Snook – Next Month… Snook fishing will continue strong this month with larger fish still on the beaches. Expect to see them bunching up near passes and deeper holes. They often appear to have lockjaw, but patience seems to pay off when looking for larger fish. We always seem to get some really large fish using dead bait; like cut ladyfish or chunk pinfish tossed out and left sitting on the bottom. Of course artificial lures usually produce some awesome early morning action and if you’ve passed the learning curve you can have a great time tossing plastics around an incoming our outgoing tidal grass flat; who knows you might even pick up a nice redfish or big yellow mouth sea trout.

Redfish – August should see more redfish action around the Tampa Bay area. This past month we could find some fish, but getting them to bite with any consistency was sometimes difficult. Those we did catch we got on dead baits. Occasionally we’d catch one or two on a cut pinfish, sardine, threadfin or ladyfish, but not with the action we’re used to seeing. With tons of bait around its likely the fish are not that hungry, but at least they’re out there. The bay area notoriously produces good catches of redfish. You just need to find the ones ready to eat. Like snook early morning top-water artificial lures on the grass flats offers some good visual excitement as well. Work both incoming and outgoing tides.

Spotted Sea Trout – Trout fishing can always be fun especially when you find some larger fish willing to eat. I’ve been getting into some good action in deeper water and around the fish attractors using free-lined greenbacks. Also check out the deep grass flats (3-4 ft.) using a popping cork with greenbacks, small pinfish (the flats are full of them) or shrimp. If your into artificial lures trout love to hit plastic lures; especially those with lots of actions. Jig heads and soft plastic with action tails will always do the trick.

Cobia – Markers and sandy flats equal Cobia. These fish frequent markers especially those holding threadfins. They also cruise the flats following rays and manatees.  When marker fishing, keep a chum bag out you just never know what might show up. When we mackerel fish especially with a chum bag or when we’re cutting bait to attract the mac’s it usually brings in a cobia or two. Keep a larger rig ready just in case one comes cruising by.

Mackerel & Bluefish – Tampa Bay is loaded with big Spanish mackerel and bluefish and fishing this month as in the past couple of months should be great. Just look for schools of threadfins, put out a chum bag and hold onto your rod and reel. I’m seeing mackerel catches up to 3 and 4 pounds and some of the biggest blues ever. This is some real excitement on light tackle but you need to use small wire leaders or heavy 60# leader and inexpensive 2/0 long shank silver hooks. For some exciting top water action try tail hooking your bait and let it work against the current. This forces the bait to the top resulting in some great top water strikes. You can bet that when mackerel fishing there’s always a chance of catching a nice shark or two, or a cobia, which certainly adds to the excitement. That’s why it’s always a good idea to keep a fresh chum bag over the side.

Tarpon – Tarpon fishing at the bridge and the beach has its good and bad days. Recently we’ve been seeing nice pods along the beach. Threadfins, crabs and larger sardines should do nicely. I’m seeing a few rolling in upper Tampa bay while Mackerel fishing especially if I’m cutting chunks of bait and feeding it over the side.. They should start show around the upper bay bridges. If you’re a night fishing person try fishing bridge light lines.

Snapper – Grey Snapper seem to be showing up everywhere. Pieces of live shrimp or cut sardines on a ¼ oz. or heaver (depending on the current) knocker rig usually works great. Just find a bridge, rock pile, dock or just about any structure and its fish-on.

“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing” – 813-477-3814 Captain Woody Gore is the area’s top outdoor fishing guide. Guiding and fishing the west central Florida areas for over fifty years; he offers world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories.

Multi-boat Group Charters With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, Captain Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Just tell him what you need and it’s done.  : WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM, Email: wgore@ix.netcom.com or give him a call at 813-477-3814