Tampa Bay Fishing Articles The ten most recent fishing articles from bay area newspapers: TBO - Tampa Tribune | SPT - St. Petersburg Times | LL - Lakeland Ledger | BH - Bradenton Herald http://www.tampabaycharter.com/members/forums/forum-45.asp http://www.tampabaycharter.com/images/rss-logo.jpg Tampa Bay Charter http://www.tampabaycharter.com/ <![CDATA[Gags: As Good As It Gets - Steve Papen | SPT]]> http://www.tampabaycharter.com/members/forums/thread-3031-1.asp Captain's Corner: Gag grouper fishing as good as it gets

By Steve Papen, Times Correspondent
In Print: Wednesday, November 17, 2010

What's hot: Gag grouper fishing can't get much better than it is now. Just about all depths are producing banner catches of 8 to 15 pounds. Live baits are still outproducing sardines and will continue to do so until the water temperatures fall into the low 60s...]]> <![CDATA[Pelagics Pushed South - Ray Markham | TBO]]> http://www.tampabaycharter.com/members/forums/thread-3030-1.asp Cooler temperatures push pelagics south

By RAY MARKHAM
Posted November 16, 2010 by The Tampa Tribune

Spanish and king mackerel prefer water temperatures ranging from the upper-60s to the mid-70s. Last week’s cold front dropped the Gulf water temperature to 66 degrees and water in the bays hit the mid-70s during sunny afternoons. Bait schools are still thick. As long as the baitfish stay, so will the mackerel.

Spanish and kings were bro...]]> <![CDATA[Temps on Action - Ed Walker | SPT]]> http://www.tampabaycharter.com/members/forums/thread-3029-1.asp Captain's Corner: Temperature affects action

By Ed Walker, Times Correspondent
In Print: Tuesday, November 16, 2010

The rapid drop in nearshore water temperatures has changed the action along North Suncoast coastal waters. Before the last cold front passed, kingfish and Spanish mackerel were just offshore of Tarpon Springs and Dunedin. With the water 8-10 degrees cooler now, the mackerel and kings in this area vanished. The only surface feeders we fou...]]> <![CDATA[Trout Release Mortality - Ray Markham | TBO]]> http://www.tampabaycharter.com/members/forums/thread-3028-1.asp Trout closure doesn’t stop release mortality

By RAY MARKHAM
Posted November 15, 2010 by The Tampa Tribune

Recently I was fishing within a couple hundred yards of some other anglers and couldn’t help notice that they were catching trout and releasing them without using much care. There was no doubt in my mind that many of these released fish were doomed to death through mishandling by these anglers. There were several fish that were apparent...]]> <![CDATA[Grouper In Kingfish Out - Tyler Wallerstein | SPT]]> http://www.tampabaycharter.com/members/forums/thread-3027-1.asp Captains Corner: Cooler weather brings gag grouper in, sends kingfish out

By Tyler Wallerstein, Times Correspondent
In Print: Monday, November 15, 2010

What's hot: Cooler water has prompted a near-shore gag grouper bite. Depths as shallow as 15 feet are holding keeper-sized gags. Use frisky live baits such as pinfish, grass grunts or squirrel fish to ward off the smaller red grouper and entice the larger gags. Work small ledges using a combination of ...]]> <![CDATA[Inshore Gamefish in Backcountry - Jim Huddleston | SPT]]> http://www.tampabaycharter.com/members/forums/thread-3026-1.asp Captain's Corner: Inshore gamefish take up in backcountry areas as temperatures drop

By Jim Huddleston, Times Correspondent
In Print: Sunday, November 14, 2010

What's hot: With winter's cooler water temperatures and lower tides starting to show, many inshore gamefish have taken up in backcountry areas where sight-casting is at a premium. Noticeable pushes from fish can easily be seen in the shallows as mangrove shorelines block the...]]> <![CDATA[Clear Enough For Kings - Bill Miller | TBO]]> http://www.tampabaycharter.com/members/forums/thread-3025-1.asp Clear water means kingfish are biting

By BILL MILLER
Posted November 13, 2010 by The Tampa Tribune

Kingfish continue to provide good action for West Coast anglers. The water has cleared up from the last cold front and the kingfish bite is on.

Andy Hemple reports lots of kings in 20 feet of water off Hudson. Hemple said the action was so fast they could hardly get bait in the water without having a k...]]> <![CDATA[Cool Weather Ideal - Dave Walker | SPT]]> http://www.tampabaycharter.com/members/forums/thread-3024-1.asp Captain's Corner: Cool weather ideal for fishing

By Dave Walker, Times Correspondent
In Print: Saturday, November 13, 2010

Beautiful weather has provided ideal fishing conditions. Water temperatures are on the decline, so throw out summer's tactics and strategy.

Tip: A general rule for cool water is to slow the presentation of live or artificial baits. Fish are cold-blooded, so their...]]> <![CDATA[Got Grouper? - Mike Anderson | TBO]]> http://www.tampabaycharter.com/members/forums/thread-3023-1.asp Catch grouper while you can

By MIKE ANDERSON
Posted November 12, 2010 by The Tampa Tribune

With a federal closure on grouper coming down the pipe, November and December may be the last two months to catch these tasty critters for a while.

For the inshore guys, the shipping channel, rock piles, inshore wrecks and even deep-water docks are loaded with keeper-sized fish. Slow-trolling plugs, big jigs or even spoon...]]> <![CDATA[Mack Invasion - Dave Zalewski | SPT]]> http://www.tampabaycharter.com/members/forums/thread-3022-1.asp Captains corner: Mackerel invasion continues

By Dave Zalewski, Times correspondent
In Print: Friday, November 12, 2010

What's happening: The water temperature has plummeted, and that should push both baitfish and their predators into our area. Both trolling and bottom fishing should produce well.

Targets: Kingfish, bonito, Spanish mackerel and barracuda have been our main trolling t...]]>