Florida Middle Grounds 27 July 2012

We hadn't been on the weekend trip out of Hubbards Marina in so long it was almost like we had forgotten how much fun it could be. We finally decided to get it together and make a trip. One of the things we needed was the inside cabins, It makes for a more comfortable trip and in the hot summer days it truly keeps you from passing out in the heat. The 39 Hour trip is just that a trip that truly puts you on the fish and makes you want more...But your hands are cut up your arms are wore out and your tackle has taken a beating so by the end you need to go home to recover. WE left the dock at 3:00pm on the big Friendly Fisherman and we head out. We tied leaders and rigs until about 9pm then woke up when the Captain said we are getting ready to line up on the first spot.

Tim's Gag Grouper

It was 1:12 am and hopefully that little sleep was enough to last until we stopped fishing at 7:30pm the next night. The good thing was we immediately started catching fish. Nice Mangrove Snappers and literally we never stopped catching fish EXCEPT in between anchor runs for Captain Mark to put us right back on another great spot. When he said Mangroves he was right, when he said Grouper he was right. The only thing better would have been to have a School of Mahi show up....

Then they did. The three of us Me, Tim and Steve had our two day limit of Snapper already and some other very nice Grouper, Bar Jacks and BIG Porgies. One of the best trips we've ever been on.

and this video taken by Mr. Bob Harbison really captured the essence of the Trip. I cannot do justice to his write-up but I have to Thank Bob for his great coverage of our entire trip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWK5G4HmO70&feature=plcp

Fishing Report from Website

Joshua Taylor from "SaltyScales.com" www.saltyscales.com sent this fishing report.
"The fishing has been epic in the Tampa Bay with the big linesider reds and snook cooperating on all levels of the tide. The best action has been on the flood tides around the new and full moon, fishing the Southshore with artificial, live and cut baits. Early am try live bait or top water, as the sun rises switch to cut bait. The water heats up in the middle of the day and the fish become lethargic. Look for deep cuts in the mangroves and try and find areas with minimal boat traffic. Lord knows that the fish are extremely pressured. We have been doing really well with the Zara puppy early. For my complete report please be sure to visit www.saltyscales.com."
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Thanks Joshua I know what your talking about the past two weekends have been great we have been hitting the flats in the kayak and finding many Reds and Lots of Snook wanting to be caught. Early in the morning has been key and we have been out before sunup and off the water before 10am.

Early Sunday on the kayaks

Hit the water before sunup, great calm water and some good early top water action. Just before the sun came up we had two nice fish. One 28 in Snook, and a nice keeper 26 in Redfish. Both on top water, the rest of the day want as eventful, a few small trout, and a jack creval.

Inner Coastal Fishing

I've been out of the country on a vacation to Germany and Italy and finally made it out fishing. It truly is nice to have such a great place right in our back yard.
Went out on last Sunday, Memorial Day Weekend and thought it might not be too bad with the storm staying well North. The trout were biting and so were all the other fish, even a small 18 inch Grouper decided to bite my jig with a live shrimp on it. Also we never got pictures but we caught a Ladyfish that was the "Ladyfish that ate Tokyo" it had to be about 10 punds and 30 inches long. We at first thought it was a Big Bluefish, then maybe a small Tarpon but sure enough when we got it beside the boat it was a HUGE Lady fish. However the excitement of the day was the Grouper. IN about 12 foot of water and on a 1/8thoz jighead with a live shrimp.

$13,000 Fishing Tournament Next Weekend

21st Annual Saltwater Fishing Tournament
May 5, 2012

There is a very large fishing tournament happening on May 5th, That is next weekend. Here is the Article I found talking about it
 http://www.examiner.com/article/13-000-inshore-fishing-tournament

and here is the website for the Tournament.

http://www.optimistclubperryfl.com/

Fishing Report from Capt. Chris Haught of Inshore Charters

Captain Chris Haught of http://www.inshorecharters.com submitted this report to the web site.

 "Fishing in and around Tampa Bay has been unbelievable lately. We’ve been fishing mullet schools with live and cut bait for redfish in lower Tampa Bay having good success on the higher tides.

Snook have been on the flats near the structures and potholes eating scaled sardines, large threadfins, and pinfish. King mackerel have been on the beaches when the wind is cooperative out of the east and the water clarity is good. Anchoring up over hard bottom areas and putting out a spread of live baits on the surface and some live and dead bait on knocker rigs has produced kings, Spanish, bonito, key west grunt, red grouper, gag grouper, flounder, mangrove snapper, and more. Speaking of beach fishing, the flounder bite this year off the beaches has been stellar. Many of the flounder have been really nice sized compared to the usual size we see here.

 My Spanish mackerel fishing has mostly been inside the bay so far because of the number of fish hanging near the schools of threadfins. I’m pretty much using live bait on the good tides and cut strips of bait on the slower tides. We’ve been hitting the plus sized seatrout in the real skinny water on live bait, cut bait, and artificials and the smaller fish have been more plentiful in the 3-6 ft. grass flat areas eating the same things.

