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Weather Really Taking Its Toll

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 17, 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.

Wet weather, high winds and thunderstorms continue to make summer fishing on Tampa Bay an iffy proposition.

I got my skiff off the lift Monday with light winds, but the water clarity was poor. It wasn't tea-colored; it looked more like espresso. Despite lousy visibility I did find four cobia on different range markers, but could not get them to eat anything.

I even had a live threadfin wiggle his tail right in front of a big ling's nose, but he showed no interest in the live bait. One small fish followed a bait back to the boat and boiled on it, but never touched it. Two other fish came off the mark for a close look at the boat, but they would have nothing to do with live bait or artificials.

We did catch a 24-inch mackerel and a 9-pound bonnethead on cut bait, but that was our day. We tried the mangrove shoreline between Apollo Beach and the Simmons Park boat ramp for redfish and snook, but never got the first hit - not even a catfish. The one bright spot of the day was catching bait was easy. One throw of the net in Bahia Beach Basin caught enough threadfins and pinfish to last all day.

The rest of the week it rained, the wind blew, with regular thunder and lightning. Our summer woes continue. Friday I fished the rock piles off the ship channel near Port Manatee with friends. Using live shrimp we caught a cooler full of big mangrove snapper, a couple of grunts and one very big flounder. The bite was as good as I've seen it in weeks, especially a few hours ahead of the full moon.

Winds are supposed to stay down for the next few days with good falling tides in the afternoon. That could change by Tuesday if Tropical Storm Fay comes this way.

Visit captain Fred Everson's Web site at Tampabayfishing

guide.com for charter info or call (813) 830-8890.

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