Saltwater: Mangrove snapper bite is as good as it gets for area anglers
Fish of the Week
Mangrove Snapper: The mangrove snapper bite is about as good as it gets for area anglers. Big fish and good numbers are being caught all over the Tampa Bay area.
Strike Zone, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Elsewhere
1: At Big Pier 60 in Clearwater, Spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper and white grunts have been steady catches this week. The occasional snook, redfish, speckled trout and pompano have also been caught, reports Big Pier 60 Bait & Tackle (727-462-6466).
2: At Madeira Beach, a few hogfish are biting around the 40-foot mark. Spanish mackerel are starting show about 20 miles offshore. Plenty of good size mangrove and lane snapper are biting nearshore along with porgies and grunts. The red grouper bite is pretty good, but anglers should note, the season closes end of day on Aug. 31, reports Larry Mastry at Mastry’s Tackle (727-896-
3: At John's Pass, plenty of snook are in the pass and they are most active at night around the lights and docks. The bite is also good early in the morning, but slow during the day. Mangrove snapper are all over any structure in the pass, the bridge and out at the jetty. A few pompano are biting from the jetty and a few mackerel have been caught. Whiting are steady catches along the beach, reports Andrew Schleissing at Gulf Coast Bait and Tackle (727-343-4181).
4: At Fort De Soto Park, good numbers of mangrove snapper are biting around the bridge and the marina area. Some Spanish mackerel are also biting around the bridge. On the flats, there’s a pretty good trout bite around Tarpon and Jackass keys. East Beach has been good for redfish. Big snook are moving in the passes and running the mangrove lines. Most of the snook out on the beaches are small. Some tripletail are holding on the buoys off the beach. The pier is producing mangrove snapper, mackerel and whiting, reports Blade Willis at Tierra Verde Bait and Tackle (727-864-2108).
5: Around the Sunshine Skyway and lower Tampa Bay, mangrove snapper fishing remains good on all the rock piles, structure and the pilings around the Skyway bridge. Some large schools of redfish are starting to roam the flats from Terra Ceia to Miguel Bay. Tripletail fishing remains great throughout lower the lower bay. The fish are holding on almost every channel marker and most structure. Free lining live pinfish or shrimp on the slower part of the tide has been the best bet. Spanish mackerel are starting to show up in big numbers around the channel markers and the edge of the shipping channel, reports Capt. John Gunter of Palmetto (863-838-5096). Limits of mangrove snapper are biting around the Skyway, the reef and just about any structure in the area, reports Capt. Shawn Crawford of Florida Sport Fishing Outfitters (941-705-3160.
6: At Anna Maria, mangrove snapper are all over the area bridges and structure around Longboat Pass. Nearshore, good numbers of snapper are biting on the ledges and areas with hard bottom. Tripletail are holding on the buoys and markers. Most of the snook have moved off the beach and are roaming the deeper mangrove lines and grass flats. There’s been a few redfish schools roaming the area early in the mornings, reports Crawford.
7: At St. Petersburg, good numbers of mangrove snapper are biting around the bridges, most structure, the reefs in the bay and the edge of the shipping channel. There’s still some tarpon at the south Skyway. There’s been good snook action on the deeper flats from Pinellas Point to Weedon Island. Bunces Pass and Pass-a-Grille also have a good snook bite. Some pompano are biting around the Bunces bridges, reports Larry Mastry at Mastry’s Tackle (727-896-8889).
8: In the north end of Tampa Bay, mangrove snapper and black drum are biting around the bridges and the snapper are biting on most structure in the area as well. The flats off both Picnic and Weedon island are producing limits of trout in the 15 to 19-inch range. Spanish mackerel are biting in the mornings around the bridge and the Picnic Island pier. Good numbers of tripletail and a few cobia are on the markers. The redfish bite is good on the west side from Weedon Island to the Frankland. A few snook are also in the mix. At night there’s still a few tarpon around. Good numbers of sardine and pinfish bait schools have shown up this week, reports Gandy Bait & Tackle (813-839-5551).
Elsewhere
• At Homosassa, not much has changed since last week. The redfish bite continues to be the best action for inshore anglers. Live or cut pinfish, free lined on the incoming tide is producing the best numbers. Mangrove snapper are all over the inshore rocks and structure. A few speckled trout are biting on the rock grass patches and that bite will only get better as the water cools, reports Capt. William Toney of Homosassa Inshore Fishing Charters (352-621-9284).
• At Fort Pierce, offshore there’s a pretty good, night time mangrove snapper bite on the bottom around the 80-foot mark. During the day, muttons and mangroves are biting shallower around 40 foot. Up top, there’s kingfish around 50 to 80-foot. At the inlet, the weeds have cleared and whiting and croakers are biting in the surf. Catch and release snook are biting in the inlet on live baits and anglers are eager for the season opening on Sept. 1. Mangrove snapper are also biting in the inlet and around the bridges, reports Clint Walker at the Fishing Center of St. Lucie (772-465-7637).
Compiled By Michael Wilson / Ledger Correspondent
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Saltwater: Mangrove snapper bite is as good as it gets for area anglers
