Saltwater fishing: Redfish are still the catch of the bay

Redfish remain the hot bite this week for Tampa Bay area anglers. Schools and scattered, solitary fish are being reported inside the bay and on the beaches.

1. At Big Pier 60 in Clearwater, Spanish mackerel are biting in the morning and keeper trout in the evening and at night. There’s been some nice size redfish swimming around the pier this week. Some keeper size mangrove snapper have been caught around the pilings as well, reports Big Pier 60 Bait & Tackle (727-462- 6466).

2. At Madeira Beach, the red tide clears up out past 14-16 miles. Deeper near shore water about 18-20 miles out is producing a good scamp grouper bite. The hogfish bite is improving and there’s plenty of Key West grunts, porgies and black sea bass. Deeper offshore the scamp grouper bite is good as well along with yellowtail snapper and big mangrove snapper. A few red grouper are biting deep, reports Capt. Dylan Hubbard of Hubbard’s Marina (727-393-1947).

3. At John"s Pass, redfish have been caught along the surf on live shrimp rigged on the bottom. The mangrove snapper bite has picked up inside the pass and there are some large schools cruising the docks on the incoming tides. Huge bait schools are moving through the pass and easterly winds have really cleared up the red tide, reports Hubbard.

4. At Fort DeSoto Park, mangrove snapper are biting at the drawbridge. Redfish, snook, black drum and small trout are biting on the area flats. Redfish are also biting off of East Beach. Sheepshead are biting around the pilings of the small bridge. At the pier, lots of Spanish mackerel keeper mangrove snapper, and small gag grouper are biting. Some snook are holing on the jetty, reports Capt. Claude Hinson, of the Bait Bucket (727-864-2108).

5. Around the Sunshine Skyway and lower Tampa Bay, schools of redfish are roaming the area around Rattlesnake Key and Joe Island. There’s also solitary redfish up against the mangroves and on the area docks. Keeper gag grouper and mangrove snapper are biting on the edge of the shipping channel and rock piles from the Skyway Bridge to Port Manatee. All the mouths of the bays are loaded with snook, and keeper-size trout are biting on the deeper edges outside the bays, reports Capt. Shawn Crawford of Florida Sport Fishing Outfitters. (941-705-3160).

6. At Anna Maria, snook are on the beach and in the passes. There’s also pompano in the same areas. Redfish, snook and trout are biting on the flats of the sound and Sarasota Bay. The redfish are following mullet. Fish the edges of the flats for them on low tide and up against the mangroves on high tide. Some of the area docks are holding solitary redfish, reports Crawford.

7. At St. Petersburg, the red tide has eased and the fishing has picked up. Spanish mackerel are on the beach and on the St. Pete Reef. Redfish and snook are all over Bunces Pass. The Skyway Bridge and the shipping channel is producing keeper mangrove snapper and gag grouper. The area docks are good for redfish and the trout bite is good on the flats. Pinellas Point is producing trout and some snook, reports Larry Mastry of Mastry’s Tackle (727-896-8889).

8. In the north end of Tampa Bay, the redfish bite has been good. They’re scattered and up against the mangroves, but there’s also a big school around Weedon Island. “The snook are starting to show up around the creeks. We caught some up in Rocky Creek earlier in the week,” reports Capt. Jake Whitfield Florida Outdoor Adventures (813-997-5980). There’s lots of big trout over 20 inches with some Spanish mackerel mixed in on the flats around the Gandy Bridge. Both the Gandy and Howard Frankland Bridges are still holding keeper mangrove snapper, reports Whitfield.

Elsewhere

• At Homosassa, good numbers of trout are being caught on the hard bottom grass beds in about three feet of water. There’s a few flounder mixed in with the trout. The near shore rocks are still producing Spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper and a few gag grouper. Tripletail have moved in around structure and the buoys, reports Capt. William Toney of Homosassa Inshore Fishing Charters (352-621-9284).

• At Sebastian Inlet, redfish and snook are biting good in the inlet on live pigfish and pinfish. Both cubera and mangrove snapper are being caught in the inlet as well. Some Spanish mackerel are being caught along with a few whiting on the beach. The mullet run is on in the surf, reports Duncan Frenz at Whitey’s Bait & Tackle (321-724-1440).

• On the Space Coast, trout up to 23 inches are biting topwater lures fished near mullet schools at first light in the Indian River. There’s a good bite for both redfish and black drum in the morning and late evening. Fresh cut mullet or ladyfish and live shrimp fished around the State Road 405 Bridge has been productive, reports Capt. Keith Mixon of Mixin" Work With Play Fishing Charters. (321-212-8484).

Source: http://www.theledger.com/sports/20181004/saltwater-fishing-redfish-are-still-catch-of-bay