The second half of February stormed in like a March or April bite at the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Piers! Multi-species action and multiple limits were quite common this past week, and some visitors left simply because they were tired of catching fish. Visitors reported limit catches of Spanish mackerel in the 20″ size range, and a sprinkling of monster macks between 25″ – 30″ were taken. Sheepshead were on fire as well, with both limits of fish and a handful of fish over 5 lbs. filling coolers. Blue runners, bluefish, and ladyfish continued to add to the excitement for those tossing artificial lures for mackerel – especially for folks using multi-hook rigs. Mangrove snapper are here early once again, and there were even a few limits taken by mango experts this past week. Finally, shark action continues to heat up, with both size & species numbers increasing in conjunction with the improving bite.
Spanish mackerel were on a bite that seemed like it was already March in the Tampa Bay Estuary. What had been large numbers of small to medium-sized fish last week quickly turned into large catches of fish over 20″ in length over the past few days. The mackerel continued to favor incoming tides, but fish were still caught on both cycles. There was a distinct sunrise bite this past week, with even a few anglers catching fish in the half-light before the sun crossed the horizon. A late afternoon feeding period continued as in the past week, but not nearly as strong, likely because water temperatures have reached a level where mackerel will feed throughout the day. The dramatic increase in size and the presence of blue runners certainly suggests that an early run of king mackerel at the piers is not only possible, but actually quite likely.
Artificial lures continued to be the best method to take mackerel at the piers, with only a few fish being taken on live or natural baits. When macks were striking near the surface, anglers used floats & popping corks in front of a white jig or silver spoon. Surface feeding times were obvious, because mackerel were shooting into the air in an attempt to capture the sardines or blue runners they were chasing. When fish were deeper, a Gotcha lure, pompano jig, or silver spoon behind a trolling-sinker were a better choice. One rig that can be fished equally effectively both on the surface and on the bottom is the mackerel tree. Most of these rigs have 3 or 4 mylar-coated tubes on long shank hooks with 30 lb. – 40 lb. leader material. With a 1 1/2 oz. bell sinker on the bottom, you can either rip this rig across the top or probe the depths with a slow jigging motion. The rig is great for beginners to mackerel fishing and lots of fish were caught on these rigs this past week.
Blue runners, bluefish, and ladyfish kept visitors on their toes this week – even during periods of slower mackerel feeding. All three fish are spectacular fighters and can be good eating for the table when properly prepared. Blue runners actually have whiter & milder flesh than Spanish mackerel, and anglers who have eaten them are surprised many only consider them for bait. Bluefish are admittedly stronger tasting, but when bled, their firm flesh is perfect for soups & chowders because it holds together so nicely in a broth. Finally, ladyfish have white & mild flesh, but also have Y bones attached to their structure. Short-term freezing, filleting, and scraping with a spoon yields fantastic meat for deep fried fish patties seasoned however you might choose and dipped into your favorite sauce.
Mangrove snapper once again made an admittedly early appearance at the mouth of Tampa Bay. The Skyway Piers hold some mangrove snapper year-round, but smaller fish are generally the norm in the cooler months. When I began to hear reports of a few snapper limits, I admit that I was quite skeptical… I was proven wrong by an angler who had 5 fish in the 11″ – 12″ size range caught from the artificial reefs. The man reported using both live & freshly-frozen shrimp, and did have to release plenty of 8″ snappers to reach his limit. The rig was a 1 oz. egg sinker & 1/0 black nickel circle hook rigged knocker-style (weight sliding right to the hook) with 25 lb. fluorocarbon leader material. Once larger snapper locate at the piers & accompanying reefs, they tend to stay unless very serious cold fonts push them to the main channel. Look for an early snapper bite this season, and perhaps some very large fish as we approach the summer months.0
- The Skyway, Paul Bristow - August 24, 2018
- The Skyway, Paul Bristow - August 17, 2018
- The Skyway, Paul Bristow - August 10, 2018
