TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Warm Weather Heats Up Inshore Action

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 10, 2009

The recent warming trend has raised the water temperature in Terra Ceia Bay nearly 14 degrees in some areas over the past week, pushing the mercury from a low of 52 degrees last week up 66 at peak afternoon high points.

Not all areas will be that warm, but the thermometer on my Lowrance bottom machine shows these areas and provide me with instant knowledge of those spots that may be the most productive.

Redfish have been cooperative. We are finding good numbers of single fish scattered over the flats in potholes, along channel edges and in swash channels around bars on low water. High tides are pushing these fish up into the mangroves to feed.

We continue to catch them by skipping DOA Shrimp or a CAL Jerk Bait rigged Texas Style on the DOA Long Neck Worm Hook. Night Glow over Gold Rush Shrimp and the same color in the 4-inch Jerk Bait are producing reds up to 28 inches, but the average fish has been at the lower end of the slot. North of the Skyway up to Port Manatee, redfish have been larger, and about mid-slot size.

A prolonged period of cold completely shut down snook for several days. Although we have not been targeting them, since the water began rising, they have begun to feed again on points and around bars where we have been targeting redfish.

For fun, fishing the deeper hard bottom in lower Tampa Bay, we've been targeting black sea bass, bluefish and ladyfish on CAL Jigs with Shad Tails. A new inline combination spoon and spinner bait from Clarkspoon called the Clark Caster, which is available in both silver and gold, has been productive for ladyfish, Spanish mackerel, and bluefish.

Ray Markham co-hosts "Florida Sportsman Magazine Radio Live," Saturdays from 7-8 a.m. on ESPN 1040 AM, and can be reached for charter at (941) 723-2655.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT