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

It is time.   Go back to working Upper Tampa Bay. I go by this every year.    I stay away from the most cut off area of the Bay during “the warm months” which includes October.  This year, add in November.  Now, cold fronts finally arriving, cooling conditions changes things.   The Upper Bay:  It is time to work it back into the plan. Action has improved and there are some awesome opportunities up here.  Trout:  That will arrive with one or two more fronts.  For everything else it is already happening.  Redfish are in better abundance than in any other part of the Bay.  Drum are an option in specific locations.   The water temperature is right for much better action north of the Howard Frankland Bridge.

The “bridge” thing is basically over for the year as far as I’m concerned.   Structure that provides opportunity at just about any time of year, I won’t do bridge trips again until May.    There will probably be flounder and a variety of trout (speckled and silver) for those who try the bridge jigging.   The start of summer is the time to restart those trips. 

Flounder are still caught but in this part of the Bay, not as likely as lower Tampa Bay or other areas near the front (Gulf).   Figure on catching one of two good ones, in specific spots, but not likely catching a whole lot of them.

Casts around oyster bars is the best way to catch trout and redfish the next three months. 

Keep your eyes peeled and make a phone call:  Illegal activity is hurting your fishery.   The agency has some issues responding.   Protect what belongs to you.     Get these people to stop raping your resource and stealing from all of us.  

Would you like to get better at fishing?   Look at The Kayak Fishing Academy.   January 9, 2021.    At my house, this $30 seminar will make you better at fishing.     

See ya the next time around.    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

Stay alert and make a difference:

Keep an eye out and make the phone calls.    Illegal nets found in Upper Tampa Bay have been confiscated thanks to the tips from citizens.    Working with the field staff, I personally know that they have a great response rate on the calls I make.    Too many people do not make the attempt because they did not get a response in the past.      Trust me, they do the best they can and they do respond as quickly as possible.

 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.  A released snook not harvested preserves the future of our species, one that could face stresses like algae blooms and another freeze.

Neil Taylor
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