Tampa Bay Fishing Report

June usually means the beginning of hot and humid days, but we can still expect good fishing this month, however good fishing has its price – heat.

Everything will be eating this month, so plan your trips now and take advantage of good summertime fishing. But keep in mind these hot days can quickly dehydrate your body, often to the point of danger before you even realize what is happening.

The good thing is that most heat related illnesses are preventable by keeping the body cool and avoiding dehydration. Symptoms of dehydration include unconsciousness, seizures, difficulty breathing, confusion, vomiting and diarrhea, rapid heartbeat, and hot, dry flushed skin without sweating. If someone exhibits any of these symptoms take action immediately.

Drinking plenty of fluids like water and sports drinks will re-hydrate the body. However, fluids containing alcohol tend to impair your decision-making process and often impose safety issues to yourself and others; so if you drink do it responsibly.

Remember, operating a watercraft, while drinking alcohol often equates to trouble. Just like driving under the influence, BUI or Boating under the influence carries stiff fines, confinement or both.

Snook fishing in the summer is almost a given. Practically every angler is looking to catch them and given the amount of fishing pressure especially during weekends it is a wonder they bite at all. Practically any mangrove shoreline holds snook provided there is bait and structure.

Terrific ambush feeders, snook love lying in wait along shady mangrove root systems. Rocky shores and adjacent sandbars are also good places to investigate. Early morning artificial lure enthusiasts should work the flats using topwater lures and jerk baits.

June produces some good redfish action around the flats of Tampa Bay. Mullet schools are key factors in finding moving or feeding redfish. Finding redfish means covering lots of water.

Once you find reds remember that they do not venture too far if there is food nearby, so bring lots of greenbacks for bait and chumming. Bear in mind as long as there is food there are fish. Cut pinfish on the bottom are also good choices.

Spotted sea trout fishing continues to remain strong through the summer. Search out deep grass flats looking for grass beds with plenty of broken bottom and potholes. The broken-bottom grass flats with sandy potholes produce large fish and an occasional flounder.

Using live shrimp and greenbacks free lined or under popping corks should produce fish. Tampa Bay offers good fishing check areas like the Pinellas Flats, Veterans Flats, Joes Island, Bishops Harbor, Piney Point, Culbreath and Cockroach.

Good places for cobia are channel markers and sandy grass flats. They often frequent markers, especially those holding bait and cruise the flats following a large ray or manatee.

When fishing markers for snappers, keep a chum bag over the side, it should bring them and large Spanish mackerel around. Remember, large cobia can be dangerous when landed, always control the fish once boated.

Tarpon fishing really comes alive in June. They are everywhere and they are hungry, from the beach to the upper bay, these fish offer the catch of a lifetime. Large greenbacks, threadfins and crabs found abundantly in the bay are excellent bait choices.

Tarpon fishing around the Tampa area is good through the summer from the beaches all the way to the causeway. If you are into night fishing almost any bridge holds fish along the light line.

Other fish such as sheepshead, mackerel, kingfish, amberjacks, permit, grouper and snapper offer diversity and are easily accessible. Fishing around structure or fish attractors are good starting places. Keep a sharp eye on your bottom machine as you travel, good bottom and structure will pop up when you least expect it.

“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing” Captain Woody Gore is the area’s top outdoor fishing guide. Guiding and fishing the Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, Bradenton and Sarasota areas for over fifty years; he offers world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories.

Single or multi-boat group charters are all the same. With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Just tell him what you need and it’s done.  Visit his website at www.captainwoodygore.com, send an email to wgore@ix.netcom.com or give him a call at 813-477-3814.