This weeks windy conditions pushed us inside to the residential canals to fish docks. The action was incredible! Redfish in all shapes and sizes, Big Trout, Sheepshead, Flounder and Snook all showed up. The Redfish, Snook and Trout were eating mostly live pilchards while the Sheepshead and Flounder preferred a live Shrimp fished right on the bottom with a ΒΌ ounce jig head. Some of the canals were so good we spent entire 4 hour charters in one canal working several different docks. Be sure to step up your leader as you will have some fish break you off. I use no less than a 30lb fluorocarbon leader on the docks.
Look for canals with good water movement and lots of old docks as these seem to produce the best. The docks around Apollo Beach, Tierra Verde, downtown Tampa and Pinellas Pointe are all great places to start. If you can fish these areas at night you will probably double your success. The dock lights attract the bait fish and put the big fish in the mood to eat. Fish the edges of the lights as the Reds, Snook and Trout will lay just outside the lights to ambush prey as it comes into the light. Be sure to take your time running around the bay in the dark as floating debris can do serious damage to your motor and make for a long cold evening.
Catch Capt. Michael Anderson and Capt. Billy Nobles every Saturday morning on News CH8 at 6:30am and Sundays at 11:00am for the Reel Animals Fishing Show and Saturdays for Reel Animals Saturday on 970WFLA from 6:00am to 8:00am and Sunday mornings on AM620 for the TA Mahoney Co. Reel Animals Radio Show from 7am to 9am or to book a trip call 1-866-Gamefish.