 Those deeper grass areas are also holding nice bluefish, ladyfish, jacks and more to bend the rod. We’ve been catching plenty of cobia so far but most have been on the small side with not many bigger ones yet. The tarpon are in their normal hangouts and have little traffic compared to May/June so now is the perfect time to target the silver king.

  The sharks are also making an appearance inside the bay on the flats, the edge of the shipping channel and near the passes which make for an exciting battle on light tackle."


Captain Chris Haught
Tampa Bay Florida Fishing Guide
http://www.inshorecharters.com
chris@inshorecharters.com
727-420-4429

TampaBayFish.com - Weekend Fishing Report

TampaBayFish.com  Weekend Fishing Report. Saturday and Sunday are not suppose to be the best weather days. If your going fishing there may be some good chances on Sunday, watch for heavy rains and winds to possibly shut the fish down.

Weather UPDATE: Thunderstorms Saturday with the chance of rain going way down Sunday. It seems like a dip in the temperatures on Sunday but only to 79 so it should be excellent fishing all weekend long.

RADAR LINK

FORECAST LINK
SATURDAY:
high 80-83 70% chance of Rain
low 59-62
NE WINDS 10-15mph
SUNDAY:
high 73-78 60% isolated chance of Rain
low 64-66
N WINDS 10-15mph 

Fishing Report: Look for Fishing to be good if you can get to protected waters and watch for the rain and winds. 

• FISH Redfish are hitting topwaters and trout are hitting popping corks with live or plastic shrimp.
• Spanish Mackerel and Kingfish are making strong appearances. The Kings seem to be running strong out over the close wrecks and off the beaches and the Spanish Macks should be all over the Bay.

Any Florida Fishing Reports or Tampa Area Specific Fishing Reports are welcome please submit comments or other information here and maybe we can help others catch fish too.

Spoons that I have caught Redfish and Snook on

This is another part of my favorite Lures section these are some of the Gold Spoons that have produced well for me over the years I have caught Trout, Redfish and Snook on every one of these Lures. The gold spoon with the small red spinner in the back seems to outproduce the plain gold spoon for some reason.

Redfish Lures

Tampa Fishing Report from Capt. Rick Reddick of Tampa Fishing Charters

Capt. Rick Reddick submitted this report. Visit Tampa Fishing Charters for More info:
April 11, 2012 - Tampa Fishing Charters

Wow what an awesome spring mackerel run we are having. While slow trolling over artificial reefs and other live bottom areas we have barely been able to keep our baits in the water. We have had at least three Kingfish each day and around ten Spanish mackerel. Not to mention all “the ones that got away”.

Obviously we did not catch these two kings in front of this dock, but it was time to take pictures for my happy clients and they did not mind the location. Catching bait has been pretty easy and quick. I am very thankful for the bait we have around and the kings and Spanish love them. While slow trolling it is not uncommon to get double knock downs and we have had at least one on each trip.

When the fishing is this hot, it does not take long to get a large catch like these two professional junior anglers achieved. We should have another month of this awesome mackerel run. Many other species of fish are biting very well this spring:

It has been a pleasure to live and fish in Florida for my whole life, but the months of March and April definitely exemplifies why Florida is the fishing capital of the world. Snook, red fish, trout and grouper have all been caught on recent trips.

In contrast to the previous two springs, bait is easy to find and catch. This mild winter has allowed our fishery the chance to recover a bit, and God knows we need it. While fishing out of Tarpon Springs the past week, we caught this black grouper by free lining a scaled sardine in an edge.

An edge is place were two current flows meet to form a water barrier, that is, two rips moving in different directions. Add a whirlpool effect and you have an Eddie. On the next day’s trip, we caught this snook immediately after leaving the dock:

This happy client had never caught a fish before in his 85 years:

He caught many fish that date.

Here is a picture of a gag we caught while slow trolling for kings:

Fishing for the next few months will be superb, so get out on the water and catch them up!

Captain Rick Reddick
Tampa Fishing Charters |Tampa Fishing Guides
http://www.captainrickreddick.com/
info@captainrickreddick.com
813-787-0249
Tampa Fishing Charters | Tampa Fishing Guides

FREE FISHING Days for 2012

The FWC has two Saltwater Free Fishing days scheduled this year there are Freshwater fishing days as well listed. This is the myfwc.org website that has the announcement. myfwc website announcement.

• June 2 (saltwater) This is the First Day of Red Snapper Season in the Gulf.
• Sept. 1 (saltwater) Labor Day weekend is always a busy fishing time and vacation time in Florida so free fishing fits right in.

for Freshwater the dates are

• April 7 (freshwater) This is past sorry I was looking for the info and it just happens I found it just after the dates.
• June 9 (freshwater) This is the opposite weekend of the saltwater free fishing day.

TampaBayFish.com  Weekend Fishing Report. The wind on Saturday may be a little high but Sunday will be very nice even if the temp drops a little. Flats are working up a lot of action, and the beaches will be heating up shortly. BAIT is everywhere and the schools of mullet are holding some Redfish.

