Captain’s Corner: Mike Gore

With finally have consistent bait on the flats throughout Tampa Bay. It is a mixed bag when it comes to size.  I use a 1/4-inch mesh net and even then, you still get a few stuck in the mesh.  The better bait is in about 4 to 5 feet of water. You will want to chum them up with tropical fish food. I wouldn’t even bother getting on the flat to early and throwing. If you wait until the sun comes up, you will only have to throw a couple of times.

September should see more redfish action around the Tampa Bay area. The Bay notoriously produces good catches of redfish; you just need to find the ones ready to eat.  Redfish tend to push into the Mangrove lined shores and oyster bars on incoming tides where live bait normally produces good catches along with cut bait. Early morning artificial lures fished on the grass flats and around the mangroves usually offer some excellent excitement as well. Work both incoming and outgoing tides.

The Trout in Tampa Bay have come back like gangbusters. They are making their transition back from the beaches and are eating everything in sight. Moving water is key when Trout fishing. You will want to look for birds diving on the grass flats. This is a good indication there is bait there.  If you’re free-lining white bait and the current is moving, you might need to add split shot to keep the bait down. In water five feet or shallower try a popping cork, but again you might want to add a little weight.