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The Tampa Bay Fishin' Report: Sheepshead continue to be best bet – Tampa Beacon

Cloudy. High 78F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph..
Mostly cloudy. Low 66F. Winds light and variable.
Updated: March 16, 2024 @ 10:24 am

Capt. George Hastick (727-525-1005): Capt. George says not a lot has changed over the past week, with everything in a solid wintertime pattern in Tampa Bay. The most reliable bite now is sheepshead, with fish on rocks, bridge and dock pilings. Over the past week he has noticed that he’s having to visit more docks than usual to find them, noting that the water is very clear but many docks are not holding any fish. They also are picky eaters, often turning their noses up at shrimp but gobbling live fiddler crabs. Finding fiddlers at bait shops in the winter months can be hit-or-miss. The sheepshead also are shying away from rigs using heavy leader in the very clear water. To reduce visibility of the line, Hastick has been downsizing to fluorocarbon leaders as light a 10-pound test. A few small reds have been taken on his trips, with fish along mangroves in backwater areas. He also lands a few mangrove snapper while sheepshead fishing, though some trips produce none. He hasn’t fished for them, but the word from some of his sources is that there are keeper-sized trout on the grass flats above the Gandy Bridge off of Fourth Street on the Pinellas side of the bay. Live shrimp or jigs with soft-plastic tails have been working well. Despite the cold bay water, there still are schools of scaled sardines around, typically in 8 feet of water or more. He’s been netting them for bait, though as is typical, fish in cold water are more reluctant to take them and are far more apt to take live shrimp. As for the fishing over the next few days, a warming trend should bring some fish out of the backwaters by the weekend, and they should be in a feeding mood.
Riviera Bait & Tackle (727-954-6365): Billy said most of his anglers have been working the sheepshead, perhaps the most willing and cooperative fish in the bay right now. Fiddler crabs have been the best bait, followed by small, live shrimp. They are finding them on bridge pilings, submerged rocks, under docks and other types of structure. A few large fish have been reported over the past week. Trout fishing is another good bet, with some anglers reporting fair numbers of keeper-sized fish on the grass beds in about 5 feet of water above and below the Gandy Bridge. Live shrimp under a popping cork or jigs with soft-plastic tails are taking them. For action, look for jacks along the Gandy Bridge. Some big schools have been running the bridge and they’ll take about any natural or artificial bait thrown at them.
Gandy Bait & Tackle (813-839-5551): Zack reports his anglers have been catching lots of sheepshead, with small, live shrimp working. They are on any kind of structure. A few customers have reported an uptick in the redfish action on the flats near mangroves. The reds have been slot-sized and running behind schools of mullet, where they feed on shrimp and crabs stirred up by the passing mullet. Warmer backwater areas have been producing a few snook for anglers working top-water plugs early and late in the day. Deeper canals and the rivers have been the most productive. Anglers fishing deep water channels have been getting some whiting on shrimp. The pilings of the Bayside and Howard Frankland bridges have been giving up a few black drum. Deep shipping channels in the bay are producing some black sea bass and a few cobia have been spotted in the warm-water outfall of the Big Bend power plant.
Angler 360 (727-669-5455): We welcome Angler 360 to our report. Formerly Clearwater Bait & Tackle, its located at 2999 Gulf to Bay Blvd., on the Clearwater side of the bay. Bob says most of the customers have been reporting good sheepshead fishing using fiddler crabs or shrimp around bridge pilings and docks. A few redfish are being taken around the upper-bay creek mouths, and working inside the creeks where the water is warmer, a few snook are being hooked. Trout are on the grass beds above the Courtney Campbell Causeway and the pilings of the Causeway bridges have produced a few black drum for anglers using chunks of blue crabs for bait.
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