is where you’ll find sand fleas when a wave laps up on the shore. This is one forage that snook are seeking here along with small baitfish. Fly anglers can do very well fishing for snook. Many of the small baitfish found in the surf are too small to cast with a spinning rod, and using small glass minnow patterns will work exceptionally well here. But anglers tossing lightweight jigs like a 1/8th oz. jig head with a CAL Shad soft plastic body on a spinning rod will work well. A 2500 or 3000-size spinning reel with a 10-to-15-pound braid and 25-pound mono leader will handle average size snook that you’ll find in the surf.

Pompano are still being caught up and down the coast near passes and along sand bars. Doc’s Goofy Jigs have been the top pomp-getter with yellow, pink, and orange colors being top producers. Anglers working deeper areas of passes are doing well with DOA TerrorEyz lures with 3/8 oz. heads. Gold, root beer/ gold glitter, and golden bream colors have been effective.

Trout fishing in the northern reaches of the West Central Region has been very good, with anglers catching mid-twenty-inch trout using MirrOlure MirrOdines during the day and in low light conditions, topwater lures like the 7MRS MirrOlure or the new MirrOlure Duke Dog walk-the-dog style lure. The spoil islands that run from Dunedin to Anclote Key have been holding some nice specks.

Redfish populations have not been that great in the area, however, some areas hold small schools of fish. Weedon Island has some slot fish if you like boat traffic, but just north of that south of Gandy in Master’s Bayou, you can find some reds in the backwaters that are in a sheltered area that’s fishable even on windy days. Gold spoons like the Eppinger Rex Spoon have been effective.

FRESHWATER

Bream fishing might be thought of as a sport for kids, but in reality, there are some feisty bream, bluegill, shellcrackers, and other panfish that put up a pretty good fight on a cane pole, a fly rod, or on ultra-light gear. Small lures like those from Roadrunner that might be used for crappie will also work well here. For fly rods, tiny poppers, foam spiders, worms, and other insect patterns work well.

While some may not look at panfishing as a challenge, all fishing doesn’t have to be a challenge, but for all, it can be relaxing. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!

Capt. Ray Markham
RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM
(941)228-3474
www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

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May 3-5 Report

You just can’t beat Mother Nature. Her wind machine just doesn’t ever seem to run out of power. Windy conditions have made it difficult for many anglers to get on the water. But diehard tournament anglers have thrown caution to the wind to take a chance on winning some big bucks or prizes.

OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE

Kingfish was the name of the game anglers this past weekend were playing. In windy conditions with gusts over 25 knots, 436 teams challenged the weather to compete for money and prizes in the 31st Annual Old Salt Spring King of the Beach Tournament. Overall, the sizes of fish were smaller than anticipated, with the top five fish in the 40+ pound class and the next 12 in the 30-pound class, but good numbers of fish were weighed in in both the kingfish and Spanish mackerel events. In the overall division, the winning team was Captain Bob Strawhecker’s Wood Butcher with a 49.20-pound kingfish to take this tournament’s crown for the 31st Annual Spring King of the Beach winners. The Traveling Angler division saw two 40-pound class fish. The Single Engine winner, Ryleigh Ann had a 42.87-pound king, and the Ladies Division winner was All Jacked Up with a 43.48-pound king. High Activity managed to top the scales in the Youth Division with a 22.08-pound kingfish. In the Spanish Mackerel Division, there were several 4-pound class fish, but Simply Hooked took the top honors with a 4.98-pound Spanish mackerel.

Fishing well offshore, anglers on the long-range trip out of Hubbard’s Marina saw some rough weather, particularly on the trip back in with a strong headwind and uncomfortable seas, but the group of anglers who braved the weather managed to bring home some decent catches of a variety of fish. Red grouper, porgies, mangrove snapper, lane, and vermilion snappers were in the catch. Due to the sea conditions trolling for kings, wahoo, tune, or anything else was out of the question. Much lighter winds are predicted for this coming weekend along with some calmer seas.

