West Central Florida Forecast
April 17, 2024
By Capt. Ray Markham
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
Action Spotter Podcast
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 A little trolling action on a private charter aboard the Hub can produce some spectacular action with kingfish. 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.
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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.
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INSHORE Alan Sugar of Michigan with a Sarasota Bay trout caught on a CAL Jig with a shad tail while fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett 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 www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
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 www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
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 The angling crew aboard Captain Morgan's Fishing Adventures out of Marine Max in St. Pete. once again slammed the red grouper. 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 Capt. Bucky Goldman put a family on some nice reds. This beauty was one of several backwater fish caught. 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 This 5.5-pound largemouth bass was caught on 4-pound test mono on a Roadrunner Buffet Rig by Capt. Ray Markham. 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
Chad Day Memorial Fishing Tournament, April 20-21. 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 www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
March 26 Report Coming off this past Monday’s full moon anglers saw good action when they could get out between brisk windy periods. The remainder of the week should offer good fishing if the weather allows.
The kings are here, as shown by one of Capt. John Gunter's anglers while fishing out of Ellenton. OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE Anglers fishing for hogfish are finding the action slowing down steadily as the water temperature heats up. However, good numbers of lane snapper are being caught. Capt. Dylan Hubbard out of Hubbard’s Marina in John’s Pass reported good action with lane snapper in about 60 feet of water along with mangrove snapper. Triggerfish have been caught recently on offshore trips.
The big action that’s heating up right now is the king and Spanish mackerel. With tournaments right around the corner, loads of Spanish mackerel are showing up along the beaches to munch on bait schools. Kingfish have been caught offshore on deepwater wrecks and nearshore artificial reefs from Venice to Pinellas shores.
Cobia have been on the prowl in the Egmont Key Ship’s Channel lately. Look for them around structures like channel markers and buoys.
Pelagics like tuna, dolphin and wahoo should be showing up well offshore and you might even find a sailfish or two within 10 miles of the beaches. In the past few years, we have seen several caught off Sarasota, Bradenton and Pinellas shores.
Paul with a pair of over-slot trout caught on DOA Shrimp and a CAL 5.5 Jerk Bait while fishing with Capt. Ray Markham. INSHORE With the full moon just behind us, we should still have some fair tides for the weekend as snook season comes to a close at midnight on March 31. You’ll find plenty of snook in the passes and some along the beaches as well.
Trout fishing has shown a positive upswing over the past month and some larger spring gator trout are being caught in most areas of the West Central Region. The real positive is that we are seeing several year classes of fish, showing that these fish are successfully spawning. While the Tampa Bay Estuary is still in a questionable state, several organizations are making strides to make improvements. Mangrove planting, oyster restorations, adding clams to the water to help filter it and adding artificial reefs all will help improve the quality of the habitat in the estuary. Anglers fishing just off the beaches from Sarasota to Dunedin are finding some over-slot trout in 20 to 30 feet of water. Jigs like the CAL Shad rigged on 1/4- or 3/8-ounce jig heads will work well here.
Deep grass areas south of Anclote Key have been holding some big trout in 3 to 6 feet of water. Anglers fishing TTR26 MirrOlures and 28MR MirrOdines have been catching limits of trout here.
Pompano have been running for over a month now from Boca Grande to Hernando Beach. Good numbers of fish are being caught by anglers targeting them with Doc’s Goofy Jigs, DOA TerrorEyz, and NyLure Pompano Jigs. Top colors include yellow, yellow and white, pink, and chartreuse. Root beer-colored 3/8-ounce TerrorEyz have been effective. Look for these fish to hang around passes and along sand bars.
Redfish numbers will improve by August when the large breeder-size fish return from the Gulf, but in the meantime, anglers might find smaller schools of fish that range from undersized to oversized reds. There are scattered fish in Sarasota Bay around Long Bar and the mangrove islands and shorelines. The South Shore of Tampa Bay remains a hot spot for redfish from Cockroach Bay south to Joe Bay. Scattered reds remain in the Terra Ceia area, Weedon Island, and Old Tampa Bay.
