Tampa Bay remains free of the Red Tide. As it has been all summer, patches of Red Tide remain well to the south of Tampa Bay and have not pushed further north. We are on the water almost every day and haven’t seen any indications of Red Tide making its way into the Bay. Baitfish have been easy to catch, and fishing continues to be red hot. It’s almost as if the fish are moving North in masses to avoid the Red Tide. We are looking forward to the cooler weather and the elimination of any Red Tide threat.
Red Tide has however started to affect certain Gulf beaches to the south, so we’ve been staying away from fishing the Gulf of Mexico in those areas. We’ve been catching a lot of snook, redfish, trout, Spanish mackerel, cobia, sharks, mangrove snapper and jack crevalle in Tampa Bay. Redfish schools continue to thrive in the shallow-water flats in search of crustaceans. Sea trout are starting to show up everywhere on the grass flats now that water temperatures are dropping.
Lately, the redfish bite has been the best we’ve seen all year long and we’re starting to see some large schools on the flats. We’ve also been catching some big bull reds throughout Tampa Bay. We have also been landing some nice slot trout in shallower water of around 6 feet. They like to find cover in the deeper grass flats and troughs. We seem to be having the best bite on an outgoing tide during the cooler times of the day. Also, small sharks and Spanish Mackerel are seemingly everywhere this time of year and put up a great fight.
Snook continue to be the most consistent catch. They are making their way back from the beaches after their spawning cycle. We prefer targeting good transition spots where snook sit as they move back into Tampa Bay. Good moving water, mullet and baitfish are good indicators of where the snook will be.
Needless to say, the Red Tide hasn’t stopped the bite in Tampa Bay and fishing is as good, if not better than ever. We’re always open for fishing charters and our Guests are experiencing the positive effects of the Red Tide pushing fish into Tampa Bay. Don’t let the Red Tide prevent you from enjoying an inshore fishing charter in Tampa Bay today. Don’t miss the boat, enjoy over 30 years of experience and guaranteed fish every time with YACHTFISH Fishing Charters. After the charter, stop by Fresco’s Restaurant right next door to our boat slip at the St. Petersburg Municipal Marina and enjoy a bayside drink while telling a few fish stories.
