Snook Harvest Season

With the abundance of red tide media coverage lately, you may think our fish along the Gulf Coast are dead, not so! Tampa Bay and, as of yet, Pinellas County have not experienced any massive fish kills and fishing is strong.

September 1 traditionally marks the opening of snook season along Florida’s gulf coast. However, due to the devastating effect of the prolonged “Karenia brevis” algae bloom in Southwest Florida, on August 30 the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued an executive order prohibiting the harvest of snook and redfish in Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and Collier Counties.

If you want updates on the FWC Red Tide status, here’s an easy link. https://www.myfwc.com/research/redtide/statewide/ This map is updated weekly. Keep in mind, even though high concentrations of red tide are beginning to show up along Pinellas County, it’s located six to ten miles offshore. On top that, we’ve had a persistent easterly wind flow pattern for the last week that’s pushing it further out to sea.

Now, you may be thinking to yourself, I want to come to the Tampa/St. Petersburg area and do a little fishing, but the beaches may be a mess. Don’t stay on the beach. This area has a lot more to offer than sand and piña coladas.

Downtown St. Petersburg is only a 10-minute drive to the beach but offers dining, arts, and sports. Central Avenue is bustling with restaurants, concert venues, bars and breweries. There’s the Dali Museum and you can even take in a Tampa Bay Rays game.

Tampa can keep you more entertained, but things are scattered about the city. Tampa boast world- renowned restaurants like Burn’s Steakhouse and the Columbia Restaurant. Breweries abound, with Cigar City Brewing being at the top of the heap. Tampa has a wonderful River Walk with restaurants and museums. If you’re into theme parks, check out Busch Gardens and if you’re here during the weekend, you may be able to catch a Tampa Bay Buccaneers football game. Ybor City’s, Seventh Avenue is loaded with restaurants, concert venues, bars, shops and art.

Although, not my typical fishing report, a felt compelled to get this Chamber of Commerce message out that there’s plenty to do after a day of fishing, should you make the trip.

September fishing in Tampa Bay is outstanding.

Usually, I get too busy to write fishing reports as often as I’d like, so, if you’re interested in seeing my most recent post, please like my, Facebook Page to receive updates. For charter reservations call/text Wade at 813-286-3474.

Flexibility is the Key to Success!

I often say, “Despite having to catch bait, guiding is an awesome job.” If you had to get out of bed every morning at 3:00 to 3:30am, to have enough time to hit the water and catch bait before you pick up 7:30 am charter with a welcoming smile, you’d understand. That being said, it’s important not to overload your live-well with bait during the summer months, unless you want to risk it dying.

I am a glutton for bait, and a firm believer that you can never have too much, but I even take precautions not to overdo it this time of year. Once I load main 55 gallon live-well, that’s equipped with two 1,100 gph pumps with bait, I know I’m set for the day. Then before I leave my bait spot, I transfer four to five scoops of bait to my rear auxiliary 20 gallon live-well to give them more wiggle room.

Understanding the tidal flow for your fishing area on the day you choose to fish, is of the utmost importance for success. By sunrise, the water temperature is already in the mid-80’s and it only gets warmer as the progresses. By no means should you go onto a grass flat during the tall end of a falling tide without monitoring your bait repeatedly. If you start to see it fluttering sideways or the surface gulping for air, it’s time to exit that area immediately and hope you salvage enough of your hard-earned bait to finish out your day.

Enough about bait, let’s get to the fishing!

The mangrove snapper bite is outstanding. So much so, as soon as you start chumming, dozens are coming to the surface. Once a chum slick is established, the best way to catch them is to drift your bait back with the chum. As soon as you notice line start rushing off your reel, close the bail with your hand and start reeling until your line is tight.

If you like Spanish mackerel fishing, now’s the time to catch some monsters. Anchor your boat over some hard bottom, an artificial reef or up tide of a range marker and start a chum slick. This time of year, chumming is the key to a successful today of fishing.

Some days, the Spanish mackerel or so big, you’d swear they’re juvenile kingfish as they approach the boat. Motto: Chum and they will come!
As far as the snook and redfish bite, it’s been inconsistent at best. Both species are feeding best during a strong tidal flow around a high tide and some days are better than others. Don’t be one of those guys who only wants to catch snook or redfish right now. Will you catch some fish? Yes, but adding other species to your list will make the day much more rewarding.

Featured photo: Last month, I helped organize another corporate tournament and was fortunate to have Alyssa Schutter onboard, who was celebrating her 23rd birthday. Boy was luck on her side. Once I moved onto a grass flat and anchored, Alyssa’s first cast yielded a redfish. Her second cast a snook and the third, a trout. Alyssa accomplished an inshore-slam, in about fifteen minutes. That’s unheard of and in record time aboard Afishionado. Happy Birthday Alyssa and congratulations or winning the inshore-slam division!

Usually, I get too busy to write fishing reports as often as I’d like, so, if you’re interested in seeing my most recent post, please like my, Facebook Page to receive updates. For charter reservations call/text Wade at 813-286-3474.