April fishing is getting warm and the fishing should be off the wall. The weather will hopefully be cooperating and we’re anticipating a great bite to kick off the summer.
Depending on tides and lunar phases, snook fishing is going gangbusters with nice fish caught on both live bait and artificial lures. This should continue through April and May on into the summer. Remember, snook are closed from May 1st through August 31st so revive them quickly and return them gently to the water.
Redfish are found almost everywhere in the Tampa Bay area. Search for them around oyster bars and grass flats in the mornings. Expect good early morning topwater action on the flats and along mangrove shores. Work both incoming and outgoing tides. Live sardines, pinfish, cut bait and crabs work well for redfish.
Trout fishing has been exceptional all year, and unless something drastic happens we can expect it to continue into the summer. Look for nice sized trout on grass flats, especially deeper edges, on outgoing tides. South Tampa Bay reports great catches of big trout on the grass flats.
Cobia should start traveling the flats and open water, sometimes as singles or groups and often behind large rays. Keep your eyes peeled, toss your bait close and the battle begins. If it’s a mangrove snapper dinner you’re after, it’s a great time to fish for these tasty rascals. Also expect large snapper action at night around the full moon.
Tarpon anglers should check the beaches and bridges. Threadfins, crabs and larger sardines should do nicely. Toss them directly into the path of rolling tarpon and hang on. Bridge tarpon are always fun, be ready to cast off your anchor line and buoy to give chase.
If you are looking for some great light-tackle action, look no further than maks and bluefish. The bay usually gets full of threadfins and that gets the blues and maks fired up. Drift the bait schools, or anchor around markers tossing out white baits or threadfins and hang on. Shiny artificial lures like silver spoons also work.
I am expecting the weather to remain stable; the winds should stay fairly calm for some warm water offshore action. While temperatures will often affect the near-shore bite, cooler offshore temperatures turn fish on.
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, Saint 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.