It would be easier for me to tell ya'll what's not biting rather than what is. There are huge schools of redfish around the mouth of the bay, spanish all in the bay, snook in every pass around the bay, kingfish on fire along the beaches, cobia and permit on the nearshore wrecks, trout on the flats, snapper on docks, tarpon in the bay, huge sharks, what do you want. On Thursday I fished long time client Tom Shiber, Wade Faircloth and Tom's son Drew. I started fishing Drew when he was only five years old, he is now twelve. I have watched this young man grow over the years and his passion for fishing has only grown each and every year. On our trip we went permit fishing Drew caught and landed a twenty five pounder and a thirteen pounder respectively with our big fish weighing twenty eight pounds. There were several cobia there as well we had one follow the twenty eight pounder that weighed sixty pounds if he was and ounce. There was another charter captain on the spot, his name was Tom and sorry I can't remember his last name, but he and his clients landed an eight two pound cobia.
Mike has been working the bay area docks catching over the slot snook and snapper up to four pounds along with hundreds of redfish. If you see him just pull up right beside him he loves that, tell him I told you it's OK. Just kidding. But seriously if you see someone working a school of reds or anything please be courteous and show them the same respect that you would like them to show you.
Bait is at all the area bridges and piers and has show up in droves on the flats. In the deeper water marking them on the bottom machine has worked the best for me. On the flats you can chum them up pretty easily or rodeo them (idle until you see them then throw the net). Be sure to check us out on Saturday's at 6:30 am and Sunday's at 11 am Channel 8 WFLA on The Reel Animals Fishing Show and call in on Sunday's from 8-10 1040am ESPN radio as our guest this week is Art Paiva AKA Snooky Bear to win some cool fish stuff.
