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Tides Will Be Good This Weekend

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 31, 2008

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

Most anglers will fish anytime they can get out. But if that trip coincides with a series of good moving tides, expectations are justifiably elevated. Happily, that will be the case this weekend, with good water movement both mornings. These are ideal conditions for targeting most popular species, especially this year's abundant redfish run.

With plenty of bait schools cruising through area flats, those targeting reds will be able to load up on greenbacks, using them either free-lined or under a cork. Others also have been slamming the reds "dead-sticking" small chunks of cut bait along oyster-lined mangroves edges and docks. This technique also works well for catching snook, which have settled into their summer haunts along area beaches.

There are large schools of Spanish mackerel at the Skyway, as well as lots of grouper, sheepshead, mangrove and lane snapper. Tarpon are cruising around the structure, along with the occasional cobia.

Speaking of cobia, Tampa's Emily Muehlstein this week landed a hefty 37-incher using a jig on light tackle. She was fishing some 12 miles west of Pine Island in Hernando County. Emily said, "This is certainly my fish of the year!"

Drifting flats along the Clearwater/Dunedin Intracoastal Waterway, Jim Plastic and I on Tuesday hooked several larger trout over 20 inches using the new MirrOdine. We also caught mackerel, jacks, blues and other assorted species on the productive lure.

Hear "The Captain Mel Show" Saturdays from 6-9 a.m. on WFLA, 970 AM. Also, visit

"Fishing Florida OnLine

Magazine" at capmel.com.

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