May 2nd stone crab season closes, which means that traps will begin getting pulled from the water over the next few days. Those portable fish attractors will be gone, and tripletail that would hang on these will be looking for other types of flotsam or surface structures to hang on. Look for things that have marine growth to hold these fish. Channel markers, bell buoys, and swim buoys should not be overlooked as potential attractors for tripletail.

INSHORE

Even with the breezy conditions, anglers have been finding areas that are protected enough to catch feeding fish. Trout seem to turn on in windy weather. Noisy surface plugs like MirrOlures with rattles, propellers, flash, or with some exceptional action can trigger strikes from big trout. Areas around Fort Desoto and Bunces Pass have produced some slot-sized trout pretty regularly for the past several weeks. Areas near the passes are holding snook. Snook will also hit the same lures during periods of inclement weather but may also go for soft plastic lures like the CAL Shad or DOA Shrimp. These lures will work well in areas where there is some cleaner deep water where snook may hang closer to the bottom. Anglers fishing in calmer areas may find suspending lures like the MirrOlure MirrOdine effective.

As we get toward the week’s end, we should see some calmer weather.  Sunday, tides will begin to pick up as we approach the new moon on Tuesday, May 7th. This will make for some optimal tides for tarpon, snook, trout, redfish, and most any inshore fish. If you’re a night fisherman, fish can be actively feeding on the night of the full moon.

This tends to slow the morning bite because fish will not be hungry right away. The afternoon outgoing tide about 2/3 of the way down and approaching sunset, I have found to be consistently productive around that minor solunar period.

FRESHWATER

If you missed out on the crappie bite, it doesn’t mean you should stop fishing. Bass are off the beds, and crappie fishing has indeed slowed, but bass in their post-spawn are ravenous. Anglers are catching some mighty big largemouth bass lately throughout Florida. Shellcrackers, bluegill, and many other panfish are on the beds and chewing like crazy. Capt. Angie Douthit, who guides on Lake Okeechobee says the bluegill and bass bite has been stellar. Bluegill are spawning in the shallows and will continue throughout the summer and into early fall. She says if you want to avoid the summer heat, now’s the time to book your fall trip on the Big O for some memorable action with trophy bass, and constant action with bluegill with either live bait or artificial lures. She does it all. For a fun time on the water Capt. Douthit may be reached at (863) 226-7263. Check out her website at www.southfloridabassfishing.com or on her Facebook page at facebook.com/southfloridabassfishing. ‘Til then… I’ll catch ya later!

Capt. Ray Markham
RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM
(941)228-3474
www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

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April 25-28 Report

Heading into the weekend with the Old Salt Spring King of the Beach Tournament on tap out of Madeira Beach, anglers can expect Easterly winds of about 10 to 15 knots with occasional gusts to 20 knots. It’s kingfish weather!

Other tournaments are underway and more are to come. The 90th annual Suncoast Tarpon Roundup is right around the corner for your planning in this esteemed tournament that is one of the longest running tournaments of its kind in the country.

OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE

If king fishing is your game, the nearshore waters might have perfect conditions for it this weekend. Predicted Easterly winds will lay seas down near shore making for some nice slow trolling of big live baits. The event kicks off Thursday night at 200 Rex Place in Madeira Beach with the anticipation of more than 500 boats entering the tournament for king and Spanish mackerel.

By executive order, FWC will reopen greater amberjack for recreational harvest in state waters of the Gulf of Mexico from May 1 through May 31 consistent with the federal season.

If you plan to fish for greater amberjack or other specific reef fish species in Gulf state or federal waters from a private recreational vessel, you must sign up for the State Reef Fish Angler Designation (annual renewal is required). As a State Reef Fish Angler, you could be selected to receive a mail survey component of the State Reef Fish Survey.  By participating in the State Reef Fish Survey, you are improving recreational data that is used to provide optimum recreational fishing opportunities in Florida. To learn more about the State Reef Fish Survey, visit MyFWC.com/SRFS or sign up today for your no-cost designation at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.

