Captain’s Corner: Jay Mastry

The Tampa Bay Times

Tarpon anglers get ready.  There’s going to be a crab flush on the days surrounding the full moon on the 14^th of this month.  Late afternoon ripping outgoing tides will sweep the tasty morsels out of the bays and backwaters and become easy prey for the tarpon and the anglers looking to net some for bait.  There are plenty of other options but the passes on either side of Egmont Key get a lot of attention.  Common courtesy will go a long way to build good will when fishing in a crowd.  Give way to boats that are hooked up and you’ll find that most will reciprocate when you get yours on.  If fishing in a crowd is not your thing, pick your own little stretch of beach, anchor and let them come to you.  Good numbers of tarpon are roaming along our gulf beaches from Manatee County to Clearwater and beyond.  Observe the depth you’re seeing the majority of them rolling in and adjust accordingly.  Offering a presentation of some dead baits on the bottom and some live suspended beneath corks can get you dialed in on what the often finicky eaters prefer on a given day.  If looking for something better to eat…. mangrove snapper fishing in Tampa Bay has picked up significantly and the size of many have been impressive.  Three inch whitebait has always been my favorite but we’ve caught many of our biggest mangos on small pinfish.  Take some heavier tackle if you go, there has been some keeper grouper hanging out with the mangos along the edges of the Ships Channel.

Captain Jay Mastry