1: At Big Pier 60 in Clearwater, windy weather slowed the fishing somewhat this past week. Spanish mackerel and sheepshead have been the most consistent catches. A few sliver trout and whiting are also biting, reports Big Pier 60 Bait & Tackle (727-462-6466).
King Mackerel: It’s that time of year and the water temps are right for king mackerel. Kingfish have been reported in a number of spots in the bay area and elsewhere this week.
Strike Zone, 4, 5, 6, 7, Elsewhere
2: At Madeira Beach, schools of Spanish mackerel have moved back into nearshore waters and off the beaches. The hogfish bite remains good at a depth of 40 to 80 feet. Lane snapper action gets hot around 70 feet. A few mangrove snapper and red grouper are also coming in from that depth. “I’m hearing about some kingfish at the Skyway and going out along the edge of the shipping channel, but none to speak of offshore yet,” reports Capt. Dylan Hubbard of Hubbard’s Marina (727-393-1947).
3: At John’s Pass, there’s still a lot of sheepshead in the pass, but the bite is starting to slow. More and more snook are showing in the pass each day. Redfish are biting along the bottom in the pass and also around the jetty. A few Spanish mackerel are biting in the pass, but the numbers are better off the jetty and along the beach. Pompano are biting off the jetty on Doc’s Jigs, but dirty water has slowed that bite, reports Hubbard.
4: At Fort De Soto Park, there’s still plenty of sheepshead around the marina, the bridge and most structure in the area. Some of these fish are still spawning. More and more numbers of snook are showing up on the area flats and mangrove lines. Good numbers of trout up to 20 inches are biting on the deeper flats and in the potholes. Kingfish have been reported off Egmont Key and the edge of the shipping channel. Bunces Pass is holding a lot of blacktip sharks. The Gulf Pier is producing Spanish mackerel, sheepshead and whiting. Some snook are close to shore and plenty of bait is also at the pier. Anglers should note, the Bay Pier is closed for remodeling until further notice, reports Tierra Verde Bait and Tackle (727-864-2108).
5: Around the Sunshine Skyway and lower Tampa Bay, Spanish mackerel have showed up in full force around lower Tampa Bay and nearshore waters off Anna Maria Island. With the mackerel, come the kingfish. Look for surface schools of bait with birds actively feeding on them. Troll Clark kingfish spoons on a #2 planer until you find the school. Then use live bait on 2/0 longshank hooks for the best action. The mangrove snapper bite is really good throughout the bay, along the shipping channel edges and on the rock piles. Snook fishing remains good around Terra Ceia and Miguel Bay, reports Capt. John Gunter of Palmetto (863-838-5096).
6: At Anna Maria, Perico Bayou and the Seven Pines area have good action for snook and redfish along the shore lines. Palma Sola Bay is also holding snook and redfish on the higher tides. Flats in the sound with deeper edges and potholes are producing decent numbers of speckled trout. Structure and the bridges are still holding sheepshead, but they are starting to thin out. Spanish mackerel are off the beaches along with sporadic kingfish, reports Capt. Shawn Crawford of Florida Sport Fishing Outfitters (941-705-3160).
7: At St. Petersburg, there’s lots of bait around the area, along with Spanish mackerel and some kingfish. The Skyway area and the main shipping channel is also producing kingfish and Spanish. Mackerel are also off the beaches. Mangrove snapper are biting along the channel and the reefs in the bay. Pinellas Point is producing good numbers of trout and a few snook. Redfish and snook are biting around Weedon Island and snook action is also good in the backwater bays. Some tarpon are showing up around Tierra Verde and the Skyway Bridge. There’s still plenty of sheepshead around structure and the area docks, reports Larry Mastry at Mastry’s Tackle (727-896-8889).
8: In the north end of Tampa Bay, bunches of sheepshead are still around the bridges and structure in the area. Big schools of sheepshead are also roaming around Ballast Point and Picnic Island. Better numbers of spotted trout are showing up on the west side flats around Weedon Island and the Fourth Street area. The redfish and snook bite is good on both sides of the bay, especially around Weedon on the west side and both Ballast Point and Picnic Island on the east side, reports Gandy Bait & Tackle (813-839-5551).
• At Homosassa, redfish have moved into more of a summer time pattern. Look for the mullet and you’ll find the redfish. The outside islands are producing good numbers of fish on the incoming tides on live shrimp or a shrimp on a jig, depending on the amount of current. Snook are biting on the rocky shorelines and oyster bars around the St. Martins Keys area. A D.O.A. CAL 5.5-inch jerkbait in glow color is all you need for bait, reports Capt. Marrio Castello of Tall Tales Charters (352-454-7719).
• At Fort Pierce, offshore winds have calmed and 2 to 3-foot seas are predicted for the new few days. There should be a good bite for mahi and kingfish on the troll. At the inlet, whiting, large croakers and a few pompano are biting in the surf. Spanish mackerel are biting at the mouth of the inlet on spoons and Gotcha Plugs. There’s a good snook bite inside the inlet on live baits during the day. At night, they’re taking Hogie Lures and swimbaits. Snook are also biting around the bridges while trolling Rapala Super Shad Raps. The bridges area also, producing some sheepshead, but that bite is slowing and more mangrove snapper are showing up. The Melody Lane Pier is producing sand perch, reports Clint Walker at the Fishing Center of St. Lucie (772-465-7637).

source