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Hot weather keeping anglers off water late

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 23, 2008

Note: Very hot weather, usually followed by rain, has meant a lot of anglers have been hitting the water early and wrapping up their fishing early. Many anglers are opting to wait for more hospitable conditions, and area tackle shops are reporting slow days. Reports of fish being taken early in the day may not indicate much more than the fact that fewer anglers have been on the water early, choosing not to fish in the hotter part of the day.

Tackle shop roundup

Dunedin Fishing Center, 727-738-5628: Anglers fishing the beach and Honeymoon Island have been catching snook to 38 inches. Fish have been taking artificials well, including 52M Mirro-O-Lures and white, buck-tailed jigs. Live shrimp has been working, as well, with the better action first thing in the mornings. Fish to 38 inches are being released, due to the closed season.

Fisherman's World, 727-942-8944: The west side of Anclote Key has been a good place for catch-and-release snook action. Fish to 40 inches have been taking jerkbaits, topwater plugs and shrimp. Anglers have been doing best early in the morning and at night. A number of large snook have been reported by anglers fishing the beach at the northern end of Honeymoon Island. Fish have been in the trough just off the beach, taking live shrimp, pinfish, and topwater plugs at first light.

One Stop Bait and Tackle, 727-842-5610: There have been some reds in Sand Bay just south of Gulf Harbors. Fish are taking jigs and Berkley Gulp Baits. Dwayne from the shop reports taking fish to 25 inches. Trout have been on the flats just south of the south channel at Gulf Harbors. Fish to 20 inches are taking shrimp and Gulp jerkbaits. The bite is on in the mornings. An angler hooked and lost a legal-sized cobia fishing off Howard Park around the Intracoastal Waterway with a live pinfish. Working the same area turned up some mackerel to 3 pounds. They were taking live greenbacks well. Trout have been on the grass bottom south of Dutchman's Key at Anclote Key. Dwayne reports he and a fishing buddy have been taking fish to 19 inches on Berkley Gulp Strips in root-beer color and hooked on jigs. The bite was over by 10 a.m.

Pier 60, 727-462-6466: Anglers have been catching mangrove snapper 10 to 12 inches, taking good numbers of fish on shrimp and cut squid. The night bite has been better, and some anglers have been taking limits.

Nick Stubbs is founder and webmaster of Bitetracker.com, a fishing Web site specializing in daily fishing reports displayed on animated fish tracking charts.

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