Some clouds. Low 67F. Winds light and variable..
Some clouds. Low 67F. Winds light and variable.
Updated: March 16, 2024 @ 9:39 pm

Capt. George Hastick (727-525-1005): Capt. George says anglers should expect some wild swings in the fishing now due to variations in the winter weather. Cold evenings and windy conditions can be challenging, but on the bright side, those conditions can eliminate a lot of water. Outside flats and mangrove lines, for example, can be void of fish following a front, but a day or two of sunny, calm weather and it’s worth a look. In the case of snook, they are in the deeper canals and warmer backwaters. Dark-bottom mud flats and sun are a combination to look for, as snook enjoy the warmth the dark bottom absorbs and the bright sun has the same effect on the dark backs of the fish. The reds often will be with them, as well as hugging the bottom in deeper canals and creeks. It’s hard to top sheepshead for action right now. Hastick is cruising canals and spotting them around dock pilings in the clear water. Dropping live shrimp or shrimp pieces will take them. He’s also catching most of his reds around canal docks, also on shrimp. The fish have been on the small side, but they can provide pretty good action some days. Trout are another option, and he’s been picking them up on the grass flats in 4 to 5 feet of water. If the flat is adjacent to deep water the fish can retreat to at night, it is all the better. Most of the trout have been falling in the 12- to 15-inch range, with shrimp and soft plastics taking them. Deeper rock piles in the bay are the place to look for mangrove snapper. Hastick hasn’t been targeting them, but some fellow guides report they are there and taking shrimp.
Capt. Chuck Rogers (813-918-8356): Capt. Chuck is just returning from a fishing trip to the Florida Keys, but he’s kept in touch with other guides to keep tabs on the action in Tampa Bay. He says the word is that the sheepshead fishing is the best thing going, with fish hanging around residential dock pilings, bridge pilings and around deep rock piles. The trout may be a good option over the next week, with fish up to 15 or 16 inches on the grass flats in 4 to 6 feet of water. Look for patch grass and sand bottom. Flats that drop off into deeper water are prime. He also plans to check out the bite at the Big Bend power plant outfall at Apollo Beach. With water temperatures down like they are, the periodic discharges of warm water used to cool the plant’s generators can make the outfall a fish magnet. Trout, reds, cobia and pompano are all possible catches, though he admits so far this winter he’s found the bite there very tough. He said that historically he’s done best at the plant in February, particularly with the cobia.
Riviera Bait & Tackle (727-954-6365): Billy says the cold water and bouncing weather has made things tough on his anglers. Most have been settling for sheepshead, working bridge and dock pilings with shrimp. Fiddler crabs are a better bait, but they are hard to get due to the cold weather. Some are connecting with black drum on the Gandy Bridge pilings. They’ll take shrimp live or dead, but pieces of blue crab are the better choice. A bright spot has been some pretty good trout fishing on the open grass flats. Fish are hanging in about 5 feet of water in thick grass interspersed with sandy holes. Live shrimp or jigs with soft plastic tails will take them. Unfortunately, none of his customers have been talking about redfish, which means they are not finding them or if they have, they’re keeping it to themselves. He thinks the top of the bay and the creeks there above the Courtney Campbell Causeway may be the best bet for them.
Gandy Bait & Tackle (813-839-5551): Victor reports his anglers have been doing well on trout fishing the grass flats in the Gandy Bridge area, but a lot of the fish have been on the small side. Fish 12 to 16 inches are common, though some anglers have been fishing deeper channels and doing well on the big, winter gator trout. Shrimp is tops. Deeper channels also can produce some whiting and silver trout using live or dead shrimp. The sheepshead are cooperative, and there are plenty around docks and bridge pilings. Fiddler crabs work best, but the shops are not getting them very often this time of year. Some anglers catch them on low tides or hunt for mangrove crabs in the trees or slow-moving dock crabs, baiting with half a crab for the sheepshead. Frozen sand fleas, which are available at the shop, are a good sheepshead bait, as well. A few black drum are being pulled off the pilings under the Gandy Bridge. They like chunks of blue crab or dead shrimp. A few anglers have reported encountering some tripletail around floating grass or debris. A live shrimp is what they like. Offshore, anglers fishing small patch reefs in 30 feet of water are reporting some decent action on keeper-sized hogfish. He has anglers loading up with 10 to 20 dozen live shrimp on their hog trips to ensure they have enough bait to deal with the many grunts that get to the shrimp before the hogfish.
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