1 At Big Pier 60 in Clearwater, mangrove snapper, speckled trout, whiting and jack crevalle have been the most consistent catches this week. A few trout have been caught during the day, but they’re more numerous at night. A couple of pompano were also caught one day this week, reports Big Pier 60 Bait & Tackle (727-462-6466).
2 At Madeira Beach, nearshore there’s some Spanish mackerel on the bait schools. Deeper offshore, the red grouper bite is good from 80 to 100 feet deep. Mangrove snapper have been picky, but big fish are biting about 70 to 100 feet. Deeper offshore, the big gag grouper are biting at 140 feet, and amberjack are “hot” on the wrecks and springs. On the pelagic side, there’s some tuna, kingfish and the occasional wahoo, reports Capt. Dylan Hubbard of Hubbard’s Marina (727-393-1947).
More:Freshwater fishing: Cooling water keeps the bass bite hot in Polk
More:Fishing News: Going solo, Corey Ash wins Thursday Night Open with 14 pounds
More:Tides and solunars: Know when to hit the outdoors (Sept. 11, 2020)
3 At John’s Pass, the redfish bite is picking up around the docks, the sandy north side of the bridge and on the inside flats. Snook are starting to thin out, but a few are still being caught around the docks and bridge on live shrimp or pigfish. Mangrove snapper are still thick around the docks and the south side of the pass. Trout are active at night around the bridge lights. Tarpon are still feeding on baits around the docks at night and at first light, reports Hubbard.
4 At Fort DeSoto Park, mangrove snapper and pompano are biting at the bridge. The marina is producing flounder along the seawall and plenty of snook around the docks. Good-size trout and redfish are biting on the flats around Conception Key, Jackass Key and the Soldier’s Hole. At the pier, mangrove snapper, whiting and some sheepshead are biting. There are snook on the beach and around the jetty rocks, reports Capt. Claude Hinson of Tierra Verde Bait and Tackle (727-864-2108).
5 Around the Sunshine Skyway and lower Tampa Bay, the mangrove snapper bite remains excellent. Good numbers of fish 18 to 20 inches have been caught along the shipping channel and on structure in the bay. Redfish schools are becoming more numerous around Anna Maria Sound and Miguel Bay. Snook are starting to transition to the mouth of the Manatee River. Good numbers of fish are staged around Emerson Point and Rattlesnake Key outside of Terra Ceia Bay, reports Capt. John Gunter of Palmetto (863-838-5096).
6 At Anna Maria, Longboat Pass is holding snook and there are some fish out on the beach. The flats inside the sound adjacent to the pass are producing trout over areas with good grass. Redfish are biting around the docks on the west side and the mangroves along the east shore. Redfish can also be found around the docks at the mouth of the Manatee River. Mangrove snapper are still on most structure and around the bridges, reports Capt. Shawn Crawford of Florida Sport Fishing Outfitters. (941-705-3160).
7 At St. Petersburg, the redfish bite is good right now. Redfish are active from Weedon Island south along the shore to Fort DeSoto. The snook bite is good, especially at night. Trout action is good on the deep grass flats, and the area around Pinellas Point has been good. Spanish mackerel and mangrove snapper are biting around the bay. The rocks around the new pier have been producing some decent snapper, reports Larry Mastry at Mastry’s Tackle (727-896-8889).
8 In the north end of Tampa Bay, there’s a good redfish bite in the upper bay, especially the west side from Weedon Island to the Courtney Campbell. Double Branch and Rocky Point have been productive. There’s a good trout bite, and a 28-incher was caught on the west side flats by the Howard Frankland this week. There’s good snook action on the east and south side of the Frankland. Mangrove snapper are on most structure, and some sheepshead are staring to move in. The tripletail bite is picking up on the markers and buoys, reports Gandy Bait & Tackle (813-839-5551).
• At Homosassa, cooling water has brought back a few species of fish we haven’t seen since late spring. These include Spanish mackerel, cobia and bluefish. All three have been more numerous this week. Tripletail can be found on crab trap buoys, markers, floating trash and grass piles. A live shrimp under a cork is a great bait, reports Capt. William Toney of Homosassa Inshore Fishing Charters (352-621-9284).
• At Fort Pierce, the offshore bottom bite for mutton snapper is good, but the mangroves have slowed. The water is cooling, and the fish have moved to shallower water at 50 to 60 feet. A few kingfish have been caught at 80 to 90 feet. At the inlet, whiting and some pompano are biting in the surf. Snook are taking live croakers and pinfish in the inlet. Sheepshead, black drum and a few mangrove snapper are biting around the bridges. Trout and redfish are biting in the river north of the inlet, reports Clint Walker at the Fishing Center of St. Lucie (772-465-7637).

source