A.J. Pascua, 12, of Tampa, shows off a 26 1/2 inch snook he caught on a scaled sardine
under a cork while fishing in Weedon Island recently with his father Bryan Pascua
(snookbyte) on the Capt. Mel Berman Internet Forum. (Courtesy Photo:)

1a. Gandy Bridge: Tarpon in the 30-80 lb class with a few in the 100-120 lb range at night under the bridge. They've been hitting jumbo shrimp or D.O.A. Bait Busters. Catch and release Snook fishing is good up in the mangroves of Weedon Island on a high, outgoing tide. Scaled sardines have been the best bait for the snook, reports Jason Crosby at Gandy Bait & Tackle (813-839-5551). A lot of cobia have shown up this past week in the Gandy area. A few in the 15-30 lb range were caught from the catwalks on pinfish and threadfins. Berkley Power Eels casted to sighted fish will always produce a strike as well, Crosby said. Anglers are catching their limits of mangrove snapper from the catwalks. Most of the fish are in the 10-12 inch range with many shorts mixed in. Spanish mackerel are all over the place. Spoons, Gotcha Plugs and scaled sardines all producing, Crosby said. Some black drum 30 lb range were caught at the Courtney Campbell on live shrimp this past week. Lots of sharks in the area feeding on all the mackerel and bait, Crosby said.

2. Sunshine Skyway Area: Still a lot of big speckled trout in the Terra Ceia Bay area. Lots of gag grouper, mangrove snapper, and tarpon at the bridge this week. Spanish mackerel have also been consistant, but the kingfish have been sporadic. Lots of catch and release snook back up in the rivers, , reports Terry Wilson of Skyway Bait and Tackle (941-721-0461).

3. John's Pass: "Inshore at the pass the snook are still popping pretty good, especially now that it's catch and release. They're hitting greenbacks, grunts, red flair hawk jigs, and bucktail jigs on the outgoing tide. As soon as the tide switches the bite shuts down though," reports Mike Drake of Don's Dock/Marlin's Dockside (727-360-3968). captainscharter.com There's been hordes of speckled trout still hitting on the inside grass flats. Most of these fish are in the 12 inch range. "If you get a 15 inch fish you're doing good," Drake said. Pompano are still hitting at Blind Pass Jetty on fidder crabs and Doc's Goofy Jigs. Mangrove snapper are hitting at the jetty as well on fresh dead shrimp. A lot of short gag grouper are being caught at the John's Pass Bridge, Drake said.

At Madeira Beach, offshore gag grouper, red grouper, and American red snapper have been good in 100-110 feet of water. We're catching some nice gags over 10 lbs. The bigger the live bait the better. Hand size pinfish and spot tail grunts have been the best baits, reports Capt. Chris Diehl of Outta-Line Charters (813-833-0923). outtalinesportfishing.com Amberjack are in close. We've been getting them in 75 feet of water around the Blackthorn Wreck 20 miles out of Clearwater on blue runners, jigs, and pinfish, Diehl said. There's been some nice cobia up to 30 lbs caught at the wrecks and at Indian Shores Reef this past week, Diehl said. "The weather front sort of spread out the kingfish, they're still in the area, but they're just not as thick as they were. The water temperature is still right for them to be here though, they just need to get bunched up again. We've got that big kingfish tournament this weekend and I think I'm going to fish it," Diehl said.

Steve Fisher of Pensacola, shows off a nice 10 3/4lb, 32 inch redfish he caught
on a live shrimp with a Bass Assassin 1/16oz jighead at Fort DeSoto
recently. Simpson was fishing Capt. John Baty (foreverhooked) on the
Capt. Mel Berman Internet Forum. (Courtesy Photo: foreverhookedcharters.com)

4. Fort DeSoto Area: The redfish bite this week has been great around the park. Topwater plugs, gold spoon, jerkbait have all produced nice catches this week and through the weekend, reports Kevin McKenna at the Bait Bucket (727-864-2108) The bridges are day to day, but lots of pompano are coming in from the Bayway Bridge and the toll bridge. There's been a a good mangrove snapper and gag bite from the bridge on shrimp and pinfish, McKenna said. The piers are also day to day. Spanish mackerel are steady on silver spoons, Gotcha Plugs, and Doc's Goofy Jigs. Kingfish are being caught on big live bait. The kingfish have been on the move though, McKenna said. Tarpon have been under all the bridges in the shadow lines at night. Large threadfins have been the best bait. Blacktip sharks are being caught from the Gulf pier on cut bait. Cobia on the flats and along the beaches and are being caught on pinfish and jigs, McKenna said.

5. Big Pier 60: Tarpon showed up Saturday morning rolling off the end of the pier. The pompano bite has been good this past week, with fish in the 1-3lb range coming in on Doc's Goofy Jigs, live shrimp, and cut shrimp. Spanish mackerel up to 20 inches during the daytime on spoons and Gotcha plugs. Lots of pretty good size speckled trout at night. Plenty of sheepshead still around the pilings and also plenty of catch and release snook . Water has been really clear. Water temp on Saturday 77.3 degress, reports Tom Leonard of Big Pier 60 Bait & Tackle (727-462-6466).

