To my tastes, spotted sea trout, filleted fresh, floured and fried lightly, are the best-tasting fish in any part of the sea. But the opportunity to enjoy those fillets is about to shut down for a couple of months in the South Zone, encompassing all of Tampa Bay and the rest of southwest Florida. ...more

October 26, 2007

The Fishin' Report, by Nick Stubbs. ...more

October 24, 2007

Fall fishing is as good as it gets this time of year. With water temps continuing to drop and clarity improving the bite is on for numerous species. ...more

October 24, 2007

I've gotten a half-dozen e-mails this week from frustrated anglers who are chasing the thousands of mackerel boiling the bay, but who can't seem to catch more than one or two. ...more

October 17, 2007

The aptly named mangrove snapper spends a fair amount of its juvenile life among the watery roots of its namesake trees. But when it reaches adulthood, it heads for deeper venues, and one of the best in the state is the edge of the shipping channels that run through Tampa Bay. ...more

September 28, 2007

Normally, snook and redfish move into the river mouths as fall progresses to avoid the coming chill on the flats. The tannin-stained river water, which soaks up heat and often has spring water as a major component, can be 5 to 10 degrees warmer than the shallows when a cold front blows through. As the winter progresses, the fish move farther and farther upstream, with some spending January and February in water that's completely fresh. ...more

September 12, 2007