The weather is getting hotter.   The water is getting hotter.   Ironically, the fishing is getting hotter too.

Flounder:   They should get better this month.   I like flounder.    I have my whole life.    They never arrived last year.    They have been great most years.   Will they arrive big this year?    I believe so.     Initial efforts have been mediocre.   I find them mostly south shore.   But they will move all the way 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.  Wait until November to expect trout up here again.

Same from the last report:  “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.    Get your picture:   Let them go.    They live a long time.   Let someone else have the fun of catching them.

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.     Drop lures right next to bridge pilings in Upper Tampa Bay.   If there are pompano there, this will get them.   I do more to the south but some years the pompano are way up the Bay.  What will this year bring??

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 some 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.   It has been a long and tedious process.   And with the January weather we were set back again, basically to 2010 levels.

Regular rains are here!   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!

June 28 is Kayak Fishing Skool! The topic is: Nighttime Kayak Fishing. As usual, there will be a raffle at the end of the session, brought to you by Strike Three Kayak Fishing sponsors.   To be added to the email database for reports, feature articles and seminar announcements send an email to Livelybaits@aol.com and request to be added to the list.  The 8th Avenue Pub, 6PM.

 

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

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