Redfish – August should see more redfish action around theTampaBay area. This past month we could find lots of single and a few small schooling fish but getting them to take live bait with any consistency was often difficult. We seemed to have better luck using cut bait on the bottom with the rod in the rod holder. We also had decent success using shrimp around mangroves and docks. The bay area notoriously produces good catches of redfish you just need to find the ones ready to eat. Redfish will push into the Mangrove lined shores and oyster bars on incoming tides. Live bait normally produces good catches along with cut baits. Early morning artificial lures on the grass flats and around the mangroves will offer some excellent excitement as well. Work both incoming and outgoing tides.

Snook – Still Closed… Snook fishing will continue strong this month with some larger fish still in the passes and on the beaches. Expect those near the passes to congregate near the deeper holes and back eddies. They often appear to have lockjaw but patience seems to pay off when looking for larger fish. Snook of all sizes like dead bait especially the big ones. Simply cut the tail off a threadfin and let it lay on the bottom. Artificial lures usually produce some awesome action and if you’re pass the learning curve tossing; plastics to waiting snook can be loads of fun and excitement.

Spotted Sea Trout – Tampa Bay Trout have come back like gangbusters. It’s not unusual to catch a limit of nice eighteen to nineteen inch trout for dinner on any grass flat provided you’re on good incoming or outgoing tides. Trout fishing is always fun especially when you find some larger fish willing to eat. If you’re free-lining white or shrimp and the current is moving, you might need to add # 5 split shot to keep the bait down. In water five feet or shallower try a popping cork, but again you might want to add a little weight to keep the bait down.

Tarpon – Tarpon fishing on the beaches has been really good but the storm and full moon pushed many off shore to spawn. Now they are heading back. The first week of July my son Capt. Mike Gore, spotted a huge school about nine miles off shore heading forSt. Petersburg.

Mackerel & Bluefish – Tampa Bay has its share of mackerel and bluefish and fishing this month should be great. Just look for schools of threadfins, put out a chum bag and hold onto your rod and reel. The real bite is off shore. The mackerel will actually wear you out to the point of putting your rod and reel down and taking a seat. 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 for some great top water strikes.