Go Fish September 02, 2010

                Good riddance to August, one of the wettest summer months I have ever experienced in Florida. It dropped the water temperature a couple of degrees, but it was still hot enough to slow the fishing down to a crawl.

                I finally had some snapper reports in the bay, but I haven’t been able to get at them. Every time I tried to put the boat in the water this week the wind picked up and it began to rain. I did get out in my canoe one day this week. Water clarity was poor, so I could not see much, but there was a lot of mullet activity, and where there are mullet there usually reds. This is that time of year when the big bull reds usually invade the bay for a couple of weeks, but if they were there they sure weren’t eating.

                There are lots of small baitfish around the mouth of the Little Manatee River, and where you see glass minnows, there are bound to be predators. I’m also seeing plenty off sheepshead under the docks, and a few black drum. Conspicuously absent are the snook. In the next few days we should find out when the FWC is going to reopen the season. The commissioners are meeting with staff biologists this week in Tallahassee to evaluate the current state of the snook population after last winter’s devastating freeze.

                There have been a few tarpon rolling in the river between Devils Elbow and the railroad trestle. These fish seem to hang there all year long but it’s a tough bite. A lot of patience and big pieces of cut bait will sometimes do the trick.

                Trout reports have been few and far between, and most them are about small fish. I don’t know what happened to all the big trout we were catching in the spring, but I haven’t been able to find them on my last few trips.

                Still have yet to see the big schools of jacks that usually come into the river this time of year. They got hit pretty hard last winter, and the few fish I have seen were on the flats in front of Big Pass. 

                       Visit captain Fred Everson’s website at http://www.tampabayfishingguide.com for charter info or call (813) 830-8890.