Tampa Bay Fishing Report March 2018
What a great winter to be in Florida, the rest of the country has been freezing when here, with the exception of a few weeks, we’re in shorts, flops and T-Shirts catching fish.
Fishing around Tampa Bay has been decent for the winter months with plenty of nice catches including redfish, snook and trout as well as some very large ladyfish and yellow tail jacks. If you’ve never targeted big jack cravelle you’re missing some great light tackle fun. The power of these huge fighters is amazing and guaranteed to make you say uncle.
Fishing the area this winter has been fairly pleasant, but we can expect a few windy days. Bait was on the flats until a few weeks ago and should be showing up again in the near future. March is always a good time to try your hand at artificial lures.
Anglers who have never experienced the thrill of targeting snook, redfish and trout on artificial lures don’t know what they’re missing. It’s fun, exciting and helps you develop a skill that is never lost. Die-hard artificial anglers will tell you that anyone can catch fish with live bait, but plastic is a different test.
Once you’re hooked you’ll love it, it’s fishing at its best. If you’re not sure about artificials it gives you something different to attempt. I’ve said many times, “always leave the live bait at the bait shop; if you bring a crutch you’ll use it”.
If live bait is your choice, shrimp fished on a free-line or under a popping cork usually entices a bite. If you’re using lures, snook can’t resist a MirrOlure topwater over a broken bottom flat on a calm morning. Sub-surface sinking or suspending lures work exceptionally well in deeper water, and of course soft plastics using at least an eighth of an ounce jighead always seem to produce good action during the early spring.
Redfish continue eating live and cut bait tossed in their direction, especially the rats. Grass flats with broken bottoms, submerged oyster bars and mangrove shorelines are good starting points. Like snook, artificials work for redfish. Cut baits, small pinfish and dead-sticking stinky baits usually attract the attention of most passing redfish. Try suspending stinky baits, cut chunks of pinfish or mullet or a piece of crab under a popper, you’ll be surprised at the results.
Spotted sea trout are found around deeper water broken bottom grass flats, especially on strong tides. They eat shrimp, greenbacks and pinfish. A popping cork proves deadly when rigged with shrimp, either live or artificial. Another option is bouncing a soft plastic jig off the bottom. Remember, the bite usually comes as the bait falls so don’t be surprised to have a fish on just as the lure hits the water.
There is a good chance to see cobia on the back of large rays and manatees, or just cruising around markers and cans. Large shrimp, pinfish, or greenbacks, normally do the trick, but a large artificial eel rigged on a jighead also works.
Sheepshead are everywhere right through March. Tough, toothy, boney mouths necessitate aggressive hook sets. Try fishing for these great fighters around markers, bridge fenders, docks, seawalls, rock piles, oyster bars or practically any type structure. Shrimp and fiddler crabs always produce, but green mussels and oysters also work. I like shrimp and fiddlers when I can get them.
Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing – 813-477-3814 The area’s top outdoor fishing guide, Captain Woody Gore has guided and fished the Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tarpon Springs, Bradenton and Sarasota areas for over fifty years; his charters offer 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 professional guides and captains, I can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Just tell me what you need and it’s done. For more information please visit my website at: www.captainwoodygore.com, or email me at fishing@captainwoodygore.com or give him a call at 813-477-3814.