Spanish mackerel are being caught in lower Tampa Bay and the Ship’s Channel leading out of the Bay. Look for them also to appear around the outside of passes on outgoing tides and just inside passes on the incoming tides where bait schools may hold.
FRESHWATER Warmer waters continue to be the key to changes in lakes and rivers, as bass and panfish spawn or end spawning periods. Key periods are around new- and full-moon weeks. Bass that are on beds become protective as male bass defend the eggs on beds against predators. Creature baits of soft plastic that resemble lizards, salamanders, bream, or some others will be attached if flipped or pitched to beds. I have found that the Berkley Powerbait Gilly, a soft plastic lure rigged with an EWG hook makes the appearance of a foe looking to steal eggs on beds that bass will attack. The DOA Sna-Koil is another one that gets crushed by bass that feel like their spawn is threatened.
Bluegill, bream, or the plethora of other sunfish here in Florida are very active around the perimeters of lakes in Florida. A variety of flies are effective for them such as foam spiders, crickets, poppers, worms and grasshoppers tied on #6- #10 size hooks. These fish are a blast to catch on light fly rods like 2- or 3-weight rods. A simple weight-forward floating fly line is all you need with a 9-foot leader with maybe a 6-pound tippet. Long casts aren’t really necessary but can’t hurt. The ability to make roll casts can help casting into tight areas with overhanging structures. All of the local fly clubs offer instruction at their monthly meetings, and several certified instructors are available at each club.
Capt. Rick Grassett pictured during an instructional fly-fishing class. In Sarasota, Capt. Rick Grassett, who runs charters out of CB Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key is one such certified casting instructor who offers fly casting lessons and inshore fishing charters. CB’s Saltwater Outfitters, 1249 Stickney Point Rd, Sarasota, FL will hold an Orvis-Endorsed fly fishing school on Sat, Apr 13, 2024. The course, designed for beginning and intermediate fly casters, will focus on basic fly casting principles, improving casting skills, and correcting faults. Instructor Capt. Rick Grassett will also cover saltwater fly fishing techniques, leader construction, and fly selection. The cost for the class, which will run from 8:30 AM to approximately 2 PM, is $225 per person and includes the use of fly tackle, a workbook, and lunch. This will be the last class until fall. Optional instructional guided fly fishing trips are also available for an additional fee. Contact CB’s Saltwater Outfitters at (941) 349-4400 or info@cbsoutfitters.com to make reservations. If you want to learn or just improve your skills, give them a call. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
PREVIOUS REPORTS March 21 The first days of spring saw a big air temperature drop of between 20 and 30 degrees along the Suncoast, dropping water temperatures from 6 to 8 degrees as well. Breezy conditions added to the change. Heading into the weekend, next Monday’s full moon will influence tides that will have ambush feeders staging up for strong feeding periods inshore. Stronger moving currents offshore can make anchoring on a spot more difficult and have some fish holding tight to structures until currents begin to slow around slack tide at the tide changes.
Left: Kirstin with an upper-slot trout caught on a DOA Deadly Combo while fishing with Capt. Ray Markham. Right: Red grouper limits and a few others for anglers getting out on Captain Morgan's Fishing Adventures, St. Petersburg. OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE
There’s nothing like a spring run of Spanish mackerel to kick off the migration northward. Good numbers of Spanish and a few king mackerel are showing up on the artificial reefs off Sarasota, Bradenton and Pinellas shores. Trolling spoons will get you on fish in fairly short order. Watching for diving birds and skyrocketing mackerel around showering bait schools are all indicators of actively feeding fish. Most of the king reports I’ve received are from anglers working deeper water wrecks out beyond 100 feet. As the offshore and nearshore waters warm, you can expect a run of both kings and Spanish along the beaches. Trolling with spoons behind planers is a good way to cover the depths you’re fishing. Look for #1 and #2 planers to do much of the work just off the beaches with water depths up to about 25-30 feet. L.B. Huntington Drone Spoons is a locally owned brand here in Largo by the L & S Bait Company, makers of MirrOlure as well as many other popular brands. The Clark Spoon is another notable spoon, originally from this area, but was sold and moved many years ago.