Weather UPDATE: Scattered Thunderstorms Saturday with the chance of rain going way down Sunday. It seems like a dip in the temperatures on Sunday but only to 79 so it should be excellent fishing all weekend long.

RADAR LINK

FORECAST LINK

SATURDAY:
high 80-83 30% chance of Rain
low 59-62
NE WINDS 15-20mph
SUNDAY:
high 79-82 30% isolated chance of Rain
low 64-66
N WINDS 5-10mph 

Fishing Report: The fishing should be excellent in a lot of places around Tampa and the waters North and South. 

• FISH Typical patterns for spring are expected for Redfish, Snook and Trout. Redfish seem to be very active on the flats. Trout are hitting a lot of baits on all the deeper grass flats.
• Spanish Mackerel and Kingfish are making strong appearances. The Kings seem to be running strong out over the close wrecks and off the beaches and the Spanish Macks should be all over the Bay.

Any Florida Fishing Reports or Tampa Area Specific Fishing Reports are welcome please submit comments or other information here and maybe we can help others catch fish too.

Tampa Bay Fishing Report from Web Site

I received this report from the web site. Thanks for submitting this report and I hope your info can help someone else catch fish. The fishing date was 3/25/2012

"I went wading off of Bayshore Blvd in Tampa, FL. We were out about 300yds off the shore during high tide and we caught three speckled trout ranging from the smallest 17", the middle was 22" and the largest one was 27 1/2" inches. They were all caught on live shrimp. We had to weed through some of the smaller ones before the bigger ones started to hit."

Capt. Rick Reddick of Tampa Fishing Charters posted this on his site

TAMPA FISHING CHARTERS
The Mackerel are everywhere and the bite is Spectacular. The wrecks just off shore and the live bottom areas are his spots to target the fish. read more about it here at his website.
http://www.captainrickreddick.com/2012/03/28/tampa-bay-mackerel-bite-spectacular/

Saturday Fishiing Philippe Park

It was a windy afternoon (4:30pm), there was a minor front moving in and it was suppose to bring rain Sunday so the winds were up a little over 15knts. They were out of the southwest and we thought that Philippe Park (Map Link) might be a good protected area. As you can see from the picture the waves were a little large for Kayaks, But they weren't bad enough to keep us off the water and the water was very warm.

It looked a little nicer from shore than it actually was. We launched right from one of the pull overs towards the south end of the park. and fished from creek mouth south about 200-300 yards. The mangroves were nicely covered with water.

Tim caught the first fish of the day a nice 18" Redfish. The water was pushed way up and we hit the place right at high tide and the mangroves were in the water and the treeline was flooded. With the murky water conditions we though that it might be best to use White Soft Jigs. I used a New Penny color and Tim was using solid white.

We caught a few more fish a couple of trout and some Ladyfish and as you can see Tim's catches of Redfish were right up in the Mangrove shallows. the water was about 2ft deep here and is normally less than 6 inches.
The wind isn't always your enemy as a matter of fact a nice South wind is a great thing in the upper Tampa Bay area where the water can be pushed into places that it normally isn't and the fish are there too.

TampaBayFish.com Weekend Fishing report

TampaBayFish.com  Weekend Fishing Report. This weekend is suppose to be excellent weather, warmer than usual including the water temperature being at levels near the normal MAY timeframe. This will lead to fish being very active and we should see a definite increase in Spanish Mackerel activity in the bay and along the beaches and the Kingfish run should be going on strong this weekend.

Weather UPDATE: Excellent weather Until Sunday with another little rain storm in scattered areas. It seems like a dip in the temperatures on Sunday but only to 79 so it should be excellent fishing all weekend long.

Submitted Report from the Website: "caught a twenty one inch and 19 inch red off of live bait while tide was going out at 4 o'clock pm." Not sure of the Exact Location but they are out there.

RADAR LINK

FORECAST LINK


SATURDAY:
high 83-85 20% chance of Rain
low 69-71
SW WINDS 10-14mph
SUNDAY:
high 79-81 30% isolated chance of Rain
low 51-53
W WINDS 8-11mph 

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Fishing Report: Look for both days to be good fishing this weekend the winds may keep a lot of people off the water but if the wind is from the south like expected look for the upper creeks and shallow areas to hold more fish due to the NEW water being pushed back into those areas.

• FISH Typical patterns for spring are expected for Redfish, Snook and Trout. 
• Spanish Mackerel and Kingfish are making strong appearances. Look for Kings out over the close wrecks and off the beaches and the Spanish Macks should be all over the Bay.

Any Florida Fishing Reports or Tampa Area Specific Fishing Reports are welcome please submit comments or other information here and maybe we can help others catch fish too.