Offshore waters are working some magic with pelagics like wahoo and blackfin tunas being caught. Sailfish have also been in the mix according to reports. It’s that time of year, and the action is only heating up. Water temperatures and fish migrations are getting right for bluewater trips in the 120 to 200+ foot range.

Mangrove, vermilion, and lane snappers are all being caught along with some porgies. Lots of red grouper continue to hit the decks as well, with the larger fish out beyond 100 feet coming up on live pinfish and a combo of sardines and squid.

INSHORE

It might be worth a last-ditch effort to bag a snook before the season closes at the end of the day on April 30. These fish have been feeding heavily in preparation for the spawn which they will be undergoing throughout the summer months right up through September. Passes, points, and areas with good water flow with baitfish present will be your best bet for catching a legal fish. Only one fish is permitted per angler between 28 and 33 inches on the Gulf Coast. Thursday and Friday this week will have the best tides for snook fishing. Late afternoon, the outgoing tide level is predicted to drop about 3 feet in the Tampa Bay area. It varies up and down the coast, so check your local tides. Lures like the new Berkley High Jacker, MirrOlure MirrOdine, and the DOA TerrorEyz are all proven snook lures. Boat docks with lights and lighted bridge fenders will attract snook, trout, and others. When fishing the passes, jigs that get to the bottom and some of the heavier DOA Baitbusters and Swimming Mullet are the ticket to catching some monster linesiders that live to feast on the bottom. Heavier tackle like 50-to 65-pound test braid with 50-to 80-pound leader might be required to get some of these big fish away from the structure they hang around.

Good trout action continues from Sarasota to Anclote Key in water depths ranging from a foot to 4 or 5 feet wherever you find grass patches, potholes, and some water flow. The DOA Shrimp is exceptional for trout, especially when drifted with the current.

Redfish, bluefish, and cobia have shown up on the flats sporadically. If you can find some mullet schools, you might find redfish. Bluefish seem to be wherever you find bait schools. Cobia have been seen following rays on the flats, feeding on crabs, shrimp, or small baitfish kicked up by the ray’s wings.

90th ANNUAL SUNCOAST TARPON ROUNDUP

Celebrating 90 years of tarpon fever, the Suncoast Tarpon RoundUp will again kick off their charitable tournament series this year at the Harbor Master at Bay Pines Marina on May 4th. A separate Tune-Up Tournament will be held on May 18th. The Tournament series begins June 8 with two legs plus the Finale Day winding up on July 20th. An additional Legacy Tour runs from June 30th through July 6th. The event also has a Juniors Tournament. For more information, go to www.suncoasttarponroundup.org or text or call Tournament President, Dave Travis at (727) 639-7203.

FRESHWATER

Water temperature in lakes, ponds, and even in rivers in some areas is on the rise. Most bass have completed their spawning rituals. Bluegill are taking a turn. You’ll find spawning bluegills around the shallow perimeters of lakes and rivers where a small depression has been created by fish fanning their beds with their fins. This is a great time of year to catch some of these scrappy fish on ultra-light spinning or spin-casting gear. Small Roadrunner lures tailored for the crappie folks will find these small jigs perfect for a multitude of panfish as well as some chunky largemouth bass. Whatever you catch on ultralight gear you’ll find a bend in your rod and a scrappy fight on your hands. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!

Capt. Ray Markham
RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM
(941)228-3474
www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

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April 18-21 Report

Looking ahead toward the weekend, anglers can expect an increase in moving water brought about by the upcoming full moon next Tuesday, the 23rd. Snook are already flooding out of backcountry areas in preparation for the spawn. They will feed ravenously around this period.

OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE

Running well offshore to depths between 140 and 170 feet of water has been productive for anglers trolling for pelagics like wahoo and blackfin tuna. Nomad Lures, Rapalas, and several types of MirrOlures and Iland Lures have been productive. On the way out, anglers trolling LB Huntington Drone Spoons are catching a variety of fish from kingfish and Spanish to wahoo.

Bottom fishing has also been exceptional for red grouper, vermilion snapper, mangrove snapper, and a variety of other fish. While red grouper can be caught in depths typically starting at about 60 to 80 feet, larger fish are generally coming from depths of 100 feet and greater. A variety of baits are being eaten by bottom fish. Pinfish seem to always produce decent catches of fish, but threadfins, live shrimp, or frozen squid, and cut baits like cigar minnows, sardines, and others will all produce at the right time. Capt. Dylan Hubbard reported good numbers of big mangrove snapper weighing up to about 8 pounds on some recent trips on their party boats out of Hubbard’s Marina at John’s Pass. Hogfish numbers have slowed but are still available if you want to put in the time. Tripletail are always an option if you find any kind of flotsam or markers in the Gulf.

Artificial reefs have been holding permit and cobia. Having live crabs in your life well will be a bonus if you find either of these two species where you fish. Both will gobble up crustaceans in a heartbeat. A silver dollar size crab is perfect for a permit, and cobia will take any size you offer.

If you’re fishing just off the beaches, there are a plethora of species available. Good numbers of Spanish and king mackerel have flooded the region. If you’re a tournament angler, try and catch some big blue runners for bait. But don’t ignore whatever is out there. Menhaden are also baitfish that can’t be ignored. Find bait schools and you’ll likely find both. Tarpon have also been cruising the waters off Sarasota, Bradenton, St. Pete, Clearwater, and Anclote Key. Following not too far behind are sharks. Several different varieties have been seen. It’s wise to keep hands out of the water when releasing fish here during the summer months when so many sharks are looking for an easy meal from a stressed fish being released.

INSHORE

Trout fishing has definitely taken an upswing in action over the past few months, and while some much larger trout have been caught in the past month and a half, we are still seeing good numbers of small trout being caught. That’s a good sign that fish are spawning and beginning to replace some of the fish lost to 4 years of red tide fish kills.

Some fantastic catches have been coming on topwater lures and lures that suspend. Berkley’s new saltwater Choppo lures are making a big splash with their large prop and are attracting some big snook, trout, and redfish. The new Berkley HighJacker lure has a baitfish profile that has been a productive surface walking/diving lure for trout and snook. MirrOlure’s Duke Dog, last year’s winner of the Best Saltwater Hard Bait at ICAST, has been putting a hurting on big snook, trout, and reds. It’s the ideal time for topwaters. But don’t put away those suspending baits. We had some excellent success with 27MR MirrOlure MirrOdine XL suspending baits for redfish, trout, snook, bluefish, and even a few flounder.

Greater numbers of tarpon are showing up around the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and approaching next Tuesday’s full moon should make for some banner action with good moving water. The late afternoon falling tide will be the one to target for poons. Look for areas with good current flow that will carry blue crabs out with the ebbing tide. Dip a bunch of them up with a crab net and go fish!

FRESHWATER

It’s funny how when the wind comes down a bit people take off for the water. Some of these “less than perfect” days with marginal winds piping up can be hugely productive for post-spawn bass around the perimeters of lakes. Rattling crankbaits like the Rat L Trap are good search baits and will root out schooling bass. For areas with good bottom structures like rocks and stumps, a square bill crankbait generally produces some good fish. One of my favorites though are poppers and chuggers such as the Rebel Pop-R and the 12LS18 from the local L & S Bait Company.

One of my favorite springtime freshwater targets is bream. Bluegill, stumpknockers, red ears, or whatever panfish you have, are some of my favorite fish to target with a fly rod and some small poppers or foam spiders. They are a blast to catch and give a pretty good tug on the line when they turn sideways. Give it a try! ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!

