August
2011- Fishing Report - by Capt. Stewart Ames
As
predicted, Tampa fishing for snook held up well into the last
month and average fish size remained good . First thing in the
morning and on the strong incoming tide were the most productive
times, but several spots were also quite productive on the outgoing
tide. With August comes summer's real heat and this, in itself,
will cool the bite. Adding to the slowdown is the fact that
many fish have now spawned and are, as a result, less aggressive
and more dispersed. This is not to say that snook fishing is
over by any means, but it just won't be as easy. Fishing strong
tides early or late in the day, as well as night fishing, become
the best times to fish for those still wanting to target linesiders.
Whitebait's a little harder to find now as well but is available
to those willing to set the alarm early to chase that "before
sunrise" bait. Grass grunts or pigfish are a good alternative
for anglers wanting to sleep in and can be found in or near
the passes over slightly deeper grassy spots
August
is usually a decent month for catching redfish as they are among
the most heat tolerant of our game fish however this month's
report is unchanged from the previous months...with larger schools
of fish remaining noticeably absent. Fish are being found solo
or in groups of two or three fish. This being the case, most
Tampa fishing guides just plan on working hard if they want
to catch a hand full of fish. This means drafting an itinerary
that incorporates a lot of spots and fishing fairly rapidly.
Most Tampa fishing charters initially target residential docks
and progress to oyster bars, spoil islands and mangrove shorelines
as the tide rises. Fifteen minutes on a spot is usally all that's
required. As redfish make a living feeding on small crabs, a
piece of cut bait is like a gourmet dinner and will typically
be sniffed out and consumed by any fish in the neighborhood,
quite often on the first cast.
Most
of the smaller fish seen this last spring are in the twenty
inch range now and there are still some large fish cruising
in small groups or solo. Do remember that, even though reds
can handle the heat, they are still very likely to take advantage
of any shade that is available so, when fishing docks or mangrove
shorelines that provide shade, make sure to cast baits into
these areas (under docks and into mangrove caves). On Tampa
fishing charters this time of year, cut chunks of mullet and
ladyfish with a large split shot placed right above the hook
are a preferred rig for these environments as they skip quite
well and allow the angler to deliver a bait into the fishiest
areas. Towards the end of next month when water begins to cool
a little bit, redfish may begin to think about schooling up
again.
So
what other Tampa fishing opportunities are available now? Seatrout
can still be found out along the beach in limited numbers and
on deeper, inshore grass flats as well. These are not the large
fish of winter but can provide some rod bending action when
things are slow. Another option is night fishing in one of our
local passes for shark. Although a variety of types can be caught,
blacktip sharks are quite common and among the better sharks
to eat. Equipped with some bluefish or mackerel chunks and a
few chums bags, finding a smaller specimen is likely and a much
larger fish is always a possibility. Do remember that everything
looks a lot different than during the day so go a little slower,
use a GPS to stay clear of channel markers, and make sure all
navigation lights are working properly. Tampa fishing guides
also know that near shore reefs and ledges should be holding
key west grunts, flounder, small grouper, a stray mackerel....maybe
even a barracuda. On a calm day, these reefs can provide a nice
change of pace. In another 8 weeks, these same reefs will be
lit up with fish... kings, Spanish mackerel, bonita and shark.
The
beauty of fishing in the Tampa area is that, even in months
when fishing is "slower" there are still opportunities to go
out and catch a variety of fish. Good luck and good fishing.
Captain
Stewart Ames - Gone Fishing Charters -
www.Tampa-Fishing-Charter.com 727-421-5291 - sames001@tampabay.rr.com
- Gone Fishing Charters, P.O. Box 541, Crystal Beach, Florida
34681.