Ozello Shrimper - New Product

Every once in a while I have went shrimping in Tampa Bay and have had Great luck the guy who taught me had a nice shrimp catching tool bought from Ozello Shrimper online. The tool worked amazing and he always caught more shrimp than me. NOW The Ozello Shrimper has redesigned the product and made it even better. Here is the Link to his site. If you truly want to catch some Shrimp in Tampa you should get one of these they are amazing. Also if you haven't read my post on "Finding Shrimp in Tampa bay" here is the Link again.
Also I get nothing out of this other than knowing a great product when I see one and if it helps someone to catch more Shrimp or to Catch more fish than you know that is what my site is all about anyway.

Update to Redfish and Trout Regulation Changes

Image is for reference and accuracy purposes.

My good fishing buddy Tim let me know that the fishing area designated as the Northwest region includes all of the water NORTH of the Howard Park Causeway. This is actually good news for those fishing that area. It means that two Redfish per person or 6 Per vessel can be kept if you are on the North Side of Howard Park Cause way. See the picture which comes straight from the Florida Wildlife Commission Website which shows the demarcation line between North and South regions. To read more see the new release here.

New Charter Captain Listed on TampaBayFish.com

On my Local Links Page I have many Local Charter Captains that are more than willing to help you find fish and provide you with a great fishing experience. Whether your a local wanting to learn more or visiting from out of state be sure to check them out if your in the market for a Florida Fishing Guide.

Capt. Chris Haught is a Florida native, born and raised in the Tampa Bay, Florida area fishing these waters as a boy in search of the same species he now guides others to. Capt. Chris is very knowledgeable of his home waters and knows the surroundings and conditions it takes to make a fantastic Florida charter fishing adventure.
As a licensed and insured guide, safe boating habits are practiced at all times.
For the fishing adventure of a lifetime Capt. Chris will customize the trip to your needs just complete the form below (call or email is fine also) for information regarding Tampa Bay, Florida fishing charters. If you are on a business trip or don't have a fishing partner please contact Capt. Chris for special single angler rates. We'll look forward to hearing from you!!

Capt. Chris Haught
Home: 727-773-0299
Cellular: 727-420-4429
chris@inshorecharters.com

TampaBayFish.com Fishing report

Saturday was a good day to be on the water with the winds out of the South some of the protected areas turned out to be productive. the only problem encountered it wasn't until after the sun had just set that my buddy was able to hook up with four nice sized Redfish one after another. The Winds were pretty helpful being out of the South but the fish seemed a little slow to respond. The fishing seemed a little slow However due to the warm air and mild winter it looks like maybe the fish are already starting to move out of their winter haunts. The water temperatures are near their normal "MAY" temps and this could make a change in the fishing sooner this year and we could see Snook out on the beaches soon and some of the other fish transitioning to thier spring areas sooner than expected. The Hotspot Map has been updated with these 4 catches in the Anclote Salt Lake area.

TampaBayFish.com Weekend Fishing Report

TampaBayFish.com  Weekend Fishing Report. This weekend is suppose to be excellent weather, warmer than usual and this should bring out some fish hunting and prowling for food.

Weather UPDATE: Excellent weather Until Sunday with another cold snap. It seems like the weather can't put two nice days back to back unless it's during the week. Look for a little coldness and potential rain Sunday..

RADAR LINK

FORECAST LINK



SATURDAY:
high 80-83 20% chance of Rain
low 61-64
WINDS 10-20mph
SUNDAY:
high 67-69 40% chance of Rain
low 51-53
WINDS 15-20mph 

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Fishing Report: Look for both days to be good fishing this weekend the winds may keep a lot of people off the water but if the wind is from the south like expected look for the upper creeks and shallow areas to hold more fish due to the NEW water being pushed back into those areas.

• REDFISH Sunday might be the slower of the two days with Saturday providing the best bet but when the flats heat up towards the middle of the day it may be just right for the fish to be out and about. Look for the schools of mullet and the reds may be under them.
• TROUT will be hanging in the grass flats like always and should come after some live baits.
• SNOOK Look in the back and upper shallow creek areas which may have more water with the southerly winds.
• OTHER SPECIES Soon we may see some Spanish Macks heading into the bay and along the beaches..

Any Florida Fishing Reports or Tampa Area Specific Fishing Reports are welcome please submit comments or other information here and maybe we can help others catch fish too.

Barracudaville Sportfishing Charters (New Charter Captain in Local Resources)

 

http://www.barracudaville.com

Join Capt. Mark Maloney of Barracudaville Charters for an unforgettable day of fishing in the Tampa Area.
Fishing locally for the past 15+ years in the beautiful, semi-tropical Gulf of Mexico and in its bays and bayous, we have consistently caught everything from giant amberjack, the fish snatching barracuda, hard fighting grouper, drag screaming smoker kingfish, the beautifully acrobatic tarpon, down to the tasty and colorful yellow TAIL snapper.

With a background as a marine science teacher, after a full day charter on BARRACUDAVILLE you are guaranteed to return to the dock with homework. Don't worry, it's only a taste test. We will catch our targeted species or your charter is on Captain Mark.

Whether you are an experienced fisherman hoping to win a big money tournament, a family of five on vacation, or a local fisherman who would like some help finding fish or dialing in your own boat's electronics. Capt. Mark Maloney's BARRACUDAVILLE Sportsfishing Charters will go to every possible effort to provide you with great service and a memorable day of sport fishing.

