What’s happenin’ in the upper stretches of Tampa Bay?
The very upper stretches of Tampa Bay become one of the best options the worse the weather is. The deepest cuts, channels and creeks are locations where the fish will move when the water is so cold in the shallows around other parts of the Bay.
This has definitely been the case to start the New Year. Redfish are a good one to target and have been around in great numbers in about four areas in the upper Bay. The trend to catching a fish anywhere in 2015 has been “slow.” These fish are cold and they will not chase down a meal when they are in this condition.
The people who have had the most success have either had to work long hours and exhibit great patience, or they resorted to chucking shrimp under docks. Action in general slowed with the massive cooldown of the water the past ten days.
Metabolisms slow down, the fish remain more inactive in general. The good thing is: January is half over. With a warming trend that will hopefully follow, action has to get better than it has been. Fish gotta eat right?
Trout are all over way up the Bay. Size? Some are good, many are small. The very biggest trout are being caught around the craggiest of areas. Sub surface baits work better at this time. The worse the weather, the more you go down the creeks.
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
- The Neil Blog… - July 26, 2023
- The Catfish - July 26, 2023
- update - July 22, 2023