Spanish mackerel made a surprise return to the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Piers this past week as visitors dodged both hot weather & afternoon thunderstorms to catch these silver speedsters. For perhaps the first time since this past Spring, it was common to see multiple macks being landed on a short drive down the pier span, especially on the South Pier. Mangrove snapper remained very strong during evening hours and a few nice fish were also taken in broad daylight as well. A few big spotted seatrout were taken alongside the snappers as often occurs at the piers each year when water temperatures get very high on the flats. Lane snapper, grunts, porgies and gag grouper also joined in on the reef fishing action. Finally, some large schools of squid gathered around the North Pier in the evening hours and anglers were able to both jig and net some of these tasty cephalopods for both dinner & bait.
In what can only be described as one of the stronger weeks of a slower-than-average Spanish mackerel season in the Tampa Bay region, limits of fish were once again reported by many anglers. Several times this past week your author saw 3 or 4 fish being landed on the drive from the tollbooth to the bait shop – with faster action occurring on the South Pier. Spoons fished behind a trolling sinker, popping cork or bubble float took top billing according to reports, but many fish were taken on Gotcha lures and jigs as well. Live and cut baits fished either free-lined or deployed beneath a float also took plenty of mackerel. There were lots of smaller 10″ to 12″ fish that were released, but the trend of last week with mostly smaller fish seemed to reverse as plenty of coolers held fish in the 18″ – 22″ size range.
Several mackerel anglers reported moving along the pier to find fish while casting silver spoons and then switching to live sardines or cut strip baits when fish were located. Often the most aggressive mackerel in a school will be first to strike spoons, but many more fish can be triggered upon a switch to slower presentations or natural baits. Moderately aggressive macks will take the live sardines while less aggressive school members might only be tempted by floating cut baits. One key to make the switch to a slower & more natural presentation versus a speedy retrieve is the presence of trailing mackerel behind your lure. Often a slower approach with either a jig or plug will catch these fish, as will a multitude of natural bait approaches.
Mangrove snapper continued to be among the top-billing fish for anglers who cherish their culinary qualities, and these maroon marauders continued to feed at a good clip on both fishing piers. Some of the best bites were after dark along the reef lines on outgoing tides, but plenty of fish were taken amongst pier & main bridge pilings on the incoming tide. Anglers are figuring out a decent daytime bite on mangos as well, mostly by fishing shaded areas of the main bridge or old pier span on an incoming tide. These same folks will also bounce baits underneath the pier itself using either tidal flow. Gag grouper, lane snapper, spotted seatrout and a host of other species joined to make fun fishing this past week. On the grouper front, gags were aggressive and several big keeper fish were landed, but catching-and-releasing plenty of short fish was the more common report.
Blue crabs, pass crabs, shrimp and squid are all common catches netted at the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Piers each summer, and squid became a highlight over the past few evenings. Squid are attracted to the lights of the piers after sundown and can often be spotted darting along the surface. They are simple yet very aggressive organisms, eagerly attacking many baits and lures presented to them, but “hooking” them is a different matter altogether… Squid jigs do not really have ‘hooks’ in the traditional sense, but instead have groupings of light up-turned wires that entangle the tentacles of these animals. Many of the best squid jigs glow in the dark and some are even designed to resemble a fleeing shrimp. Netting with both cast and dip nets containing a smaller mesh is also very effective when larger groups of squid gather in the shadow line. Tampa Bay squid are as good on the table as they are on the hook. Keep some on ice for a fresh calamari dinner and use some as one of the finest multi-species baits available anywhere.
- The Skyway, Paul Bristow - August 24, 2018
- The Skyway, Paul Bristow - August 17, 2018
- The Skyway, Paul Bristow - August 10, 2018
