The Tampa Bay Fishin’ Report: Anglers don’t have to look far to find tarpon – Tampa Beacon

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Updated: June 19, 2024 @ 12:10 pm
These young anglers show off a couple of the trout they caught on a Tampa Bay trip with Capt. Chuck Rogers. Capt. Chuck says the trout fishing has been good, with plenty of keeper-sized fish taking live sardines or jigs. They have moved to a little deeper water, so look for them in the 6- to 8-foot depths over grass bottom with sand holes or shell bars. The area of the bay just below the Gandy Bridge has been good.

These young anglers show off a couple of the trout they caught on a Tampa Bay trip with Capt. Chuck Rogers. Capt. Chuck says the trout fishing has been good, with plenty of keeper-sized fish taking live sardines or jigs. They have moved to a little deeper water, so look for them in the 6- to 8-foot depths over grass bottom with sand holes or shell bars. The area of the bay just below the Gandy Bridge has been good.
Capt. George Hastick (727-525-1005): Capt. George has been doing well on reds and a few snook working the shade of mangroves when the sun is high. He’s been working the Pinellas side of the bay from St. Pete to just above the Gandy Bridge. Live sardines have been working best but a moving current is needed to get a bite. Chumming with the live sardines can draw the fish out of the mangroves onto the open flats. Trout fishing is pretty good, with fish in 5 to 7 feet of water over grass bottom from Pinellas Point up to above the Gandy Bridge. Live sardines or quarter-ounce jigs with soft plastic tails are getting it done. He’s been focused on the west side of the bay, but sources have been finding the reds in the mangroves on the east side around Apollo Beach. It’s a similar situation, with fish in the shade to stay cooler. If the reds get picky, try a fresh cut bait and wait for them to pick it up.
Capt. Chuck Rogers (813-918-8356): Capt. Chuck says the Spanish mackerel are providing some good action. The schools are around the shell bars and shoals in the middle of the bay from just below the Gandy Bridge to off the St. Pete Pier. Live sardines are a good bait. Be sure to use a short piece of light-wire leader or at least a long-shank hook to prevent cut-offs. Trout fishing has been solid, though fish have moved to little deeper water to keep cool. Look for them in 6 to 8 feet of water over grass beds with sand holes or shell bars. His anglers have been releasing their fish, but lots of keeper-sized trout have been landed. Jigs or live sardines work well. He hasn’t been there to test the waters, but sources are reporting good numbers of redfish around Cockroach Bay. Capt. Chuck also has talked to anglers who have landed some cobia fishing live pinfish on the light line under the Gandy at night.
Gandy Bait & Tackle (813-839-5551): Bill says customers have been finding redfish above and below the Gandy Bridge by working the shade of the mangroves when the water is up. The 4th Street and Weedon Island areas have been good places to try. Tarpon are everywhere, and even in the middle of the day, pods of big fish have been seen rolling along the Gandy Bridge. Three or four boats have been targeting them and hooking up. Spanish mackerel schools are still around, with fish in the open water of the bay from the St. Pete artificial reef north to the Gandy. The macks have been turning on with the outgoing tide. A few tripletail have been found around markers and tripods and there have been a few cobia spotted. One angler netting bait in the morning had a couple of cobia move up into the shade of his boat and just languish there. There has not been a lot of word about snook in the bay, but with the spawn started, most of them are on the Gulf beaches and in the passes. They are out of season, so it’s catch-and-release only, and a lot of anglers are leaving them alone.
Riviera Bait & Tackle (727-954-6365): Bill reports tarpon are everywhere in the bay, from big ones on the bridges at night and juveniles in places like Riviera Bay and many canals. Live shrimp is a great bait for the little ones, with pinfish a good choice for the big silver kings. Some of his anglers are reporting finding good numbers of keeper-sized reds in Riviera Bay around docks and mangroves. Live or fresh dead bait works. Not many reports of trout have come in over the past week, but those looking for them should start on grass bottom in at least 6 feet of water, as they are gravitating to deeper water as the bay water temperature rises. Mangrove snapper fishing has been good, with lots of keeper-sized fish being taken around bridge pilings, docks and rocks. Live shrimp is a good bait choice.
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