Captain Mark Maloney
727-776-REEL (7335)
http://www.barracudaville.com
email: CaptainMarkMaloney@yahoo.com

TampaBayFish.com Weekend Fishing report

TampaBayFish.com  Weekend Fishing Report. Looks like another typical early spring weekend with a little chance of rain and some winds but the fishing should be good.

Weather UPDATE: Looks like another FRONT is coming through, we can't seem to get away from them lately on the weekends. However it is suppose to bring only scattered showers around the area. The wind may be one of the biggest factors for fishing this weekend.

RADAR LINK

FORECAST LINK




SATURDAY:
high 64-66 20% chance of Rain
low 54-56
WINDS 10-15mph
SUNDAY:
high 71-74 30% chance of Rain
low 63-65
WINDS 5-15mph 

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Fishing Report: Look for both days to be good fishing this weekend the winds may keep a lot of people off the water but if the wind is  .

• REDFISH when the flats heat up towards the middle of the day it may be just right for the fish to be out and about. Look for the schools of mullet and the reds may be under them.
• TROUT will be hanging in the grass flats like always and should come after some live baits.
• SNOOK with the slow change in the weather they might still be hunting the shallows in the upper creeks.
• OTHER SPECIES most other fish will follow similar patterns look for the early morning and evening to be your best bets things are only going to get better from this time forward.

Any Florida Fishing Reports or Tampa Area Specific Fishing Reports are welcome please submit comments or other information here and maybe we can help others catch fish too.

NEW Features Coming to TampaBayFish.com

Along with the new web site, some new features will be added to the site. As you can see a New Logo is going into place and I will go over some of new features below.

• HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - TampaBayFish.com will provide free links to Charter Captains and will create a BLOG Post, Facebook Post and Twitter Post when requested through the online form here. posts will remain on the front page for 5 days and typically will start on Saturday or Monday.

• CLEARER INFORMATION - Information is being worked into the layout to provide a clutter free website BUT all the same information you've come to look for.
• WEEKEND Fishing PREDICTIONS - TampaBayFish.com will provide a general idea of what fish will be biting over the weekend. Predictions will be based on weather, tides, season and time of day.
• MORE PICTURES - More pictures will be incorporated into Posts and the web page. This has been a request for a long time to post more images.
• FEEDBACK - A way for you the visitor to send feedback, recommendations and ask questions.

Thank you to the over 100,000 people who have visted and have provided information, pictures, feedback AND valuable learning experiences. Give a man a Fish and he is happy for a DAY, TEACH him to Fish and he is happy for a LIFETIME. Tightlines and I look forward to another 8+ years of providing fishing information to the "everyday fisherman".

Albright Reverse Fishing knot

This is a GREAT Simple Strong Line-to-Line knot that is easy to tie and is super strong. Learning knots is always a part of fishing and there are so many to choose from BUT when you need something fast, simple and strong there are a few that I use as my absolute go to knots. This is one of those.
Reverse Albright Fishing Knot from FishbuzzTV on Vimeo.
This can also be found on the SNOOK Foundation Page here.

WEEKEND FISHING REPORT

TampaBayFish.com  Weekend Fishing Report. It looks like the clouds have moved in and we have a heavy overcast with the threat of rain. Of course Fishing in Florida is always good we can all use a little help finding the fish and knowing what is biting.

Weather UPDATE: Looks like another FRONT is coming through however it is suppose to bring showers Today and Sunday with only scattered around the area. Prepare to get wet if fishing those days but look for the fishing to pretty hot on Saturday and perhaps today.

RADAR LINK

FORECAST LINK




SATURDAY:
high 78
low 66
SUNDAY:
high 69
low 48

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Fishing Report: Saturday looks to be the best day this weekend depending on how fast the front moves in it shouldn't slow the fish down that much since it is just a drop in the temp overnight BUT with the barometer dropping you should see good activity FRIDAY and possibly later Saturday. .

• REDFISH Early morning Saturday and the magic hour before dark are going to be the best bets but even the middle of the day may show a few fish feeding before the change on Sunday.
• TROUT will be hanging in the grass flats like always and should come after some live baits.
• SNOOK might still be hunting the shallows in the upper creeks.
• OTHER SPECIES most other fish will follow similar patterns look for the early morning and evening to be your best bets things are only going to get better from this time forward.

Any Florida Fishing Reports or Tampa Area Specific Fishing Reports are welcome please submit comments or other information here and maybe we can help others catch fish too.

