Fishing Report By Capt. Dylan Hubbard
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In response to the 2017-2018 red tide in our area, Florida Wildlife Conservation has ruled that three of our best near-shore game fish species snook, redfish and trout remain catch-and-release only until May 2021. While we will miss these delicious fish in our meals this year, we lost so many young fish that it was likely a great decision for the future of the species in local waters.
Sheepshead bite will continue to be on fire through March but it will slow down as the water starts to warm up. Mackerel and both speckled and silver trout have been biting well. The soft plastic paddletail has been working very well but you can also use an artificial shrimp. Live shrimp or greenbacks are great options too.
Whiting are cooperating well around the Tampa bay channels and along our beaches and from our local beach piers. Try slow-moving artificials like Doc’s Jigs. Pompano bite has been picky but present. Snook and redfish bite was steady this past week around the shallower mangrove shorelines, grass flats, residential docks and oyster bars. Great area to look for them this time of year is around those grass flats holding staging mullet. Redfish are also big fans of the slow moving soft white plastic paddletail. Small pinfish, live shrimp and even greenbacks work well for redfish too. Lighter tackle is always a good idea when the water is clear.
Near Shore – Live shrimp or fiddler crabs are both great options to use on light tackle when targeting great-eating hogfish near shore. Around 30lb fluoro carbon with 3-4ot hooks and around half to one-ounce lead is a great starting point for the hogfish. Lane and mangrove snapper in 60-100ft of water will take a small piece of squid or live shrimp. There are rumors of a few kingfish showing up, but it’s very early to be seeing those guys.
Offshore – Red grouper bite is pretty darn good this past week around 100-120ft. Lots of nice mangrove snapper mixed in, but the mangroves are definitely biting better a little beyond the 20-fathom grouper closure line. We have seen some nice vermillion snapper, a few yellowtail snapper and lots of porgies around this depth too. Triggerfish season opened up March first.