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Warm Water Slows Things Down

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 3, 2008

GO FISHING is a daily look at the area fishing scene through the eyes of local charter boat captains and fishing guides. Today: Fred Everson.

Warm water and hot weather combined to keep the midday fishing action to a minimum this week. The best fishing was on the strong falling tides of late afternoon, but there was also some activity along the north shoreline of the Little Manatee River at sunrise. I also saw some of the biggest snook I have ever seen along the sea wall in front of my house, but they would not touch anything I threw at them in the morning. I did have several bumps on a jig head rigged with a plastic mullet - probably a small snook. I believe the snook are gathered here to spawn in the swift current of the spring tide of the new moon.

We had fast-falling late-afternoon tides Wednesday through Friday - a good snook tide - but by the threat of thunderstorms precluded any attempt to get to them. By the time it stopped raining, the tide was so low I couldn't get my skiff off the lift.
Captain Larry Malinoski of Ruskin e-mailed me with a report on Thursday. He said the offshore bite was slow, but the snapper bite inside the bay was still hot. He also told me he saw a lot of redfish brought in at O'Neill's Marina on the other side of the bay. I can only hope some of those fish come our way soon. I haven't caught a redfish in weeks.

Water temperature remains in the low 90s, so don't expect the bite to light up anytime soon. Your best bet on the flats will continue to be to fish there around sunrise and sunset and give it a rest in the middle of the day.

Visit captain Fred Everson's Web site at Tampabayfishingguide.com for charter info or call (813) 830-8890.

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