We have some more weather coming in by the weekend that should clear out by Saturday night or early Sunday, according to recent weather prognosticators. Nearshore waters are producing some nice spotted seatrout out of 30 feet of water. A few mangrove snappers are showing up as well nearshore but the majority of the larger mangos are showing up beyond about 70 to 80 feet, according to Capt. Dylan Hubbard out of Hubbard’s Marina at John’s Pass. Pompano have been caught just outside the passes along the coast from Naples to Tarpon Springs and most that have been caught are being caught on Doc’s Goofy Jigs.
Nearshore waters continue to produce hogfish, grunts and assorted snappers out to about 60 or 80 feet. The lane snappers have been somewhat of a surprise, showing up in decent numbers along the coast. Some big red grouper have also been caught on small relief meeting sand and on the Swiss cheese bottom southwest of Pinellas just inside 100 feet.
Cut threadfins, squid and shrimp are being dropped to the bottom with good results. A live pinfish now and then can trigger some big fish into eating.
Trips beyond 100 feet are producing some triggerfish on the party boats out of Hubbard’s Marina. If long-range destinations are in your plan, stay tuned for some pleagics like blackfin tuna and wahoo as waters begin to warm.
INSHORE
Several days of breezy conditions with winds puffing over 30 mph made it tough to find places to hide out of the wind and catch fish at the same time. The northeast winds not only held the water out of the bays early in the week but forced low tides more than a foot below their predicted levels, further making it more difficult to get around on the flats. What it did do, however, is consolidate some trout that made for some great catch-and-release fishing with barbless hooks on lures like the DOA Shrimp, CAL Jig with a Shad tail, DOA Deadly Combo, and CAL 5.5 Jerk Baits. Overall, on my boat, the DOA Shrimp accounted for about 60% of the over 100 trout we caught on Tuesday in lower Tampa and Boca Ceiga Bays.
Last Monday’s water temperature in areas of Tampa Bay was around 78 degrees under light winds. As the day wore on and into Tuesday, much cooler air moved in overnight bringing high winds and dropping water temperatures 6 or 7 degrees in most places. The tide was predicted to be coming in much of the day but it didn’t start moving until about 1 in the afternoon as winds began to slow down.
Anglers continue to catch pompano on the flats from Clearwater to Englewood on Doc’s Goofy Jigs. Yellow and white are the preferred colors with the attached pink teaser fly. The Doc’s G2 has been catching fair numbers of trout and Spanish mackerel off the beaches from St. Pete. Beach to Indian Rocks Beach.
Redfish have been somewhat scattered around the area with small concentrations in the upper Tampa Bay, Weedon Island area and along the South Shore of Tampa Bay. Sarasota Bay has also been holding some decent reds and snook in the ICW. There are still some snook coming out of the backcountry but you can expect some big moves over the weekend approaching next Monday’s full moon and thereafter.
FRESHWATER
Bass continue to spawn in some areas with good numbers of big fish hanging in the shallows. Creature baits like lizards, salamanders, and the like will likely be the most effective for fish on the beds that are trying to protect them. Pitching or flipping to them are good methods of taking bass now but fly anglers just off the shore have a good shot at them too if the water is unobstructed. Small weedless streamers in black and purple can sometimes trigger strikes from bass here or a combination of black and orange. ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
March 13 Coming off last Sunday’s new moon some great action has been seen in our region. As we get into spring, weather patterns will begin to moderate, winds will start to come down and cold fronts will wane.
This big red grouper was one of many on a recent trip with Captain Morgan's Fishing Adventures out of St. Pete. OFFSHORE/ NEARSHORE This week has seen some beautiful weather for offshore/ nearshore anglers starting with some cool mornings and comfortable afternoons. Breezy conditions early in the week gave way to some nice sunny days and average sea conditions, allowing anglers to get on the water. The weekend ahead could have similar conditions, but as always, monitor the weather and leave a float plan on shore in the event conditions change.
Nearshore action with Spanish mackerel is picking up in advance of this spring’s mackerel run, both king and Spanish mackerel. Traditionally, the Spanish will arrive ahead of kingfish and kingfish usually migrate northward, showing up on offshore wrecks first and moving into nearshore areas as baitfish begin showing up on the beaches.
Good numbers of lane snapper are being caught in the 50-to-100-foot depth range along with hogfish. While hogfish action is slowly in decline, better numbers are being caught a little deeper than they were a couple of months ago. Live shrimp may be the go-to bait for both lane snapper and hogfish, and if you get out between 100- and 120-foot depths, the action is pretty decent for mangrove snapper as well with the same bait. Capt. Dylan Hubbard out of Hubbard’s Marina in John’s Pass in Madeira Beach also recommends cut threadfin herring for mangrove snapper. Their party boats have had some loads of fish come in on the half-day and 10-hour extreme trips. Their long-range trips are hitting some triggerfish, almaco jacks, porgies and vermilion snapper. With increasing water temps, Hubbard expects to see blackfin tuna, wahoo and kingfish firing up just about any time. Recent trips have also included African pompano, yellowtail and even a few mutton snapper.
Red grouper have been chewing between 80 and 120 feet of water off Pinellas and Manatee shores. Live pinfish or cut threadfin and squid combos are working well. Anglers fishing with Capt. Brian Morgan of Captain Morgan’s Fishing Adventures out of Marine Max in St. Pete has continued to slam some big red grouper and a variety of snappers.
It was all hands on deck reeling in redfish for anglers fishing Tampa Bay with Capt. Ryan Harrington. INSHORE You can tell that the seasons are progressing. The fishing action is getting more consistent as weather patterns begin to settle. Last Sunday’s new moon sparked good action up and down the coast with pompano making an appearance around the passes and along the beaches and jetties from Venice to Clearwater. Capt. Ryan Harrington out of St. Pete got into a school of pompano and took some nice ones home while fishing lower Tampa Bay.
Trout fishing has been on the upswing with better numbers of fish showing up around the mouth of Tampa Bay and in Sarasota Bay. Anglers working the Clearwater Harbor area up to Anclote Key are finding some over-slot trout while fishing TTR26 MirrOlures around grass patches in 3- to 6-feet of water. The spoil islands along the ICW in Dunedin are holding some nice specks. Morning action around Honeymoon and Caladesi Islands with a topwater Cane Walker from Berkley is producing good catches of trout, a few snook and some redfish around the mangroves.
The Duke Dog from MirrOlure has been slamming trout and redfish around John’s Pass in the grass patches around the islands inside the pass. MirrOlure MirrOdines have been the hot lure for snook around Joe Bay and Terra Ceia.
A few flounder are being caught around passes and channel edges on low-incoming tides for anglers throwing CAL Jigs with Shad tails.
FRESHWATER It’s a great time to get some bass fishing in. Big bass are bedding in the shallows in retention ponds around residential developments. The older ponds with good vegetation seem to be producing the best. Creature baits like salamanders, lizards, and the DOA SnaKoil are taking some lunker bass in the 5-to-6-pound class. Pitching jigs around cover can also put a few bass in the boat. Look for good action around lake edges for bluegill and shallow beds. These areas can be fished successfully with foam spider fly imitations and a weight forward floating fly line on fly rods between 2 and 4 weight classes. If you don’t know how to use a fly rod or don’t own one, you’re invited to attend the Suncoast Fly Fisher’s meeting next Thursday night, March 21st, from 6 to 9 pm in St. Petersburg at Walter Fuller Park. 7891 26th Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL. Capt. Ray Markham will be the guest speaker, talking about fly fishing in both fresh and saltwater for snook, trout, redfish, bass, sunfish, and more. For more details on the club, visit their website at https://suncoastflyfishers.com/ . ‘Til then…I’ll catch ya later!
Capt. Ray Markham RAY.MARKHAM@GMAIL.COM www.CaptainRayMarkham.com