Fishing Seminar Tonight - Tampa Fishing Outfitters

Winter Time Inshore Fishing

• Feb. 16th 7:00P.M.
• Capt. Neil Taylor
• Winter Time Inshore Fishing
  Plus, Cap Mel Tournament information 

If you want to learn some good local techniques and want to learn from some down to earth guys Tampa Fishing Outfitters is one of the better locations in town to do it. They also have one of the largest selections of Baits, rods, reels, lures and Costa's in town. Check them out here

TAMPA FISHING OUTFITTERS

(813) 870-1234 - 3916 W Osborne Ave, Tampa, FL
OR ONLINE HERE

http://www.tampafishingoutfitters.com

WEEKEND FISHING REPORT

One of the new features of TampaBayFish.com is going to be a Weekend Fishing Report. Hopefully this will help those who are wanting to get out and fish over the weekend. Of course Fishing in Florida is always good we can all use a little help finding the fish and knowing what is biting.

Weather UPDATE: The weather isn't suppose to cooperate with us over the weekend so the fishing might be for those who aren't afraid of getting a little wet. Rain starting tonight will bring in the cold front.
HIGH:
Saturday 70
Sunday 56
LOW:
Saturday 56
Sunday 32

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Fishing Report: With Sunday being the cold day look for some activity Saturday Early depending on how fast the front moves in and slows the fish down. We are in a VERY VERY Early Spring pattern with the fish feeding during the onset of the cold fronts and the bites tapering off as the cold weather hits.

• REDFISH should still be active even though the cold front is moving in. Early morning Saturday and the magic hour before dark are going to be the best bets but even the middle of the day may show a few fish just confused with the weather and clouds.
• TROUT will be hanging in the grass flats like always and should come after some live baits. Look for them once the sun is up and there is a little warmth in the air. MIGHT be hard this weekend since the cold front is coming through. Trout also might be a little sluggish so pay attention to your retrieve speed.
• SNOOK might be hunting the shallows in the upper creeks but with the cold front look for them to be shut down once it comes through. For the next day or so the SNOOK may be recovering.
• OTHER SPECIES most other fish will follow similar patterns look for the early morning and evening to be your best bets once the weather passes we should see an increase in the bite.

Any Florida Fishing Reports or Tampa Area Specific Fishing Reports are welcome please submit comments or other information here and maybe we can help others catch fish too.

Fun Flats Fishing (New Charter Captain in Local Resources)

Join Captain Mark for a great day of fishing Tampa Bay!

Whether you are an experienced angler or a novice, you will enjoy an exciting, fun, action-filled fishing charter. Tampa Bay is home to many species of fish including snook, redfish, trout, mangrove snapper, Spanish mackerel, tarpon, pompano, and cobia.

With Captain Mark as your fishing guide, you will enjoy all that Tampa Bay has to offer. A Tampa Bay fishing experience includes beautiful back country flats fishing and wildlife vieiwing opportunities such as dolphin, manatee, and rosette spoonbills nestled in the mangroves of Tampa Bay.

"TampaBayFish.com highly recommends Capt. Mark Newton"

Captain Mark Newton

Fun Flats Fishing

http://funflatsfishing.com/

PHONE: (813) 240-6331 or (813) 885-7333

New Tide Map - TampaBayFish.com Tide information

OK so Tim, my good fishing buddy said, "HEY, I need the tides for Anclote River!" so I updated my tide maps and put the new information and new locations on the map. This just makes it easier to find the information. The actual INFORMATION for the tides are located at Mobile Graphics Tides Web Site, You could go there and search for the same areas BUT what I've done is break down JUST our Tampa Area and put the info here http://www.tampabayfish.com/tides.htm. This is also a part of the new TampaBayFish.com that is coming soon!

Tampa Fishing report received on Web Site

I received this Fishing Report from a visitor identified as "SWC Fam" Thanks for the update. Fishing Date: 3 January 2012
"Nice slot reds, trout and sheepshead under docks in Tarpon, Honeymoon area. Biggest trout are in deep holes near shallow corners of the spoil islands. Caught a 30" trout on a shrimp using fluro with 2/0 circle and inline boober 5 feet from island. Biggest reds are eating as the day nears it's end, lots of chicken reds everywhere. Plastics are out producing hard baits especially DOA (silver grubs, red and gold flake jerk baits, green paddle tails) and make sure you use a Pumpkin Jig Head! Tight lines and put em in the boat!"

COMING SOON - NEW TampaBayFish.com Website Layout

TampaBayFish.com is going through it's third version change in layout and content. It only happens every 4 years and since our start in 2004 it is time again. THIS time we are keeping all of the old content just focusing it in a clearer and less cluttered manner. Finding the things you like will be easier while focusing on the things that PROVIDE you the INFORMATION you want.  Here is a Screen Shot of the new layout in it's beginning stages. See the launch on 29 February 2012. Since this day only happens once every 4 years this is our Launch Date. Leap Year, brings us to the next step and we hope another STRONG 8 years of providing the 'Everyday Fisherman' with Solid FREE fishing information and reports. Thanks for being a part of TampaBayFish.com and we look forward to doing it some more.

Annonymous Fishing Report From the Web Site

I received this Tampa Area Fishing Report from the Web Site. Thanks for the report. (Jan 31, 2012)
"My father and I decided to go flats fishing around 7 o'clock at night. Nothing was biting on the flats so we moved to the TECO power plant. At this time it is about 9 o'clock. First we free lined it with some shrimp at the bottom of the hook and cast after cast we were getting some fun fights. We caught Catfish, Ladyfish, and large Jack. Then we put a bobber on the line and casted it into the center. Then we started to catch trout. One after another."

