Captain’s Corner: Mike Gore

The Tampa Bay Times

The Redfish bite continues to be strong and the big schools have not broken up from the fishing pressure. As a matter of fact, they seem to have gotten bigger. The big bull reds have made their way into the bay and have joined up with the existing schools. I came across a school of reds the other day that must have had at least 200 fish in it. The fish are moving fast but if you put a piece of cut bait in them, they will eat it.

There has been a steady Trout bite out on the grass flats in Tampa Bay and  expect them to stay there until we see a real drop in temperature. The choice of bait is still greenbacks and small pinfish. I am using 10-15 lb. braid with a 10 lb. fluorocarbon leader and a #1 circle hook. Use different tactics when fishing for Trout. Try putting some lines out with a popping cork and some without. Once you figure out which is working better then you can switch up.

If constant action is what you are looking for, then head to one of Tampa Bay’s many shoals. You can find most of these shoals just off the shipping channels in 8 feet of water or less. These shoals are holding a lot of bait, which brings in the predators. Big schools of jacks, Spanish mackerel, and black tip sharks are being caught. This makes for a lot of fun, especially for kids.

Capt. Mike Gore