Cold Weather and a Different Kind of Fishing!
Caladesi – Honeymoon Island – Anclote Island
Anclote Island-Honeymoon Island: The redfish are biting again, and they are hungry! If you want to break your personal best (PB), now is the time. Yesterday, we saw some 27-inch reds biting live pinfish very well on the flats. Most of the snook have returned and are feeding aggressively. White bait and swim baits have been working great. The trout game is absolutely on fire, with lots of white bait on the beaches here. Honeymoon Island offers a similar experience. Hopefully, fishing continues to improve over the next few weeks.
Honeymoon Causeway: Sheepshead are on the move here, so bring fiddler crabs or live shrimp. If you’re using live shrimp, make sure to choose small ones.
Honeymoon Island: This area is currently closed, except for the dog beach. However, if you have a boat or kayak, the flats and mangroves are biting great. The bite is similar to that at Anclote Island, but redfish are biting a bit better here, and the size of the fish is impressive.
Dunedin Reef: Not much has been reported from this area. If you know anything, please leave a comment!
Intracoastal – Anclote to Indian Rocks
Spoil Islands: The trout are biting very well here, and swim baits have been especially effective. Redfish and snook are now hanging around the islands and are feeding aggressively. On high tide, there have been sightings of some very large snook; you just need to chum them up a bit.
Clearwater Beach Pier 60: This pier is currently closed.
Sand Key Bridge: Nighttime snook fishing is the highlight here. If you’re into swimbait fishing, gag grouper are biting phenomenally at night! The jetty is also excellent all day and afternoon for larger-grade snook. During slack tide, fishing for sheepshead at Sand Key Bridge has been highly productive.
Indian Rocks Bridge: The sheepshead bite is currently HOT! Bring some fiddler crabs, and you’ll have great success. The water temperature is perfect, and they are very hungry.
Indian Rocks Flats and Docks: Dock light fishing is excellent right now, with sizable snook and redfish being caught. Trout are also biting well on three-inch swim baits. There are many sheepshead around these docks, but you need to find them in piles. You’ll be able to crush them once you do.
Tampa Bay
Upper Tampa Bay:
Dock Fishing: Dock fishing is on fire right now if you find the right one. Redfish and snook are biting great. Sheepshead are also feeding well; just focus on dock pilings that aren’t wrapped.
Courtney Campbell: Snook are biting on the bridge, and this spot will soon be loaded. Redfish are working their way back into this area, especially in the mangroves nearby, which are also producing some great black drum action. These fish range from 15 to 24 pounds.
Gandy Bridge: Snook are biting well at the start of the bridge, especially with white bait. Some black drum have also been spotted. If you fish around the inside of the bridge, near the rocks by the boat ramp, you can find smaller snook.
Flats: The flats are producing excellent redfish action, but you need to search for them in skinny water. Trout fishing is also phenomenal in these areas, with some large “gator” trout being caught.
Lower Tampa Bay:
Skyway Fishing Pier: The north pier is open, and the fishing has been a lot of fun. The best bite right now is Spanish mackerel. Fish around the bait with spoons and lures for great results. There may also be some sheepshead on the pilings in a biting mood.
Skyway Bridge: No new reports available.
Fort De Soto Pier: I’m not sure if this pier is open yet, so please let us know in the comments!
Islands: The islands are producing great fishing. Redfish are on the move and feeding, as are snook. Remember to bring plenty of white bait. If you can’t, live pinfish will do the trick, as the reds will crush them.
Fort De Soto Beach: There are some large pompanos traveling along the beach, but they are few and far between. However, there are good signs of flounder in the area.
Tampa Bay Shipping Channel: The rock piles here are loaded with mangrove snapper. Chumming during slack tide can help you reach your limit quickly. There’s also good gag grouper action around the rock piles, but water clarity has been an issue.
Egmont: Not much to report here. There are no tarpon, and the pass island took on a lot of damage.
Tierra Verde: Snapper fishing has been heating up at this bridge. Chum them up with white bait for great results. Snook are also biting well here. Sheepshead fishing is fantastic, so don’t forget to bring fiddler crabs!
That’s all for today! Thank you for tuning in! Don’t forget to book a charter at 714-661-6550. If you have a fishing report, submit it right here!
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