Guide Bites
Capt. Chuck Rogers (813-918-8356): Capt. Chuck says the coming week for those fishing Tampa Bay will require moving to a cold-water strategy. Anglers may want to stick to the deeper water of canals, where many species will move following the recent very cold nights. Speckled and silver trout are good bets, with live shrimp fished on or near the bottom the way to go. Whiting is another go-to species in cool water, and they often are in some of the same spots where silver trout are found, including deep canals and channels. The channel leading to the Gandy boat ramp is a favorite spot and the depths at Snug Harbor are producing. Live or dead shrimp on the bottom is the way to take them. Sheepshead are a species that doesn’t turn off when the water gets cold. They are clinging to dock and bridge pilings. A favorite technique is to scrape some barnacles off the pilings to create a cloud of chum and get the bite going. Dropping a shrimp or a live fiddler crab into the chum will do the job from there. Anglers may want to check out the outfalls at the Big Bend and Weedon power plants this week, as both attract a variety of species when bay waters plunge. Targets include trout, pompano, permit and perhaps a cobia or two that are there for the warmth provided by the depths and warm water the plants release as part of producing power.
Capt. George Hastick (727-525-1005): Capt. George reports that until we see some warming next week, anglers are going to do best shifting to wintertime tactics. Those include focusing on species that are not so affected by the cooling, with sheepshead among them. They are on submerged rocks, around dock and bridge pilings and are particularly fond of live fiddler crabs, though shrimp also gets them. Capt. George said the good news is that more of the big ones have shown up over the past week or so. The artificial reef off the St. Pete Pier is another place to try and may also produce sheepshead and mangrove snapper. They can be tricky to hook, and he likes to use self-setting circle hooks in No. 1 of 1/0 sizes with little or no weight and 20-pound-test fluorocarbon leader, which is harder for the fish to see. Redfish are fairly tolerant to cooler water, and they also are hiding out under docks. There has been an abundance of undersize rat reds this season, so he recommends dock hopping until connecting with larger fish. Live shrimp is a good bait choice, though fresh-cut ladyfish is a very good choice in cool water. Deep channels and canals can produce some nice catches of silver trout and whiting, with live or dead shrimp on the bottom working well. Speckled trout may be there with them, though on sunny afternoons it’s a good idea to test the 6- to 7-foot depths over patchy grass and shell bottom, as they like to move from the depths into shallower open-water to soak up the sun’s rays. Live shrimp and jigs with soft-plastic tails work. Just work the jigs slower, as the trout have less energy to chase fast-moving lures due to them being cold-blooded creatures. Jacks provide some sport, and anglers will want to look for feeding schools of them. Most found lately have been running between 3 and 8 pounds, the larger ones putting up a great fight on light tackle. They will eat about any natural or artificial bait thrown at them.
Tackle shop roundup
Gandy Bait & Tackle (813-839-5551): Zack suggests anglers fishing in the coming days focus on sheepshead, a species that doesn’t slow down when the water temperatures drop. They are all over bridge and dock pilings in the Gandy Bridge area. Shrimp and fiddler crabs are top baits. Whiting and silver trout are a couple of other species to target when the water is cool. The deep channel coming out of the Gandy boat ramp is a good place to find both, though more often the whiting. Live and dead shrimp works and the key is to get in on or close to the bottom, where both feed. Residential canals should be a good bet, as fish were chased into the warmer depths by the cold nights of the past week. Trout are a likely catch, with live shrimp working well. Jigs with soft-plastic tails fished deep also get it done, but be sure to work them slower than usual, as the energy levels of trout fall in cooler water. If we have sunny afternoons, don’t overlook shallower grass flats in the open bay, as trout tend to pop out to take advantage of the sun’s warmth. Redfish don’t change their pattern much even with cooling. Look for them under docks and along flooded mangroves. Live shrimp works but in cooler water, fresh cut bait may produce better. Offshore, the hogfish bite has been solid, with most boats getting limits of them on rocky bottom in 40 to 60 feet of water. Live shrimp fished on the rocks works. Bonus catches now can be grunts, sheepshead and mangrove snapper.
Riviera Bait & Tackle (727-954-6365): Jacob says the bay sheepshead bite is on, with bigger fish showing up every day. Specimens between 14 and 17 inches are the average, with a few bigger being hooked. Riviera Bay has been a hotspot, with live fiddler crabs around structure is the ticket. The pier at Weedon Island also is producing. Use live shrimp or fiddlers on a 1/0 circle hook and a light mono leader. Redfish are around in fair numbers and feeding but moving slowly in the cooler water. The early morning bite has been best around rocks and oyster bars, which hold a bit more heat. Live shrimp is a good choice, and if using artificials, slow down the retrieve to account for their lower energy levels. Z Man Ned Shrimp on a 1/10 Ned Head are working well for many anglers. Black sea bass have been taken by anglers working deeper bay channels and bridge pilings. Drift a shrimp on the bottom around pilings and channel edges. Snook are around but are slow to bite in the cold water. In winter, deep water, fresh cut bait and patience can be a winner.