Fishing Report 9/9/08
Inshore: It has been the most productive mangrove snapper year I have ever seen. Either that or they are just following me around. I am being rewarded with keeper snapper at just about every spot I have fished in the last 4 months. Other than that, snook have been feeding near the passes and tarpon are still hanging around. As we move into October I expect that the Speckled Trout bite will pick up and should be a strong winter if we can survive the next couple months without red tide setting in. Jeff Haas reported seeing some down in Boca Grande. Lets hope it was just a algal bloom from Tropical Storm Fay runoff.
Species Spotlight III - Atlantic Spadefish
A common fish in Florida Waters that are found around any kind of structure is the Atlantic Spadefish. I have rarely seen any articles or stories about these fish but they are great fighters and average table fare. These fish have always been one of my favorite fish to catch just because they fight hard and are cool looking fish. Commonly found on reefs and around bridges they have always been a tough fish for me to seek out and catch except for areas where they are in schools and eating everything around them.
Fishing Report 7/25/08
Last night the tide was right to scout one of my new grouper spots for some legal sized fish, the bait shop only yeilded small shrimp but I figured to try it out anyway. The high tide was at 5pm and I got out there about 6:45pm. Not a bit of wind, it was gorgeous. Managed about 5 or 6 gags only to about 16″ and a couple mangrove snapper and ladyfish. WIll give it another try maybe this weekend with some bigger baits.
Species Spotlight II - Crevalle Jack
Crevalle Jacks are one of my all time favorite fish to catch. Sometimes reffered to as yellow jacks, they are all bite and just a little (grunting) bark. These fish are one a mission. Eat everything in their path and then go find something else to eat. Large schools of smaller jacks can be seen splashing and churning the waters down sea walls and around docks and bridges. They are great fun to catch and are found on all Florida coasts and even on the offshore reefs.
Fishing Report 7/22/08
Fished some docks last night with very little to offer. One snapper was caught all night. Bait shops are out of shrimp so call before you go. Most shops in the St. Pete area did not get shrimp delivered yesterday and it could be the same today. Don’t know why, but I imagine the boats were not out due to the moon and the shrimp being scattered. I was able to net some small pinfish and pigfish, I should have taken them out to the beach. Onshore winds may stir up the waters some over the next couple of days but by the weekend the snook should be back on fire again.