After the cold front earlier this the water temps cooled down a good ten to fifteen degrees, depending on where you were. Later in the week the water warmed back up and the fish started to feed. The trout bite turned back on but the redfish are still a little slow to take the bait. If the future forecast holds true they should turn on any day now, as there are plenty of reds in the area. Also the black drum are back all over the bay, the key for me to catch these fish is to use a jig and position the boat off to the side, ahead of the school. Too many times fishermen will chase a school, from the rear, and this simply doesn’t work for two reasons. First they feel the pressure of something large chasing them, and two and probably the most important, they don’t eat out of that end. So take your turn they will swim by.
Offshore the grouper bite remains better than we have ever seen, but you can’t keep them unless you are a commercial fisherman with the proper permits and licenses. The state elected to go concurrent with the Federal law so our grouper will not open in April as has been the norm but rather August. But don’t fret there are plenty of other fish to bring home. The blackfin tuna have shown up, Captain Larry McQuire reports in 120’ and are being taken on butterfly jigs. There are also great catches of snapper, yellowtail, hog, and mangrove, amberjack, and one that is over look but one of my favorites, grunts. Fried up there is nothing better. I have also received reports that the permit have shown up south of the bay area so they should be here right on time.
Be sure to tune in on Saturday mornings at 6:30 on News Channel 8 WFLA for The Reel Animals Fishing Show and listen to Captain Mike on 970 AM WFLA from 6-9 am on Reel Animals Saturday. Call in on Saturday’s to WFLA 970 for Reel Animal’s Saturday and Sunday’s to WDAE 620 AM The Sports Animal for the T.A. Mahoney Reel Animals Fishing Show to win some cool fish gear from 7-9 am. Also visit our website @
www.reelanimalsfishingteam.com and friend us on face book or call 1-866-GAMEFISH to book your fishing trip of a lifetime and until next week, “Do yourself a favor and take a kid fishin’."
