Aripeka to Longboat Key
Includes Hudson, New Port Richey, Anclote Key, Tarpon Springs, Dunedin, Clearwater, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Anna Maria Island and Bradenton
May 13-15
The weather pattern is shaping up to be summer-like, despite last weekend’s cold front that temporarily dropped air and water temperatures. It may have slowed the kingfish migration a bit, but could have held back the tarpon so a small degree.
OFFSHORE
Kyle Brinkley of Bradenton with a hogfish tipping the scales at over 13-pounds taken by speargun in Tampa Bay.
The amount of groceries swimming just off the beaches right now is off the charts. I ran the beaches from Pass-A-Grille to Madeira Beach this week and it was covered with big Spanish sardines mixed with threadfins and cigar minnows. Rule #1– find the bait and you’ll surely find the fish. Spanish mackerel to 6-pounds and kingfish both continue to be caught in pretty good numbers as well as some big fish. Considering the state record for Spanish is 12-pounds, caught off Ft. Pierce, a 6-pounder might not sound that big, but with a generous limit of 15-fish per person per day, with a minimum length of 12-inches to the fork, the take-home poundage can add up quickly. Limits of these fish can be easily achieved when the bite is on. Spoons are probably the best and easiest lure to catch mackerel on when trolled. Several flat lines put out behind the boat along with a couple on planers at different depths will find the feeding zone for these fish making limiting out easy. Jigs, scaled sardines, threadfin herring, and live shrimp all work well for mackerel.
Kingfish have a limit of two fish per person per day with a minimum of 24-inches measured to the fork. Catching a limit of these fish could take hours or minutes depending on where you are, since they typically run in schools and follow bait pods. Kings may be scattered, but the early morning bite seems to be the rule where these pelagic are concerned. If you’re hell-bent on finding kingfish, the Egmont Key Ship’s Channel has been the hot spot. I say spot, but this area runs for miles out into the Gulf to the Whistler Buoy and Time’s Square. Begin at marker 1 and concentrate on the channel edges. While you’re at it, look at all the channel markers for both cobia and tripletail. Big cobia have moved into the region and have been cruising the beaches, passes, and just inside these inlets.
Sunday marks the final day of stone crab season. Crabbers will have to be pulling their traps soon, and the trap floats and lines have been a main attraction for tripletail for the past 7-months. Run these trap lines that sit over hard bottom and line the beaches from Venice to Clearwater for trips. Small live shrimp, jigs, or DOA Shrimp seem to all work well on these tasty fish. A limit of two fish per person per day with a minimum size of 15-inches is in effect for the species.
INSHORE
Anglers are popping some huge snook in passes and along the beaches. Release of these fish is mandatory throughout the summer months while they spawn. Backwaters will have mostly smaller male fish. These backcountry fish have a different diet that beach or pass fish. Killifish, shrimp, finger mullet, and scaled sardines make up the inshore diets, while beach fish may find ladyfish, mullet, threadfin herring, and even crabs as dietary mainstays. Be gentle with these fish when landing and always try to release them without removing them from the water.
Areas round passes and on the beaches are giving up some pompano. The Suncoast has long been a mecca for this fishery. While few anglers target them successfully, many are caught with little fanfare. This highly prized fish is second to none on the dinner table and in restaurants, which makes it a species that is rarely released when of the legal 11-inch length, measured to the fork of the tail. They may be taken by hook and line, cast nets, and beach or haul seines. Most recreational anglers use jigs like Doc’s Goofy Jigs, sand fleas, fiddler crabs, or shrimp to catch pompano. They can be easily confused with permit as both are similar in appearance when young. It’s highly recommended that anglers become familiar with each. Photos of both are on www.myfwc.com.
Trout in many areas have slowly tailed off in numbers. Bigger trout continue to be landed in the shallows prior to sunrise, with some of the largest coming on DOA shallow running Baitbusters, MirrOlure MirrOmullet, and Rapala Skitterwalks. Because big trout love needlefish and ballyhoo, big jerk baits like the CAL 5.5 and 12-Fathom Slam ‘R have also been effective. Most of these trout over 24-inches are loners, opting to get away from boating pressure and smaller schooling fish unless they are feeding on juvenile trout themselves. Yes, they are cannibalistic, so trout colored patterns of lures are exceptionally effective. But early morning new and full moon low tides will hold these fish in the shallows where they are protected from predators like dolphins and most birds of prey.
Redfish are scattered, but with the string of beautiful weather days ahead, we might expect to see fish schooling in areas that are less pressured. Weedon Island has been a local hot spot for reds. Eppinger Rex Spoons in gold, copper, or black have been deadly on reds here. Boca Ceiga Bay has offered up some redfish near the south end of Tampa Bay. Dirty water has been the norm this week, so lures with flash, scent, vibration, or sound help these fish find the lures.
Cobia are combing inshore waters inside passes. Keep your eyes peeled for these shark look-alikes. They look similar to some folks, so look closely before you ignore one swimming near the surface. Pinfish, shrimp, and crabs are favorites but an assortment of lures, like jigs, shrimp and eel imitations all work well. The lesser of one per person or 6 fish per boat measuring 33-inches minimum to the fork are the bag and size limits of these fast-growing fish.
Let the 2016 tarpon season begin! Anglers up and down the coast are flying poons right now. Those targeting tarpon in Boca Grande are saying there are more fish there than at any time in recollection. Most likely this is due to the all-release formats for tournaments.
FRESHWATER
It’s panfish time. Good numbers of bream, bluegill, stumpknockers, shellcrackers, red ear sunfish, or others are being taken in lakes and rivers. Many areas have bedding fish, making them exceptional targets for wading fly anglers using small poppers, cricket, or spider patterns. There is an extensive list of regulations for bag limits and size limits as well as for what lakes on the FWC website. It’s your responsibility to be familiar with these for the area you fish. This information can be found by visiting the FWC website at http://myfwc.com/fishing/freshwater/regulations/southwest/.
CCA FLORIDA STAR TOURNAMENT
The clock is ticking down to Memorial Day for the start of the CCA Florida STAR Tournament. CCA Florida STAR, presented by Yamaha, is the largest family-friendly angling competition in the state, offering 101 days of fishing and $500,000 in prizes and youth scholarships. Over 150 STAR tagged redfish are being released in mid-May on the east and west coasts. Catch one of the first 7 prize-winning STAR tagged redfish and win a new GMC truck, boat, motor and trailer package from Contender, Pathfinder, Hells Bay Boatworks, or Sea Hunt or a youth scholarship. The Catch-and-Photo format offers 13 additional divisions; spotted trout, snook, sheepshead & cobia, dolphin, kingfish as well as Youth, Ladies, Kayak, Fly, Guides, Conservation and Lionfish. It is not the biggest fish that wins, as most division winners are determined by a random drawing. Register today for your opportunity to win a share of $500,000 in prizes. www.ccaflstar.com. And when you register, I’d certainly appreciate it if you would enter my name as the guide who referred you to the tournament. ‘Til then, I’ll catch ya later!
EMAIL Ray {941-228-3474} www.CaptainRayMarkham.com