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Saltwater: Gag grouper are 'phenomenal' around Tampa Bay – The Ledger

1 At Big Pier 60 in Clearwater, a few Spanish mackerel were caught early before the latest front, but nothing since. Spotted trout have been steady, and a good number of bonnethead sharks. Decent whiting have been caught, but the water has been churned up, reports Big Pier 60 Bait & Tackle (727-462-6466).
2 At Madeira Beach, nearshore there are hogfish around a depth of 30 to 70 feet on live shrimp. Gag grouper action is good at 40 to 60 feet. Bigger gags in the 25-pound range are biting deeper at about 100 feet. Mangrove and lane snapper are good at 60 to 110 feet. Red grouper action is best at 70 feet. The blackfin tuna bite is picking up for the pelagic anglers, reports Capt. Dylan Hubbard of Hubbard’s Marina (727-393-1947).
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3 At John’s Pass, the sheepshead bite is good on any structure. Speckled trout are biting around the dock and bridge lights at night. Snook have been caught at night around the pass. The flounder bite has really picked up around the bridge and the area docks. Redfish are good in the pass and from the jetty. Some silver trout and whiting are biting from the jetty, reports Hubbard.
4 At Fort De Soto Park, sheepshead up to 5 pounds are biting around the bridges, the area docks and the marina. Jacks and cobia are cruising around the big bridge. Gag grouper are holding on structure in Boca Ciega Bay. Gags are biting in the channel from the Skyway to Egmont Key and around the bridges. The redfish and trout bite is good on the flats and flounder are biting in the sandy holes. At the pier, sheepshead are on the pilings, but the water is churned up, reports Joe Berlin of Tierra Verde Bait and Tackle (727-864-2108).
5 Around the Sunshine Skyway and lower Tampa Bay, cold weather has pushed gag grouper into the bay. The shallow reefs and rock piles are holding good numbers of keeper grouper. Trolling and freelined live pinfish have been productive. Sheepshead are moving in around the Skyway and the surrounding rock piles. There’s plenty of snook, redfish and trout in Terra Ceia Bay and the mouth of the Manatee River, reports Capt. John Gunter of Palmetto (863-838-5096). “There’s a phenomenal gag grouper bite in Tampa Bay right now,” reports Capt. Scott Moore of Bradenton (941-713-1921).
6 At Anna Maria, redfish up to 30 inches are up around the docks of Palma Sola and on the west side of the sound around Key Royale. Scattered flounder are on the docks in the same areas. Sheepshead and black drum are mixed in. Snook are around the canals and creek mouths, but most have moved up the river. Good-size snook are holding at the Rod and Reel Pier, but they’re finicky on the bite, reports Moore. Redfish, trout and a few snook are biting around Miguel Bay, Terra Ceia Bay, the mouth of the Manatee River and south to Perico Bayou and the surrounding flats, reports Capt. Shawn Crawford of Florida Sport Fishing Outfitters. (941-705-3160). 
7 At St. Petersburg, the gag grouper bite is solid on most structure, around the bridges, the reefs and along the shipping channel. Sheepshead are biting in the same areas and on the area docks. Trout fishing is good on the flats using plastic artificials. Redfish have moved real shallow and cut bait on the bottom is producing in the deeper holes on the low tides. Snook have moved into the creek mouths and residential canals. Bayboro has been a good spot, reports Mastry’s Tackle (727-896-8889).
8 In the north end of Tampa Bay, good size sheepshead are biting on most structure, around the bridges and the reefs in the bay. Gag grouper have been caught while trolling along the channel south of Picnic Island. Whiting and silver trout have picked up. A few snapper are being caught. Redfish have pushed into the upper bay above the causeway. Snook are staging in the canals and creeks with muddy, dark bottom. A few tripletail have been caught while blind casting the markers, reports Gandy Bait & Tackle (813-839-5551).
• At Homosassa, the offshore gag grouper bite has been good using live pinfish, but cooler water has made the fish sluggish. The sheepshead bite has picked up on the nearshore rocks, structure and in the rivers. The rivers are producing mangrove snapper, sheepshead, redfish and trout. Live shrimp are the best bait, but soft plastics along the rocky points along the north shorelines will produce, reports Capt. William Toney of Homosassa Inshore Fishing Charters (352-621-9284).
• At Fort Pierce, lane snapper are biting offshore on the bottom at a depth of 50 to 80 feet. A few kingfish have been caught on the bar at the 80-foot mark. Mahi have been caught out to 250 feet. At the inlet, whiting are in the surf along with pompano. A few flounder and pompano have been caught from the south jetty. Snook have been caught in the inlet and the turning basin on live pinfish. The Melody Lane Pier and the bridge catwalks are producing sand perch, sheepshead and black drum. The oyster bars and mangrove edges in the river are also producing sheepshead, reports the Fishing Center of St. Lucie (772-465-7637).

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