Tampa Bay Fishing Report April 2010
By Capt. Woody Gore – www.captainwoodygore.com
Finally winter is over and spring is here. Now is the time to dig out those rods and reels and check out the boat, it’s time for another great summer of fishing.
Throughout the wintertime fishing was consistently poor with cold weather, cold water temperatures and high winds. Thankfully it’s over and the fishing should pick up as our water temperatures return to normal and the bait shows up on the flats.
I continually marvel at the excellent opportunities offered anglers. You’ll find many people fishing from the shore, bridges, or piers while others wade, or fish from boats, kayaks, or canoes. Fishing is a great pastime; not only does it give us the opportunity to catch a few fish; it also allows us to enjoy the wonders of our environment. Sometime catching fish is not as important as being on the water observing the balance of nature. So, when stress levels begin building to one notch below internal combustion. Step back, grab your fishing gear, and spend some time relaxing with nature.
Greenbacks should be showing at Skyway, deepwater markers and pushing onto the grass flats. Everything should be eating this month as they’ve been fairly tight lipped all winter. Snook are still closed, so it’s catch and release; Redfish, Trout, Sheepshead, Mangrove Snapper, Mackerel will pick up as the water temperatures return to normal.
Snook (Season’s Closed Until September): The magic number for water temperatures seems to be the mid to high sixty’s and up, so look for them around deeper water early then moving shallower as the day continues to warm. Live baits always work for snook, but so do artificial lures. Redfish: Like snook the Redfish become easier as the temperatures climb into the 70’s. They’ll cruise along the deeper edges of grass flats moving toward the mangroves as the tide rises. If chumming, keep the baits within casting distance, you want to draw them to you. Not too much, over feed and they’ll stopping eating. Try pitching soft plastics around the mangroves on high incoming tides or low water outside flats. Spotted Sea Trout: This month produces some good catches on incoming or outgoing tides. A great target species, when using topwater popping plugs, live greenbacks or shrimp under a popping cork. Pop it a couple of times and let it sit until the water rings are gone and do it again. If there are Trout in the area they’ll strike. Tarpon: Always a winner, tarpon will be showing up around the beaches and bridges. If you’ve never targeted this magnificent fish, perhaps you should. The aerial acrobats of a hooked silver king can stop a heart. More times than not, it’s the jumps that make it worth while. Mackerel, Mangrove Snapper, Sheepshead, Sharks, Cobia, and Kings: With the onset of greenbacks and threadfins come the mackerel, sharks, cobia, and kingfish. These species can make a trip, especially for the kids.
“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing” Captain Woody Gore is the areas top outdoor fishing guide. He is also an outdoor writer, photojournalist, and speaker. Woody has guided the Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, Bradenton, and Sarasota areas for over fifty years, and offers memorable fishing adventures.
Single or multi-boat charters for larger parties are all the same. Tell me what you need and leave the rest to me. Woody’s website is located at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM or give him a call at 813-477-3814