Tampa Bay Redfish Report

November 21, 2014 By Capt Jim

Tampa Bay Fishing Report

Tampa Bay Redfish on Fly

The water temperature is dropping and the fishing grows better every day. The snook, redfish and trout are starting to roam around the flats.

What’s hot: The biggest impact of cooler temperatures will be on inshore fishing. Snook may start to migrate toward their winter haunts like the back side of Weedon Island and the creek mouths around the bay. Redfish are abundant at Weedon Island. We have been catching them on white bait, cut ladyfish or pinfish on the bottom. Mackerel are all around the bay and around artificial reefs like the one between the Gandy and Howard Frankland bridges.

Cobia are starting showing up on the flats around the power plants on the back of Rays and Manatees. I would also check buoys and markers and the flats around the power plants also keep an eye out for sharks on those same flats. I like anchoring up and putting out a chum block out and waiting for the Cobia and the sharks come to me and stead of chasing them unless they are up on top. When working the same flats at the power plants, I have also been catching lots of Jack Crevalle and ladyfish.

Structured approach: The annual kingfish migration is starting up in the mouth of the bay. You will find them around the old bridge rubble near the Skyway. Mangrove snapper are still plentiful around any structure in the bay. Just drop a small chunk of cut bait or whole shrimp to the bottom.

Tip: As the water temp starts to drop, the fish start moving up the area rivers and creeks in search of warmer water.

Capt. Jim Lemke charters out of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Contact him at [email protected] or (813) 917-4989.

Tampa Fishing Charters report for April.

March 26, 2014 By Capt Jim

Tampa Bay fishing report for April

What’s hot: How about Weedon Island redfish, some Picnic Island snook and a few trout mixed in with some great weather for fishing.

Redfish: The fishing in the bay has been good, but Weedon Island, Fourth Street Flat and the Kitchen are on fire. This is especially true on the end of the outgoing tide and the beginning of the incoming tide around the potholes in the Christmas Pass area. There are a few ways to fish them. If you use live bait, then anchor up-current of the potholes and chum with live sardines. Or, cut them up and toss them into the hole and when the smell goes down-current they will follow it up-current to the hole you’re chumming. The other way is sight casting to them with fly or spinning gear from the front of a skiff of flats boat. The baits of choice: a weedless jerk bait or a gold spoon and a crab pattern for fly fishing.

fly fishing Tampa bay

Snook: The snook are leaving the creeks and the deep water and making their way to the passes and creek mouths over the next few weeks as their biological clock starts to send them into their spawning mode. The south end of Weedon Island around to the power plant along with the big island gap and the rocks at Picnic Island all hold good snook. The bait of choice is a live sardine or shrimp, but as the water warms, fishing the top water first thing in the morning is a great way to fish for snook. As the sun rises, try switching over to a jerk bait or a twitch bait.

Trout: The water is starting to warm for some good trout fishing over the grass flats at the end of Weedon Island and the Culbreath Isle flats in the 2-to 4-feet of water over grass. As for bait, use a sardine under a cork or a weedless jerk bait and a bait fish pattern for you fly guys and gals.

Tip: If you are making that run down to the bridge to catch sardines and run back to your spot to snook or redfish you are almost guaranteed a great day of catching fish.

Tarpon season starts April 1st and runs till around September and I have a some great dates open but it is filling up very fast, if you

Shannon from Tires Plus with a Snook

are thinking about Tarpon fishing this year shoot me an email.

Capt. Jim Lemke charters out of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater and can be reached at (813) 917-4989 and at [email protected].

Tampa CharterFishing for Redfish on fly

February 9, 2014 By Capt Jim

A sight casting video we did a little while ago as we are pre fishing for the Salty Fly. The biggest fly tournament in Florida if not the USA. This day Capt Harrison and i were fishing a flat in north Tampa Bay throwing 8wt’s. This is just 2 of the 6 Redfish we caught that day.

I was also pre fishing for some up coming Tampa bay fly fishing charters that week for some night Tarpon charters along with some dock light fishing for Snook, redfish and Trout.

Tampa Charter Fishing Report

December 26, 2013 By Capt Jim

Tampa Bay Charter Fishing Report

What’s hot: With the water temp now in the mid 60s, the trout, redfish, sharks and cobia are the best bet for December.

Redfish. The Redfish are still going strong in Tampa Bay, especially around Weedon Island, up in the Palm River flats and over in the Safety Harbor at Coppers Point on the back oyster bars. The best time is at the end of the outgoing tide and the beginning of the incoming tide around the potholes. There are a few ways to fish them: you can use live bait like shrimp, pinfish, or creek chubs fishing the potholes. Another way is to use cut bait, then toss them into the hole and when the smell goes down current, they will follow it to the hole you’re chumming in. Artificial baits like a jerk bait or a gold spoon also work well.

Trout. Trout action is in full swing as long you have good moving water. They have been eating shrimp under a popping cork. Free-line fishing the shallower flats in the potholes also have yielded some nice trout.

Cobia and sharks. Cobia are showing up on the flats around the power plant on the backs of rays and manatees. I would also check buoys and markers and the flats around the power plants, but also keep an eye out for sharks on those same flats. I like anchoring up and putting out a chum block out and waiting for the cobia and the sharks to come to me instead of chasing them unless they are up on top.

Tip: I would have many different types of rods rigged for what you are planning to target that day whether you are fishing for trout to sharks. If it’s throwing a jig or putting out a pinfish under a popping cork for cobia.

Capt. Jim Lemke charters out of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater and can be reached at (813) 917-4989 and at [email protected].