Snook are really prolific lately from the upper bay to the beaches and from the mouth of the rivers out through the intercostal. We are finding them at night around the bridges, docks and piers especially where lights are holding the bait. During the day up on the flats, on the beaches and in the passes. They seem most active in the passes at night. If I was going snook fishing at night I would hit dock lights and bridges and during the day I would target the flats and docks around the mouths of residential canals that have some water flowing and some grass flats in the vicinity. However, we are still seeing snook caught along the beaches from our local piers, jetties and even beach fisherman which is surprising for how late in the year it is but the water temps really haven’t gone down much from our long summer time period. Snook eat a variety of live bait from shrimp to greenbacks to pilchards to finger mullet and even those pass crabs. However, live shrimp, pigfish and larger green backs are my favorite and most commonly used live baits for the snook.
Spanish mackerel are really thick around the area too holding on the beaches and in the passes and around the piers, plus all over Tampa Bay too! Great time to get out there with some free line greenbacks or a gotcha plug to have some fun targeting these crazy fast fish on lighter tackle. There’s lots of bait in the area and these guys can be found easily if you find the birds working a bait school. Birds only get the opportunity to eat on a bait school when predatory fish below are pushing them up to the surface due to the fish schooling them up while feeding actively. If you find the birds, you will find the mackerel. Often lately there’s jack crevalle or bluefish mixed in with the mackerel action too!
Redfish bite is going pretty good as well. We are still seeing them on the beaches and near shore in large groups, plus in the bays and intercostal and the oyster bars are holding them best. Redfish will be easier and easier coming soon as the waters cool they really tend to stack up around the residential docks in the canals to stay warm in the shallower waters where the dark bay mud holds the day’s heat and keeps them warmer. Until then, the oyster bars are what I would suggest targeting during the day. I always carefully monitor the water flow as often they will be ambushing prey getting pushed over the oysters. If the tide is flowing out of the north, you’d want to be south of the oysters casting up on top of them and letting your bait get pushed off the oysters by the tide. This will give you the most natural presentation, and help you be more successful while targeting the redfish. At night, the bridge lights, peirs and docks are great areas to target the redfish at the edges of the lights on or near the bottom. Working your lure more slowly keeping it down on the bottom is a great way to target those redfish. While live bait fishing a split shot is a great idea to get the bait heading to bottom while trying to keep the most natural presentation.
Trout bite has been pretty good at night around piers, docks, and bridges and during the day on the edges of the flats. Trout have been bigger lately too and as the water cools we often see some larger trout being caught. Trout love lighter tackle like 10-20lb test max with 2000-3000 series reels. Typically live shrimp or greenbacks work really well for the trout. My favorite artificial bait for trout is a DOA shrimp, they work so well if you know how to work them. My father always told me if you think you’re working it slowly enough slow down even more! The trick to the DOA being successful is you presenting that bait to mimic a shrimp which takes lots of patience but it’s worth it!
We are finding some cobia around the bay and along the beaches. They will take artificial lures that mimic eels quickly if you happen to spot one of these fish swim by you on the flats, at the pier or on the markers around the Bay.
Triple tail like cobia, are found around the buoys, markers or any other floating debris in the bay and along our beaches. These fish are often in the same area so while targeting one or the other be prepared for both! Triple tail love some live shrimp pitched close to their hiding spot on lighter tackle.
Mangrove snapper are very active still around the local bridges, piers, jetties and docks. They love lighter tackle with shrimp or greenbacks and a smaller 1-2ot hook. These guys are most active and prolific in the summertime, so go get them while the getting is good!
As the water cools, we are starting to see the pompano, sheepshead and flounder bite picking up! More information on these coming soon, looking forward to the cold fronts this weekend. We are hoping these guys get these fish moving in more and more and they will be more ready to cooperate for us!
