What’s happenin’ in the upper stretches of Tampa Bay?

Things are getting more and more interesting with “slightly” cooler weather.   Honestly, things will improve every day it stays on the cooler side.  Nonetheless, trips to the upper areas of the Bay have been decent.   Pompano came back to the bridge pilings after a month long “dissapearo” act.  It is late but they’re there.

The months ahead, the best for fishing in the upper stretches of the Bay.     It is time to work it back in again.   Above the Gandy Bridge, better action every day that goes by.    I ignore Upper Tampa Bay May through September.  Sometime in October is time to try it again.   The first good front of the year, it gets better up here.   Two or three more fronts and it will be much better.

Redfish are getting better in the upper Bay after weeks of stellar action in other locations.   There are so many redfish throughout the region, it bodes well for fun no matter where you like to go.   But make no mistake, with “winter” coming, more and more of them will be climbing the Bay.   As it is in other areas, the top lure?    The 12 Fathom Mullet.    If the mullet is not the ticket, try the Buzz Tail Shad.    Veteran anglers of UTB who keep that other choice around catch fish when other people don’t.

Speckled trout are better, finally.    This is a good sign and something that will probably happen a lot in the next five months up this way.  It will be a great time to catch this species pretty easily.    Personally:  I won’t keep the biggest trout and any harvested will be the upper slot fish.    More big trout released means more opportunities to catch really, really big trout in the future.

Jacks and ladyfish reamain EASY targets.     Toss in spanish mackerel and even some bluefish wandering way up the Bay and there are a lot of speedsters to tangle with in the upper part of the estuary.

As always: Be careful out there!

Neil Taylor
www.strikethreekayakfishing.com
(Cell) 727-692-6345
LivelyBaits@aol.com

On the water: 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.  If you see a poacher:  Make a phone call.

At the request of my contemporaries, “keeping the message alive”:    If you catch a snook:  don’t take it out of the water for eight minutes taking pictures.    Don’t “get a weight” of the fish.    Enjoy the species if you cross paths, but take extra steps to make sure those fish remain in the living population.     A huge contingency of the best respected fishing guides on the Gulf coast opposed their decision to reopen to harvest, made sincere pleads over and over to get the decision reversed but were ignored.  Do your part and try to give this species a chance to return to prominence regardless of their faulty data and poor decision making.

 

Neil Taylor
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