Captain’s Corner: Brent Gaskill

The Tampa Bay Times

Capt. Brent Gaskill
 
 
 

        I’m often asked what the best time of year to fish the Tampa Bay area is.  My answer is spring and fall: anytime around Easter and anytime around Thanksgiving.  The reason for this response is this time of year the air temperatures are perfect for comfortably being outdoors and the water temperatures are perfect for many migratory species to make their way through our waters.  Masses of baitfish moving closer to shore and filling the bay bring kingfish, Spanish mackerel, and cobia with them.  Resident fish such as snook, redfish, and trout become more active and feed aggressively with the new influx of bait as well. Being prepared is the objective of all knowledgeable anglers.  This means having a variety of rods rigged and ready to go into service at a moments notice, and having a variety of baits in the well ready to go in order to achieve success.  My technique is to focus on one species such as Spanish mackerel, but know that a kingfish or cobia could crash the party without notice.  Also having a shark rod ready could add a bonus to the day’s activities.  Another option is to target offshore and inshore species on the same outing. In this scenario I like to kingfish in the early morning then on the way back in stop off at a mangrove island for redfish or snook.  The only thing that will make fishing this time of year any better is when our early season tarpon arrive.