Capt. Ray Markham
RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM
(941)228-3474
www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

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April 10 Report

The weather seemed to be moderating somewhat after last week’s blow at mid-week, but here we go again. We aren’t out of the woods yet with some more breezy weather before spring settles down. Just pick your days to get on the water to make sure you can do it safely.

OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE

The bite was on for anglers fishing aboard Captain Morgan's Fishing Adventures out of Marine Max in St. Petersburg this week. Capt. Brian Morgan said they boated a solid fat six-man limit on the red groupers, 40 huge vermilion snappers, a half dozen almaco jacks, a couple of mangos and a half dozen lane snappers. It was a great haul for a handful of guys.

Increasing numbers of Spanish and king mackerel are showing up along the beaches and out to about 60 to 80 feet of water, according to reports this week. The Old Salt Spring King of the Beach tournament, scheduled for April 25 through the 27th is in high gear registering anglers for the big money event to be held at 200 Rex Place in Madeira Beach.

The clock is ticking down toward the Old Salt Fishing Foundation's 31st. Annual Spring King of the Beach Tournament April 25-27 in Madeira Beach. For more information, go to oldsaltfishing.org.

Capt. Dylan Hubbard of Hubbard’s Marina out of John’s Pass reported a banner catch of fish on their recent 39-hour party boat trip. Some big red grouper, mangrove snapper up to about nine pounds, plenty of vermilion snappers, and some porgies. The trolling wasn’t conducive to much success with pelagics due to the high seas. But some calmer weather ahead should produce some of these fish.

INSHORE

High winds and some rough weather are bad combinations for getting on the water in small boats unless you have some honey holes in protected areas. Gusty winds have made getting on the water and fishing hit-and-miss lately for some anglers, but there have been some decent trout to catch lately with good numbers of fish showing up well into the 20-inch class. MirrOlure 94MR21 Top Dogs have been productive for me on the flats while fishing grass patches in 2 to 5 feet of water in lower Tampa Bay and portions of Boca Ciega Bay.

Good catches of redfish of assorted sizes have come from upper Tampa Bay where Capt. Bucky Goldman has been putting his clients on them as well as a pretty good snook bite.

Capt. John Gunter, of Off the Hook Charters out of Ellenton recently sighted a rare sawfish. These fish are having some very difficult issues lately and are critically endangered. Anglers who do observe one of these fish are asked to report all sawfish observations (healthy, sick, injured, or dead) to (844) 4-SAWFISH (844-472-9347) or sawfish@myfwc.com. Report abnormal fish behavior and fish kills to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Fish Kill Hotline at (800) 636-0511 or MyFWC.com/ReportFishKill.

Catch-and-release snook fishing has been good for anglers targeting these fish. They are beginning their spawning and continue throughout the summer months. Anglers are urged to handle these fish gently and release them as quickly as possible to help prevent release mortality. Natural bait users should use circle hooks to prevent gut-hooked fish.

The pompano action that was seen up and down the coast for a while has slowed. Catches continue to be reported by anglers fishing Doc’s Goofy Jigs around the passes at Big Sarasota Pass, Longboat Pass, Bunces Pass, Pass A Grille, and Clearwater Pass.

FRESHWATER

Bass fishing remains steady during the post-spawn period. Good action is being seen with spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and early morning/ late evening topwater lures like the new Berkley Drift Walker 90. Despite being sold as a saltwater lure this 3 ½ inch, 3/8-ounce surface walker is an easy walking lure that produces well in both fresh and saltwater. The tail-weighted design makes for good casting distance and has a slim profile for subtle sound and finesse presentations. From bass to redfish, the Fusion 19 3X anti-rust treble hooks are sturdy enough for any lunker you hang. Give ‘em a try. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!

Capt. Ray Markham
RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM
(941)228-3474
www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

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April 4 Report

Heavy weather moving into the Suncoast at mid-week should move through the area before the weekend. Tides will be affected by next Monday’s new moon with some very low lows and some extremely high tides. Hopefully, the wind machine calms down.

OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE

It was a bumpy ride but Capt. Brian Morgan of Captain Morgan’s Fishing Adventures out of Marine Max in St. Petersburg and crew ran out, did some bottom dropping and boated six limits of red grouper along with some lane snapper, and called it a day. Bottom fishing has been on fire lately but windy days have kept a lot of boats at the dock and turned a few anglers a different shade of green than normal.

More and more reports are coming in with kingfish catches. Spanish mackerel have been here for several weeks but are pretty predictable now. Trolling might be the easiest method of catching them by dragging spoons like those from Clark and Huntington Drone. Using either downriggers or planers at various depths will allow you to cover greater portions of the water column. A flatline out the back of the boat is a must. Don’t be too surprised if that same spoon you’re pulling hooks up with a kingfish. There have been kings caught from the beaches to well offshore. Light drags and rods with light tips but a moderately stiff mid and butt section are best for kingfish. Twenty-pound test mono gives some shock absorbency to your rig as these fish hit hard and fast, and the shock can rip the hook from the fish’s mouth. Let the fish run and leave the drag set without tightening it. As fish take more lines out, greater drag is put on the line as it’s pulled through the water.

Nearshore waters out to about 100 feet continue to produce hogfish a few triggerfish, mangrove snappers, lane, and vermilion snappers. Shrimp will catch them all.

INSHORE

While days like we had at mid-week this week will make you want to settle back on the couch with a good movie, dangerous weather with tornado warnings and high winds with rain don’t come every day. But it always pays to be mindful of the weather before you decide to hit the water. Good numbers of trout are being caught and those caught vary in size from 10 to 26 inches. That’s a fantastic sign that we are seeing multiple-year classes of these fish. They are prolific spawners, spawning as many as six to eight times per year throughout the year. If we continue to practice catch and release and minimize what we take home, this fishery could be back on track within the next couple of years here in the Tampa Bay area.

Redfish action has been pretty spotty around the Suncoast with some areas having zero action and others fair-to-good action. Bait schools are beginning to show up in greater numbers, so those slinging whitebait will likely tap the resource as soon as it’s available. But if you want to find these fish, follow the bait.

Snook fishing has been smoking hot for anglers catching and releasing these fish. The season for them is closed throughout the late spring and summer months while they spawn. New and full moon periods will find them mostly in passes but there are many other spawning areas where these fish traditionally go to spawn.

Pompano action that has been hot over the past month or so continues for anglers targeting them. Doc’s Goofy Jigs have produced fish consistently around the Tampa Bay area and up and down the coast as far north as Panama City as well as on the Atlantic Coast.

Keep eyes peeled for cobia on the flats. These fish have started to trickle into Tampa Bay and adjacent areas, perhaps migrating with tarpon coming up from the south. These fish have been known to travel together.

FRESHWATER

Post-spawn bass fishing is underway in many areas along the Suncoast. While they can be caught on a variety of jigs, worms and hard baits, I find Rat L Traps very productive around schooling bass. For those fish laid up around shorelines and in potholes surrounded by grass or vegetation, I have found a popping bug on a fly rod the best tool to place a popper in a small area and to be able to pick up and re-present if necessary. Inexpensive starter fly rod combos are available for under $100. Pick one up and give it a try. After your first catch, I’m sure you’ll be hooked! ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later.

CHAD DAY MEMORIAL 6th ANNUAL FISHING TOURNAMENT and CHARITY EVENT – April 20-21, 2024

For the 6th year, this Sarasota-based charity event and tournament will be held with $6,000 in tournament winnings up for grabs. It’s a boat tournament with up to 4 anglers per team. Details and registration are available on their website at ChadDay.ProFishingTournaments.com.

Capt. Ray Markham
RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM
(941)228-3474
www.CaptainRayMarkham.com

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