NEW REDFISH and SPOTTED SEA TROUT regulations GO INTO EFFECT TOMORROW

Starting 1 February NEW Regulations for RED DRUM (REDFISH) and Spotted Sea Trout go into effect for Florida. In the Northern Regions People can KEEP 2 REDFISH per day in the Southern Regions we are still limited to 1 per day.  Spotted Sea Trout will no longer have a closed season. Starting 1 February Sea Trout will be open year round. The map shows which counties are in the north and south. And for more detailed Information make sure you go directly to the Florida Wildlife Commission Web Site.  To see specific information on these changes go to the Saltwater Fishing Regulations Handbook. To find out all of Florida Fishing's Regulations visit the myfwc.org website and get the real information.

Costa Rica Sail fishing

A friend of mine recently returned from a Costa Rica Sail Fishing Trip and sent me this picture. He has some great pictures including some of the ones here.

Fishing in Florida - What do I need - PART 1

Well here is the straight info on what you need to fish while your vacationing in Florida. A great source of information and the basis for my recommendations and information on the "legal" aspects of fishing in Florida can be found here. With the need for licenses here is a general guide. BUT please refer to the website to ensure things are up to date. As of January 2012.

1. If your fishing from a pier or a boat you will need a Saltwater License. If your fishing from the SHORELINE/BEACH you do not need a license as long as your a resident. IF you are vacationing a license is required and the beaches are patrolled. BUT the good news a three day license is only $17 and can be purchased at most bait shops and in just about every Walmart.

2. If you go out with a Charter or Guide they typically provide everything you need, they are knowledgeable about what is legal or not and can out you on the fish without you needing to know anything but where to show up.

3. If your fishing Freshwater you need a license no matter what. If you fishing an Inlet that goes from Freshwater to Saltwater. be careful you may think you don't need a license since it is saltwater BUT if your fishing for freshwater fish you may need a license. (This can be a judgement call by the FWC officer so be careful when your in this gray area of the law) OR just call and ask an FWC officer.

In the next post. Fishing in Florida - What Gear do I need - PART 2 I will discuss what you need if your planning on fishing from the beach or another area on your own without a guide and your wanting to bring your own rod, reel and bait. OR buy it when you get here.

Anonymoous Reports added to web site.

I received this Fishing Report from the website.

Boat basin South side of Gandy directly west of s. westshore blvd. Tampa
"Allot of small Pampano and trout. I fished with a #1 hook but the fish are all to small for it in this boat basin. With in seconds of my bait being in the water I had hits 95% of the time."

Fishing Report from Web Site

I received this Fishing Report from the website and it has both Fresh water and Saltwater Report.
"Lake Tarpon Pinellas County Florida


Fresh Water Report:

Speckled Perch (Crappie) have really started to show up in numbers. Roadrunner style jigs in Yellow and Green are top producers for good size specs. Live minnows have also been a great bait. I prefer to use a slip bobber with Live minnow or grass shrimp so you can adjust your baits from 1ft to 15ft., also straight line down with Cane sticks is another productive way of using the spider technique. Trolling (slow) through deeper water will result in some nice fish. Mark each fish on your GPS or with a float buoy and work that area well.

Salt Water:

Snook, Redfish, and Big Trout are the hot topic in tampabay right now. Live Shrimp, Tiger Chubs, and Greenbacks are the top choice, but DOA Cal Jigs, Zara Spook, and Jerk Baits are productive as well if your a Lure fisherman. Look to Ft. Desoto, Wheedon Island, Coquina Key,and 4th Street Area for some great action.

Tight Lines and Screaming reels

JSnooker"

SALTWATER ADDICTION CHARTERS (New Charter Captain in Local Resources)

I wanted to invite everyone to see the new local charter captain on my Local Resources Page. Captain Craig Weaver is a full-time Tampa fishing charter guide and veteran angler bringing over 20-years experience. He has fished as an commercial and professional but the charter end of this business is by far his true passion. From seasoned anglers to the individuals who are new, but interested in learning the sport. He treats every fishing charter the same, giving his clients the experience needed to make their Tampa fishing charter one heart pounding fishing adventure to remember with some of the best inshore fishing in the State of Florida. All it takes is one Tampa Bay fishing charter and you will quickly see that Tampa Bay and our beautiful Gulf Coast has some of the best inshore and offshore fishing available.
Here are a few of the species that can get you hooked on Tampa fishing charters:

• Tarpon (silver king)
• Snook
• Redfish
• Trout
• Cobia
• Shark
• Pompano
• Mackerel
• Scalloping

Captain Craig Weaver
Saltwater Addiction Charters
13707 LAGOON DR HUDSON FL 34667 US
http://saltwateraddictioncharters.com/
Phone:info@saltwateraddictioncharters.com
(813) 610-1672Email:
info@saltwateraddictioncharters.com

