The Summer Spawn is on.
Four of Tampa Bay’s most sought-after species (seatrout, mangrove snapper, Spanish mackerel and snook) are in the midst of their annual spawn. This makes the catching easy. A few of these four can consistently be caught in the same location while one, not so much. I’ll break it down for you so, during your next fishing adventure, you can take home some dinner.
Seatrout:
This has been one of the best years for catching large spotted seatrout that I can remember. The deep-water grass flats that are scattered throughout the Bay are littered with seatrout. Usually, the second you anchor the boat and cast out a bait, you’ll get a hookup. They’re that aggressive right now. To elevate the activity, do some cut-bait chumming. This draws more fish to your area and increases the chances of catching some Spanish mackerel, too.
Seatrout can also be caught while fishing around one of the numerous bridges crossing Tampa Bay, and in areas in the middle of the bay where you wouldn’t expect them.
Size Limits:
Not less than 15” or more than 19”. May not possess more than one over 19” per vessel.
Mangrove Snapper:
Undoubtedly, mangrove snapper is one of the best tasting fish Tampa Bay has to offer, and it’s on everyone’s hit list right now. During their spawn, they are super aggressive and will fight over a bait to see who gets it first. This aggressive behavior enables bag limits to be reached in short order, allowing you to move on to other species.
Mangrove snapper can be caught over artificial reefs, along jetties, around bridge pilings and along mangrove shorelines adjacent to deep water drop offs. As usual, chumming helps to get the action going, so don’t hesitate to start cutting up some bait. Once the chum slick gets flowing, don’t surprised if you start catching some seatrout or Spanish mackerel.
Size Limits:
Minimum size is 10”. Bag limit is five per harvester.
Spanish Mackerel:
Spanish mackerel are all over Tampa Bay and are constantly on the feed. Artificial reefs and some of the deep-water shoals scattered throughout the bay are among the best places to target them. Once I anchor, the chumming begins. Without a doubt, chumming is the best way to draw them to your boat. Like I said last month, “If you don’t chum, they won’t come.” Another thing that helps to catch more mackerel, don’t use wire leader. Since the boat is anchored and not trolling, wire leader is more visible to the fish, and they avoid the bait in most cases. Instead, use a three to four foot section of fluorocarbon leader and a 2/0 long shank hook. Sure, you will get a few cut offs, but your hookup ratio will increase tenfold, and you will land more fish.
The bag limit on Spanish mackerel is insane. In my opinion, nobody needs to keep their daily limit. They don’t freeze well unless you smoke them first and they taste the best if you eat them within two to three days from harvest.
Size Limits:
Minimum size 12” fork length. Recreational daily bag limit per harvester, 15.
Snook:
The snook spawn is in full swing, which makes catching them extremely easy. It’s also why they’re closed to harvest, to protect the breeders. Snook stack up in passes, along jetties and some mangrove shorelines during the summer to spawn; and, with so many fish in one spot, it’s not hard to get a hookup. For the most part, I avoid snook fishing during this time, so they can do their thing. You know, make baby snook.
However, if I get clients onboard who have never caught a snook, I will target snook for a portion of the trip. When doing so, I’m incredibly careful how I handle the fish. Once one is boat side, if I’m not taking a picture, I just de-hook it while it’s still in the water. If a picture is requested, I have the person wet their hands and hold the fish horizontally while supporting the belly of the fish. Once I take a quick photo, the fish goes back in the water gently for the release.
Never, ever, hold a large snook vertically by the lower jaw at any time. Doing so is a death sentence, because it pulls on its internal organs. Even though it may swim off and look fine to you, it dies shortly after. It’s called “cryptic mortality.” Google it!
Size Limits:
Not less than 28” or more than 33” on the gulf coast. Closed to harvest until September 1.
Afishionado, “Adventures in Fishing.”