By Neil Taylor, www.strikethreekayakfishing.com

I’ve been down here plenty in April.    A great fishery, often challenged by illegal netting, our dedicated officers have done well in eliminating those problems and that has led to better action along the Manatee County shoreline.   I go down here more than I go anywhere else.   “My original fishing spot”, my father’s favorite fishing spot.    Other locations have fish but it has been easy down here.   No major boat ramp, a good thing.   

There is a little of everything including cobia and tarpon possibilities.  Redfish?  Not so much.   Trout action is great but you have to know where they are.    Closed to harvest, trout got really easy everywhere but definitely on the south shore.   Things may shift around and the redfish higher up the Bay may wander back down this way.    Redfish are “better” but still not great. 

Cobia are “on accident”.    Tarpon:   That’s coming up.    In May, the giant tarpon arrive.    Sunrise is the best time to intercept feeding fish.   I like jumping them and not hooking up.    Phinla does it with the fly rod and he gets them in the air and the line breaks.    That accomplishes it the way I want to do it.    I simply don’t want to fight one ever again.   

Flounder are back.    Yesterday, the first 20 flounder day of the year, a total that would have been much higher if we spent more time on them and if we stayed a little longer.  The bite picked up when we had to leave.   The size looks to be another great situation.    Lots of 15 inch fish.   I am hoping that they continue to increase in numbers.   Legal size is 12 inches.  Take it from me:  You don’t want them until they are 13.5 in length.   Extremely well liked:   The flounder spread I made late last month. 

Mackerel:  Back and forth.   They were great a couple of weeks ago, reports go back and forth on mackerel success.   From the piers:  Use the Silly Willy/Teaser rig.    Use 30# leader.    Jig it hard and catch one mackerel after another.    The Skyway Piers are pretty dependable for mackerel action.   Call ahead to ask, they don’t mind.   Not as much mackerel info with the Piers closed.   Every time I drive by:   The empty pier-I wonder if the mackerel are there.    Possibly not as good as they could be or there would be more boats.    Or, it could be loaded.    No question:   The fish have gotten a break from people.   

Pompano are still a catch.  The Hump Bridge.    The passes.     It will take more time but they will move up the Bay to the bridges.    South shore, count on the first 100 yards of the south Skyway Pier for your pompano opportunities.   But you have to do it by boat.     The Skyway Piers are closed until further notice.     I have not caught any in the flounder holes, something that does happen regularly.     I expect pompano action to get a lot better as May wears on.  

Bluefish may be over for the year.   We haven’t caught any in the last month so they may have gone north.   They will be back in December when it gets cold in north Florida.  

As always: Be careful out there!

Neil Taylor
Owner and guide:  www.strikethreekayakfishing.com
(Cell) 727-692-6345  LivelyBaits@aol.com
Owner and site administrator:  www.capmel.com

In a battle that is never really over: The great work of FWC officers to target felony netters and keep an eye on other recreational offenders has led to better fishing for us all.  Their continued efforts to catch felony netters are making the south shore region return as a great fishery again.   But help them out:  Keep your eyes peeled for illegal activity and make a call if you see poaching, 888-404-FWCC (3922).  Your tips will help make cases and you could be eligible for a reward.  The fishery survives the pressure of poaching, a lot of anglers and just continues to be a great location to go.  

Neil Taylor
Latest posts by Neil Taylor (see all)

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR