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Redfish, Trout Are Hot

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By BILL MILLER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 28, 2008

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

Redfish and trout have been biting live shrimp under a cork and soft plastics bounced along the bottom in Woods Creek and Sweetwater Creek in Upper Tampa Bay. A few snook have also been caught around the creek bends on an incoming tide. On low tide, look for tailing reds on the Cooper Bayou flats.
Speckled trout are in the holes off Grassy Point and redfish are on the outside of Cedar Point. To catch the reds, chum the mangrove shoreline with fresh cut ladyfish and put two or three rods with cut ladyfish in your chum zone. Leave the bait still on the bottom and redfish will find them with their keen sense of smell.

Captain Billy Miller has been limiting out on grouper and mangrove snapper fishing Tampa Bay rock piles. Miller likes live pinfish for grouper and small white bait or shrimp for the snapper. A few sheepshead have also been caught. A little chum will help fire up the bite.

Grouper are still red hot inside of 60 feet. Hard-bottom ledges seem to be holding the best fish. Live pinfish are good live bait and fresh cut ladyfish seem to be the top dead bait out fishing Spanish sardines.

A few mackerel have been caught at the Dubai Pier and the Skyway Fishing Piers. More mackerel should be caught if the water temperature continues to rise.

Captain Bill Miller hosts "Hooked on Fishing" on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-8 p.m. on Bright House Sports Network, Channel 47.

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