Veteran
Posts: 262
 
Location: Tampa Bay | Weekly Fishing Report
By JIM LEE
Posted July 23, 2008 by The Tampa Tribune
Freshwater:
Panfish action continues and should be very good for another week or so when the full moon phase wanes. Bass action is in the typical summer mode, with mostly 2- to 4-pounder being caught. Larger fish can be found occasionally with live shiners.
LAKE TARPON: Tarpon Tom’s Fresh and Saltwater Bait & Tackle, (727) 938-2379: New ownership of Tarpon Tom’s is off to a great start, and captain Lenny Crispino is still guiding and catching 15 to 25 bass daily. Panfish action this week has been very good. They are eating worms and crickets.
KISSIMMEE CHAIN: Grape Hammock Fish Camp, (863) 692-1500: Panfish action is the talk of the fisher folk in this area as the bite is still on. It’s crickets for bluegill topwater anglers with a small float. Fly anglers are using poppers for topwater and wooly buggers for stripping the beds. Spin anglers are using worms for bluegill and shellcracker. Bass catches are good, but not many large fish reported.
LORIDA-ISTOKPOGA: Trails End Fishing Resort guide service, (863) 655-0134: Good times at Trails End continue with great bluegill catches. This lake is known for big bass and you can occasionally find one to 8 pounds. However, most are 2 to 4 pounds, taken on lures and artificial worms.
OKEECHOBEE, THE WEST WALL: No change — one of the finest fishing lakes in the U.S. is still on its knees. The lake is still very low. Bluegill are bedding, but you need an airboat to fish for them. Some bass and bluegill can be caught in Rim Canal.
LAKE PANASOFFKEE: Pana Vista Lodge, (352) 793-2061: Bluegill and shellcracker are the pride of this lake, and this week was no exception. Take home a sack of bluegill or shellcracker for a great fish fry. Bass action is good, with some new spots behind the grass on the eastern bank. Yearling-sized fish are the catch for most anglers.
Saltwater:
Scallop season is still in full swing. Good catches reported. Fishing for trout off Hernando Beach flats is sparse. Fish the 40- to 50-foot depths for good grouper, grunt and black sea bass catches. Mangrove snapper fishing at night is still good. Tarpon, trout and redfish are the main targets inshore, with pompano catches found in some areas. Snook eating habits seem to be changing, and anglers must change with them.
10,000 ISLANDS: Captain Cory McMillin, (239) 695-4420: Snook are the grand catch in this area. Big snook are hanging out in the mangroves and pot holes on the outside edges of the creeks. Redfish are also in this area feeding on live bait, which is plentiful in most cases. Tarpon are in the backcountry creeks and can be hard chargers in shallow water. Hopefully they won’t jump into your boat.
BOCA GRANDE: There are still tarpon at Boca Grande Pass and on the beaches.
SARASOTA: Captain Rick Grassett, (941) 923-7799: Tarpon are the target, with plenty of these huge fish found in the bays and on the beaches. Tarpon have notoriously hard mouth areas and are often very hard to hook on lures and flies. Jumping a tarpon means a hookup, but only one in four is actually brought to the boat. After a few spectacular jumps, bringing the fish to the boat can be anticlimactic.
WESTERN SHORE AND SKYWAY AREA: Captain Sergio Atanes, (813) 973-7132: Mackerel, cobia and silver trout are the easy catches in the lower bay. Tarpon are the tougher critters to go for and they can be found at the Sunshine Skyway area and along the outer bars.
UPPER TAMPA BAY: Denny B’s Quality Bait & Tackle, (813) 885-9811: Tarpon are at the bridges and also make their rounds up in the bay. Live-bait the bridge areas and soak a dead bait at the edges of the bay. Mangrove snapper, redfish and an occasional whiting can be found.
SOUTH PINELLAS: Captain Paul Hawkins, (727) 560-6762: Tarpon catching is still the best game in town. You never know how big a tarpon will be until it jumps, but 50- to 125-pound fish often are hooked from inside the bay to Anna Maria.
FISHING PIERS: South Pier, (941) 729-0117: Pier fishing offers most of the current species being caught in the bay. Fish the pier for speckled trout, redfish, flounder, mackerel and even a stray grouper.
MID-PINELLAS PARTY BOATS: Offshore bottom fishing from Hubbard’s John’s Pass Marina and Kingfish dock, (727) 393-1947: Offshore fishing is good. Fish the deeper waters for black sea bass, mangrove snapper and gray snapper. You also might catch porgies and amberjack on longer trips. The extended and overnight trips will produce the best catches of grouper, red snapper, mangrove snapper 4 to 8 pounds and greater amberjack.
GANDY BAIT & TACKLE: (813) 839-5551: Pompano are being caught at the bridges, along with some big black drum. Black drum are a little late this year, but they are real tackle busters, running to 50 pounds. Tarpon are taking live bait at the bridges. Small mangrove snapper also are being caught.
TARPON SPRINGS: Captain Rich Knox, (727) 376-8809: If you fish the barrier islands, you will find redfish are the staple and are taking greenbacks. Snook are a little harder to find and to get to eat. However, fish the points where the water is moving with the tide.
HERNANDO COUNTY: Captain Frank Bourgeois, (352) 666-6234: Great catches of grouper, grunt and black sea bass can be found in the 40- to 50-foot depths off Hernando Beach. Offshore, trout seem to be scarce as the water temperature is warm this time of year. Schools of bonito are offshore and you can have some fun with a jig and a white jig tail.
KEATON BEACH: One More Cast guide service, (850) 584-9145: Scalloping is still the main attraction at Keaton Beach and surrounding areas. Limits still are being taken. Trout catches have eased off with the hot weather.
HERNANDO BEACH: Captain Rick Rodriguez, (727) 992-9494: Try a night mangrove snapper trip for lots of action. Grouper and large grunt are best caught in 40 to 50 feet at this time of year.
FLY FISHING: Fly anglers are having a tough time inshore in the heat, as not too many larger trout are available. Some good catches of redfish are a viable target. Tarpon, of course, are still on the menu.
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