Cloudy with a few showers. Thunder possible. High 79F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..
Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Updated: March 4, 2024 @ 9:52 am
This snook was one of several taken on a recent trip with Capt. Chuck Rogers. Cool nights that began last week chased a few fish into the backwaters, but despite an 8- to 9-degree drop in water temperature, fish including this one, remained along the outside bay shorelines.

This snook was one of several taken on a recent trip with Capt. Chuck Rogers. Cool nights that began last week chased a few fish into the backwaters, but despite an 8- to 9-degree drop in water temperature, fish including this one, remained along the outside bay shorelines.
Capt. George Hastick (727-525-1005): Capt. George reports the snook fishing has been solid, with fish moving out onto flats off mangroves as the day warms up. He’s been taking most on live sardines. Reds have been running on the mangrove lines, too, but he’s not encountering schools, just singles and doubles that are taking the live baits intended for snook. Trout fishing grass flats on the Pinellas side of the bay has been decent, with fish hanging around the drop-offs at the edge of the grass beds in around 5 feet of water. The drops with sandy patches have produced a few flounder along with the trout. It’s time for some tarpon to begin showing up in the bay. Capt. George says the juvenile silver kings are a lot of fun. He likes to rig a white Bass Assassin Shrimp Cocktail bait on a quarter-ounce jig for them.
Capt. Chuck Rogers (813-918-8356): Capt. Chuck said cool weather last week chased a few snook into the backwaters, though not all. He expects this week the pattern of fish on the outside points and off creek mouths will resume. There’s plenty of bait at the Gandy Bridge, and he’s been taking most of his snook on the live sardines he’s netting there. Reds have been a little scarce, with his anglers picking one up here and there while snook fishing. Trout have been around the drops off grass flats. They’ll take live sardines, but jigs will get it done, as well. Prior to the cold nights last week, Spanish mackerel had moved up the bay to just below the Gandy Bridge, but they pulled a vanishing act. Warming conditions this week should see them return.
Gandy Bait & Tackle (813-839-5551): Zack says many of his customers have been doing well on snook. Most of the catches have been on the outside bay waters around mangroves and structure. Reds have been on flats near mangroves, though no one is reporting schools of fish. Trout fishing has been pretty good on grass flats mid-bay. Most of the action has been around the edges where flats drop off into deeper water. Jigs with soft plastic tails will take them. Spanish mackerel were making a strong move into the bay, but the cool weather appears to have halted their momentum. There are still lots of schools around the Skyway Bridge, however, so until the water temperatures fully rebound from consecutive cool nights, that’s the place to find them reliably. A couple of people have reported seeing large tarpon at the Gandy Bridge, with fish to an estimated 150 pounds spotted. 
Riviera Bait & Tackle (727-954-6365): Jay reports some of his anglers have taken pompano at the Gandy Bridge and flats near it. Rigs like Doc’s Goofy Jigs will take them, though when fishing bridge pilings many prefer a fiddler crab fished on the bottom. Flats on both sides of the bay in the Gandy area have produced a few redfish, but most of the action has been with snook. Fish have been smaller males for the most part, though one angler had a photo of a 36-incn fish caught and released. Word is a few big tarpon have shown up under the Gandy, though there have been no hookups reported. Some juvenile tarpon have been hooked in Riviera Bay. Jigs with soft plastic tails of live shrimp are good choices for the small tarpon.  
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