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Finding Early-Morning Success

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By MIKE ANDERSON

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 29, 2008

GO FISHING is a daily look at the area fishing scene through the eyes of local charter boat captains and fishing guides. Today: Mike Anderson, right, with "Reel Animals" partner Billy Nobles.

Still fighting extremely warm air and water temps. We managed to do a little damage this week nonetheless. There are plenty of big snook around, although with the season opening on Monday, expect some of these big girls to disappear.

We had our best luck this week on the early-morning incoming tides. Several of the passes along the south shore are holding good numbers of fish. They seemed to prefer medium-sized white baits free-lined on small hooks. I had a couple of clients who really wanted to fish with corks and the snook did not respond well to them at all.

The redfish also have gotten active along the south shore with good upper slot-sized fish moving around Cockroach and Little Cockroach bays. We caught several reds this week both on artificial and with scaled sardines. Whenever possible I recommend free-lining your live baits, but the redfish did not seem to be bothered by the corks.

Pompano again made a good showing this week as I have learned to never leave the dock without my Doc's Goofy Jigs. I usually do not target these fish as they are normally very unreliable, but for the second year in a row fairly good numbers of them have showed up in 3 to 4 feet of water out in front of the Kitchen. Fan-casting 1/4-ounce Doc's Goofy Jigs in yellow seems to be the trick. Again the earlier the better, and on calm mornings be sure to work all areas of disturbed water.

Catch captains Billy Nobles and Mike Anderson on the "Reel Animals Fishing Show" on Saturdays from 6:30-7 a.m. on WFLA, Channel 8, and on Sundays from 8-10 a.m. on WHBO, 1470 AM. To book a charter, call 1-866-GAMEFISH or visit reelanimalsfishingshow.com.

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