6. Venice Jetties: The jetty is on fire with a multitude of species. Snook, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish, sheepshead and a few pompano have all been caught this past week. Jigs, live shrimp, live sardines or threadfins, and frozen bait have been producing fish this past week, reports Capt. Chris O'Neill of Tail Chaser Charters (941-270-7867). tailchasercharters.com

Out at the Venice Pier, "Fishing at the Venice Pier this week has been world class," reports Capt. Chris O'Neill. Sharks, tarpon, kingfish, spanish mackerel, pompano, sheepshead, and even cobia have been landed this week, O'Neill said.

7. Englewood: Inshore fishing has been slow this week. Topwater action in the morning has been decent for speckled trout. Snook and redfish okay on D.O.A. CAL five inch jerkbaits in baby bass color. The fish are hanging in deeper water, around three feet on the outgoing tides this past week around North Lemon Bay, reports Ben Piercy at Stump Pass Marina (941-697-2206).

Offshore the bottom fishing for gag grouper and mangrove snapper is still good about 20 miles out. Permit fishing on the wrecks has been really good at least 12 miles out. Lots of amberjack still being caught out past 30 miles as well. There's been a lot of sharks caught off the beaches as well as Spanish mackerel, Piercy said.

At Lemon Bay/Manasota Beach Lemon Bay and the beaches are holding plenty of nice hungry snook. With moving water, the snook will eat. Redfish are holding tight in the mangroves during sunny hours, and in the potholes in the early morning. "Cut ladyfish in one inch size morsels is my go to bait for pothole fishing. Throw it out there along with a few other chum baits and put the rod down. Redfish are scent feeders and will eventually strike the bait if they are in the area. Watch out for the catfish, though, as they will take the opportunity before a redfish may show up," reports Capt. Chris O'Neill of Tail Chaser Charters.

Brandon Sciame of St. Petersburg, (PepperGunn) on the Capt. Mel Berman
Internet Forum shows off a nice 26 inch speckled trout he caught on a live
threadfin herring while fishing near Fort DeSoto recently.
(Photo courtesy of Revel in the View.com)

8. Boca Grande Pass: "Tarpon are showing up and anglers are hooking up. I hooked three fish in an hour early last week while jig fishing. The boat traffic is not overwhelming yet, so now is a good time to hit the pass," reports Capt. Chris O'Neill of Tail Chaser Charters (941-270-7867). If you are new to fishing the pass, this is definitely the time to go. Once the locals, as well as the guides from all over Florida start their daily tarpon routines, it will tough for a novice to go out there and be successful. Be very aware of your surroundings in this area and be courteous to other boats, especially when they are hooked up with a tarpon, O'Neill said. Boca Grande Pass fishing is a dangerous game unless you have experience. The small cold front this week slowed down the bite, but it will turn back on in a day or two when the evenings warm back up, O'Neill said.

9. Charlotte Harbor: Around Bull Bay/Turtle Bay, snook are all over the flats in this region. Oyster and Sand have been holding the most fish. Look for the bait schools that are being swept in with the tides and you will generally find fish. Speckled trout will be hanging around the same bait pods. Tarpon and sharks are cruising the flats in larger numbers now, and will continue to increase throughout the summer months. reports Capt. Chris O'Neill of Tail Chaser Charters (941-270-7867). tailchasercharters.com

East Wall: The East Wall has far less pressure now that the seasonal visitors are gone and the majority of the local guides are fishing in the Gasparilla area for tarpon. "With the lack of pressure, I found a couple of really nice schools of oversized redfish and keeper sized catch and release snook. Creek mouths are the number one target right now for anglers. I fish topwater at sunrise, then get my tarpon sized threadfins once the sun comes up. I jumped a tarpon well over 100 lbs this week at the U.S. 41 Bridge while drifting a live threadfin along the pilings. The key to fishing the bridges is to avoid the fast moving current and fish along the edges of the current lines that form the eddies. This is the perfect habitat for larger fish to ambush their prey," O'Neill said.

10. Redfish Pass/Pine Island Sound: Tarpon are all over the place. There's been tarpon in the sound on the windy days on the flat north of Ding Darling Preserve. On the calmer days they've beeen caught in Redfish Pass on the incoming tide. They're also on the Gulf Beaches along Sanibel Island in 16-18 feet of water. Look in the area between the Sundial Resort and Kapps Point. There's lots of bait (threadfin herring) at first light near the Sanibel Causeway. "If you can't get a net on them, bring sabiki rigs, you'll load up. The bait is gone at first light though," reports Capt. Dave Torrance of Shore Thang Charters (239-994-7768). proguide@shorethang.com

11. Homosassa: For redfish and speckled trout, try fishing in the St. Martin's Keys area, the north side of Fish Creek Bay and the south side of the mouth of the Homosassa River. The D.O.A. Deadly Combo with the glow shrimp and Bite A Baits Fighters in black/gold have been the bait of choice, reports Capt. William Toney of Homosassa Inshore Fishing Charters (352-621-9284). homosassainshorefishing.com Cobia are showing on the backs of stingrays on most any flat on the incoming high tide. For some explosive action try a MirrOlure Top Dog in green/white color. Grouper fishermen are hammering them in the 20-30 inch range and a few anglers are getting them in water as shallow as 8 feet. "Offshore live pinfish is choice bait, inshore I prefer to throw a Bomber Long A or a Rapala X-Rap, Toney said.