Happy Memorial Day everyone! Here’s your extended fishing report for this weekend. Despite high boat traffic disrupting some areas, the fishing action remains fantastic. Let’s dive into the details for our favorite spots:
Caladesi – Honeymoon Island – Anclote Island
Anclote Island:
Things are looking up here! Redfish, snook, and big trout are all biting. For the larger trout, live greenbacks are your best bet. As the water warms, redfish are showing a preference for pinfish. Snook are crowding the beaches, and they can’t resist live grunts. Tarpon are moving up the beach and will hit just about anything a mile offshore, making this a prime spot for diverse catches.
Honeymoon Island:
The fishing here is similar to Anclote, but with an increased presence of redfish on the backside. Snook are actively biting on grunts and pinfish off the jetty and at Dog Beach. Decent-sized packs of tarpon are in Honeymoon Pass, best caught at first light. Snook are getting thicker in the pass and around the island, providing excellent opportunities for a good catch.
Honeymoon Causeway:
The snapper bite is starting to come alive with many being caught on shrimp. Keeper gag grouper are being caught on both bridges, and there are lots of threadfin around. Additionally, there’s a good amount of greenback on the reef. Juvenile tarpon are feeding at night under the lights, offering a fantastic nighttime fishing opportunity.
Dunedin Reef:
The nearshore report is promising! The reef is packed with giant mangrove snapper, although their reaction to chum is inconsistent. Kingfish and bonito are also in the mix, making this reef a better spot than Clearwater Reef. On a recent charter just a mile past the reef, we caught some nice-sized red grouper. We even got a few keepers on live pinfish, but you need to find live bottom to have success.
Caladesi:
High tide is prime time for redfish under the mangroves on the backside. The front side is producing the most gator trout, and tarpon action on the beach has been excellent, especially during big tide swings. For beach fishing, pinfish or big threadfins are essential.
Intracoastal Anclote to Indian Rocks
Spoil Islands:
While the redfish have been smaller, the trout are still big. Good mangrove overhangs are hiding snook and redfish, which are increasingly biting on cutbait.
Clearwater Beach Pier 60:
Spanish mackerel are biting well with live greenbacks. Big snook are starting to roll in, and cut ladyfish work great for them. The Spanish mackerel bite is slowing down a bit but is still good if you’re there early in the morning.
Sand Key Bridge:
Snapper fishing has been disappointing, with mostly small grouper. Nighttime snook fishing is the highlight here. If you are into swimbait fishing, the night bite for gag grouper has been amazing!
Indian Rocks Bridge:
Mangrove snapper are biting well, with threadfin chum working effectively. Some large snappers have been caught here recently.
Indian Rocks Flats and Docks:
Dock light fishing is excellent, with sizable snook and redfish being caught. Trout are also biting well on three-inch swimbaits.
Tampa Bay
ALERT: Tarpon madness in the bay!
Upper Tampa Bay
Courtney Campbell:
Fishing is slow with black drum likely spawning. Bigger snook are moving out as spawning season approaches. There are still a ton of big threadfin at these bridges, making it easy to gather bait.
Howard Franklin:
Black drum fishing on this bridge has been good but is slowing down. Use side scan to find them.
Bayside Bridge:
Black drum have moved for spawning, but a few resident fish remain. Small tarpon are starting to show up.
Gandy Bridge:
Snook are biting well at the bridge’s start, responding to white bait. Some black drum and cobia have been spotted. If you fish around the inside of the bridge by the rocks near the boat ramp, you will find some smaller snook.
Lower Tampa Bay
ALERT: Pass crab flush!
Skyway Bridge:
Small tarpon were not biting much today, but mangrove snapper are hot, especially on the rocks. Watch out for dolphins. Bonito and Spanish mackerel are still active. The first big pass crab flush is happening right now on the outgoing tide, resulting in a great tarpon bite.
Fort Desoto Pier:
Good bonito and Spanish mackerel action, though dolphins have been troublesome.
Fort Desoto Beach:
Large packs of tarpon are moving through, though the action can be hit or miss. Yesterday was good for tarpon, but it’s best to stay tuned for more consistent bites. Have threadfin ready to go because this seems to be the key. During an outgoing tide, have some pass crabs ready because it is time for action!
Tampa Bay Shipping Channel:
Rock piles are loaded with mangrove snapper. Chumming can help you reach your limit quickly. Make sure to do this on a slack tide.
Egmont:
The pass is a tarpon hotspot with large fish being caught recently, though today’s action was slower. Threadfin on the incoming tide and pass crabs on the outgoing tide are effective. Some very large tarpon are moving and eating crabs, so stay tuned because it’s going down!
Pass-a-Grille:
Great snook action off the beach on white bait. Just find some structure or a drop-off and they will be there.
Tierra Verde:
The snapper bite has been hot on this bridge, and all you need is to chum them up with some white bait. The snook have also been biting well here. Tarpon are showing up on this bridge pretty well too.
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 report, submit it right here! Happy fishing!
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