Fishing Options Galore in Tampa Bay

As some big threadfins have moved back into the area from the south, Spanish mackerel — and even a few kingfish — are reportedly being caught off the Tampa Bay-area beaches.

But numerous captains continue to say there are more tarpon off the beaches than they have seen in quite some time.

“I’ve never seen this many tarpon at this time of the year,” said Capt. Scott Moore, who has been fishing Boca Grande Pass, where boats are congregating for serious tarpon action.

Anglers who like to get threadfins for tarpon fishing should consider using a Sabiki rig instead of a net. Threadfins do not stay frisky for long, and a Sabiki rig does less damage to the bait, allowing it to thrive longer in the bait well. Tarpon took a tour offshore for their full moon spawn, making tarpon fishing tough for days.

“There’s a lot of fish,” said Capt. Jonnie Walker of Sarasota, “but we can’t get them to bite that well.”

Walker also reported trout has been slow following the full moon.

“I think a lot of them spawned because a lot of the spawning fish are full of roe,” Walker said. “Before the full moon we were getting lots of 20-inch trout.”

To target the Spanish mackerel, head off the beaches and net some of the 3- to 4-inch scaled sardines. Try a 30-pound test leader and a 4/0 202 Eagle Claw hook that prevents the bait from getting cut as much. Walker uses 5- to 6-foot leaders so that he does not have to re-tie every time he gets cut off. The big, 26- to 28-inch Spanish he’s been getting simply dice through leaders.

Here’s a trick for the Spanish mackerel: Don’t set the hook; simply reel.“They hit so hard and fast anyway,” Walker said. “If you jerk, you end up jerking it out of their mouth.”

And Walker does not like to use braided line with Spanish mackerel — monofilament will give anglers the shock absorption they need to ensure the hook embeds in a mack’s mouths.

Also, now is the time for anglers to start trying artificials. With surface water temperatures on the flats topping out at more than 90 degrees in some areas, fish are tight to the bottom. Try fishing the bottom with Berkley Gulp baits or various jigs.

Target areas with cooler water, such as spots with fast water movement. Passes and cuts generally have cooler waters, not to mention more oxygen due to this movement.

In lower Tampa Bay, Wheedon Island reportedly has been a good spot for snook, trout and even flounder. Head to the remote mangrove islands of Wheedon and fish tight to the mangroves on a high tide.

Finally, there continues to be some decent snook fishing off the beaches. Although many reports along the Suncoast are of smaller snook, anglers can get away with a D.O.A. shrimp to pull some snook to the beaches at first light.