Under a new executive order, the FWC has extended the snook harvest closure through September 16. This will allow the commission to gather public input and FWC staff information on the status of the snook population at their September 1-3 meeting in Pensacola Beach before a final decision will be made whether to open snook to fall harvest after the 16th or keep it closed. I’ll put my money on the snook harvest remaining closed. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still catch them, you just can’t grill them.

Passes, rivers, creek mouths and deep cuts along mangrove shorelines are the areas you should target. The water temperature on the flats is still in the 90’s, so don’t bother fishing skinny, go deep.

Schooling redfish are abundant close to shore along the mangroves at Tarpon Key and Weedon Island during a high tide inside the no-motor zones. Concentrate your efforts around the oyster beds for the best success.

The sea trout action has been excellent. The best areas remain along the outer edges of any deep grass flat and near passes and points with a good tidal flow. Remember, if the wind stops blowing you’re going to get hot, it’s the same thing with the fish. When there’s no tidal flow, the water is going to be hotter. Fish gravitate towards cooler water like we head for air conditioning. Find the cooler water and you will find the fish.

This summer, the Spanish mackerel fishing has been on fire, I’m talking about big Spanish mackerel. To find mackerel, it’s a must to locate bait and the easiest way to find the bait is to look for diving birds or locate some type of underwater structure. Once you find the bait, anchor up and start chumming.

I like cutting up pieces of baitfish to make my own chum so it’s always fresh. After you chum for a few minutes free-line a nose-hooked scaled sardine or threadfin on a long shank hook tied to a 30-40 pound section of Triple Fish fluorocarbon leader. If you like to use spoons, try a Silly Willy mackerel spoon, but don’t anchor. When using a spoons, it’s best to drift around the bait schools and work the outside edges.

The St. Petersburg / Clearwater / Tampa Bay area of Florida is one of the greatest fishing areas in the United States. The primary reason for this is the idyllic weather. The sub-tropical climate allows fishing charters year round, and the pleasant temperatures make it enjoyable to be out on the water any time of the year.

Highs usually stay between 65 and 95 °F (18 and 33 °C) year round, and lows rarely go below 32°F (0°C). Summer can be humid with afternoon storms, which typically last a very short time. Spring and Fall are perhaps the nicest times of the year, but winter months are generally very pleasant also.

While the fishing certainly varies with the time of year and the weather, a good Tampa Bay fishing guide should be able to put you in fish just about any time of the year. That's the beauty of the St. Petersburg / Clearwater / Tampa Bay area.