Guide bites
Capt. Josh Fritz (352-345-9304): Capt. Josh continues to score on big trout, with slot and some oversized fish hanging around hard-bottom points and rocks in 1 to 3 feet of water. Most have been taken on 5-inch, white soft-plastic DOA flukes. The key is to find limestone shelves or rocky bottom and keep enough distance so as not to spook the fish in such shallow water. Redfish are scattered and often running in pairs or small pods of up to five fish around some of the same kind of bottom, with points at the mouths of creeks have been holding the most. As the tide rises, those with shallow-draft boats can work inside the creeks to find them. He’s been finding plenty of them around the upper-slot-limit size and live pinfish have been the bait of choice. Offshore, the fishing isn’t much better for mangrove snapper and hogfish. Big snapper have been talking live shrimp on rocky bottom and around ledges in 22 to 28 feet of water. A few hogs can be taken in that depth range, but it is easier to get the keepers working 32 to 42 feet of water. If the weather permits, the hogfish bite and better average size is optimal at around 55 feet of water. At that depth, there is the possibility of picking up a keeper red grouper, as well.
Tackle shop roundup
The Rusty Bucket (727-645-6598): Capt. Bill reports the trout bite has been good over the past week, with fish found in backwater areas, where they tend to congregate with a northwest wind that pushes them off the open, Gulf flats. Live shrimp is a good bait for them, but soft-plastic swim baits also get it done, as do Ned Rig lures. Sheepshead are a good option right now, with fish feeding well in the cooling water. They are spread out around structure from the Anclote River to Hudson and taking live fiddler crabs best. Capt. Bill says hopping between spots like deeper holes and docks is sometimes needed, with a couple of fish landed on stops. As we move into winter and cooler water, they will bunch up in bigger numbers and the fishing will go a lot smoother. Offshore, the hogfish bite is stellar, with some “incredible” action on rocks in 40 to 60 feet of water. Anglers without the means to get out to deep water may want to note that red snapper season for charter boats is open the rest of the year.
Tarpon Trading Company (727-937-1488): Guy says the cool air that arrived last week pushed water temperatures down to the mid 60s and without significant warming anglers may want to investigate the action inside the Anclote River, where a variety of species tuck in to keep warm. Redfish, trout, perhaps a pompano or two are among possibilities, along with sheepshead around rocks, bars and dock pilings. Guy wasn’t targeting them but got out to work the river last week and hooked a number of trout, though many were small. Those fishing deeper pockets with large, live shrimp might do well on the big ones. Cooling also makes the Anclote power plant outfall a likely hotspot, though the bite there is hard to predict. Trout and pompano are the primary targets there at this time of year. A customer brought in a photo of a large pompano he caught off the south end of Three Rooker Bar. The catch may have been a fluke, Guy thinks, as typically the pompanos are not on the beaches and sandy bars at this time of year. Offshore, anglers are doing well on hogfish. While they can be caught in shallower water, the numbers of keeper-sized fish are much better between 50 and 65 feet of water. They hang over rocks and ledges and take live shrimp best.
J&J Bait and Tackle (727) 940-7928: James reports that customers have been taking some pompanos and a few permit at the Anclote power plant outfall canal. Doc’s Goofy Jigs are the most popular bait. A few big trout are being landed there, as well, with live shrimp the best bait. With cooler water, fishing inside the Anclote River is going to be a good bet. Trout tend to stack in deeper holes and those fishing the U.S. 19 and Alternate 19 bridges have a good shot at connecting with redfish, black drum and sheepshead.