Dots, Specs, An Lateral Lines Make For Good Fishing In Tampa Bay

Lets begin with the line siders, well the snook bite for April and May has not been as good as expected, in comparisons to years past. However it is certainly starting to heat up now. {%image_id=9421%}{%image_id=9423%} {%image_id=9422%} Look for snook in ALL the creek mouths and cuts close to grass flats and boat channels. Try the flats at Piney point and Bihops Harbor. Also, if you have a port pass fish the spoil island at port Mannattee. White bait is what their chewing on, so chum heavy and fish hard! {%image_id=9419%} We have been landing nice trout on live sardines using 1/0 and 2/0 Eupro circle hooks, 20 lb Eupro shock leader and a popping cork. The best method is to drift fish till you hook up up. Then power pole down and work the the area making long casts with a live sardine under a a cork or fan casting your favorite jig. {%image_id=9420%} For bigger Trout you might want to fish the deeper pot holes making sure not to pass by any oyster bars(with out giving them a cast or two). We landed several last week in 20-23 inch range and one 26 incher dead stickining a butter- flied pin fish along a oyster bar. {%image_id=9418%}{%image_id=9417%} Its no secrete that nice sizes schools of reds are bulldawgin up and down the flats around Fort Desota. Big schools of over the slots size reds can easily be located on low tide days. Some days their hitting livies other days your best bet maybe a deadfin on a jig head. Its all about being in the right spot at the right time. When their chewing their chewing when their not their not. Rembember to fish EUPRO and "fish like a pro"! till next time, have a safe and quality day on the water. Capt. Sean