Anonymous Fishing Report Submitted

Thanks for submitting this next report. It was submitted through my website and it had no name attached. I truly appreciate and value ALL fishing reports. Many of us fish, and letting each other know where and what is biting is what this Web Site is about. thanks again for the submission.
SUBMITTED 1/8/2012, "Sunday was a great day for fishing. We started out at the power plant, in the warm water flats, while everyone else was fishing the deep water warm outflow catching a few small fish. It was low tide and the depth was about 2 feet with the water being flat as glass. I was able to see dozens of Bonnet Head sharks, so we started casting out to them. Within minutes we were both hooked up at the same time. Within about an hour we had each pulled in 6 sharks a piece. All were about 3 feet. They fight great for their size and fool you with their bursts of energy. We moved from their and went over to the west side of one of the spoil islands. There we landed dozens of slot size trout. All in all it was a fun productive day. We used live shrimp all day. With the sharks we let the bait sit on the bottom and for the trout we free lined them through the grass flats. "

thanks again, tight lines. http://www.tampabayfish.com/


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Fishing report Submitted by Captain Randy Schoneman Barefoot Bandit Charters

Submitted by Capt. Randy Schoneman, 1/7/2012, "Went out today with my father for some reds as we usually do not keep any and he keeps hearing from his friends that he is telling stories. We did not have to go far as we went to a couple areas close to the house that I have not hit since getting my new boat. We landed six reds from 17" to 24" and kept our two for his friends dinner. They were in with mullet in 1.5' of water and hit on grannies,pin shrimp and a gold spoon. We had 4-5 get off with short bites where they only had half the bait. Great day with my father that will last a lifetime. Tight lines till next report "
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Captain Randy Schoneman
Barefoot Bandit Charters

13707 LAGOON DR HUDSON FL 34667 US
http://www.pasco-gulf-fishing.com/default.html
Phone:
(727)514-4642
(727)863-6718
Email:
CaptainRandy@pasco-gulf-fishing.com

Fishing For Redfish Catching Snook

Well we hit the water at about 7:30 we thought it would be good since the cold front moved through a little over three days ago so the fish should be acclimatized to the temperature change and should be hungry. We started out and it was foggy and cloudy but the weather seemed to be holding. After a few casts I realized it was not typical fish weren't moving and hitting like the previous weekend. Then my buddy hooked into a nice fish. Check out the video here. BUT when we got it to the boat it was a SNOOK. SO after 3 more SNOOK we realized the Redfish had moved out and the SNOOK had moved in. We were only out for a little while but a few lady fish and 3 nice SNOOK (released of course) made for a good day of fishing.

Charter Fishing Captain Paul Hajash - FlyFishingFlorida.com

Capt. Paul Hajash of FlyFishingFlorida.com offers Fly, Artificial and LIVE BAIT Fishing the waters of TAMPA BAY, CLEARWATER, CLEARWATER BEACH and ST. PETERSBURG FL.Redfish, Snook and Spotted Sea Trout are the most common catches in the waters from Clearwater to Tarpon Springs. During your trip you will see a variety of wildlife such as Porpoise, Manatees, Sharks, Pelicans, Roseate Spoonbills, Blue Heron, Ibis and Ospreys. Clearwater is the home of Winter the Dolphin and Dolphin are seen on almost every trip.
Everything is included. From the beginner to the most experienced fishing instructions are included. All types of fishing are available from live bait, artificial jigs and flyfishing. He can fillet and bag your catch back at the dock or practice catch and release.

Click on Paul's link to contact him. or use the below information.
Fly Fishing Florida - Tampa Bay area/Clearwater/St. Pete
Capt.Paul@flyfishingflorida.com
Capt. Paul
(727) 251-2623

Fishing Report submitted by Capt Rick Reddick

January 6, 2012 - Tampa Fishing Charters

You’ve got to love Florida winter fishing. I was fortunate enough to get a call from Phil about fishing in the Bradenton area. I live in Clearwater, but I have been fishing all over the bay area my whole life. So when Phil said he wanted to fish up the Manatee River I was very excited.

The plan was to pick up at Fort Hammer and fish with live shrimp. The morning was very cold so we had to make sure that Phil’s eight year old son, Thomas, was kept warm. We started working through different spots and eventually landed this slot red:

14” red fish came to the boat all day long and so did the pesky lady fish. We also caught small snook, keeper trout and undersized trout, and three nice sized sheephead. We had steady action all day and Thomas said it was his best fishing day ever.

As much as I enjoyed the day, I was little saddened that we did not get any large snook bites. I sure look forward to the day when they have recovered from the freeze of 2010. The water temperature was around 58 and all fish were taken on live shrimp. I can’t wait to get out there again.

Captain Rick Reddick
Tampa Fishing Charters |Tampa Fishing Guides
http://www.captainrickreddick.com/
info@captainrickreddick.com
813-787-0249
Tampa Fishing Charters | Tampa Fishing Guides