Upper Tampa Bay

By Neil Taylor

The weather is getting hotter.   The water is getting hotter.    It is a time of year when the fishing in this part of the Bay can become tougher.   Personally, I haven’t gone to this part of the Bay so my report is more conjecture than anything.  

Probably a good possibility in June:  Flounder up the Bay.   

Redfish are always present in this part of Tampa Bay.   The action has been steady even though the numbers have been down from the past three years at this same time.     The rootbeer 12 Fathom Mullet remains a perfect choice for this part of the Bay.     Make long casts and keep the lure down by the bottom.   Move around to find the fish and do everything as quietly as possible.   These fish are the most sensitive to noise and movement and the stealth angler has the advantage.   The same areas that have good numbers of mullet are also good locations to search for redfish.

Trout action has pretty much shut down in most of this area.   I would say that trout are a better option “on the outside” rather that way up in the Bay, probably until the first few cold fronts in the Fall.

From reports early June over the years  “Big black drum are already at the big bridges and will be for the rest of the year.  Upsize your tackle if you want to control a bigger fish.   Food value: Zero.  The smaller drum are edible but  these bigger fish are a catch and release decision.    If you keep one to eat, you need to have a tough stomach.   The stench and the presence of masses of parasites in the meat, just let them go.” 

From another “years past report”,  ****Pompano:  this species is just days away from returning in big numbers.   The fish in the south Suncoast and at the mouth of Tampa Bay will make their way up to the bridges of upper Tampa Bay any day now.   My indicators are strong.   Accidental catches in certain areas leads me to believe that this should be an easy year for catching them.     Watch for a Pompano Fishing Video sometime in the next couple of months!****

Region wide- The numbers of snook continue to remain poor and there is little question that the recovery of that species is still going to take even more time.  A majority of veteran anglers won’t fish the species at all, something that helps avoid accidental loss of fish that are vital to the upcoming spawn.   This marks the tenth year that I removed the species as a target or my own charters, with hopes that their numbers will turn around significantly in 2020.    

Regular rains are coming!   The rainy season will be starting which may keep the bite alive in the upper part of the Bay.   On safety:    Keep an eye to the sky and be ready for fast forming storms to pop up starting this month.    These storms can come up fast and 50MPH winds can create treacherous waters.   Be smart and seek shelter ahead of a storm. 

As always: Be careful out there!

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