TampaBayFish

Scalloping Fishing and More.

2008-07-25T07:59:00.005-05:00

Wow this has been a hot summer and a busy one. I blew my Boat Motor twice. Thank god for Mercury Warranties. Both, I am happy to say were not my fault. (Of course thats what they all say right) Anyway LAST weekend we headed to Steinhatchie to do our Annual Scallop trip. we hit the water on Friday Afternoon and south of the channel in 6-7 ft of water we found more scallops then we knew what to do with. Saturday was the same way we loaded up our three boats with some of the biggest Scallops we have seen in a year or two. The jellyfish were not very bad and the water was clear. The scallops were not as abundant as the past two years but they were big.

Fishing on the other hand we did not do there but a buddy of mine was under Gandy and Howard Franklin and caught this nice Keeper 16 inch Flounder. he also noted that the Tarpon were rolling non-stop under the bridges and many people were hanging in the shade workign the silver kings. Hopefully now that I have my boat back I will be able to get out on the water this weekend and chase a Tarpon around myself. See you on the water. Tight Lines

GO RAYS! Vote for LONGGORIA

2008-07-08T14:00:00.001-05:00

If your from Tampa or Live Near Here or Just wanna be a RAYS FAN. Make sure you vote for EVAN LONGORIA

Tampa Area Fishing Report

2008-06-13T15:51:00.002-05:00

Tons of Tarpon!
Around the area Tarpon have been jumped and landed in a variety of areas. Gandy Bridge at night in the shadow line is a great location. On the beaches all along Caladesi, Honeymoon, 3-Rookers and Anclote Key are also seeing great Tarpon action. Look for the rolling pods and note the depth and their direction, once you find a pods at a certain depth others should be cruising in that same depth. A large Live Pinfish or Shrimp casted in front of the cruising pod shoould do the trick.

Redfish have been spotted on some of the grass flats around Ft. Desoto.

Cobia have been reported around many of the first sets of markers in the passes.

Trout are plentiful on the Flats near Dunedin, St. Joseph Bay and Howard Park.

Tarpon Fishing Is Here

2008-05-23T08:28:00.004-05:00

Its that time of year when the Tarpon are rolling across the Tampa Bay Area and The Full moon has made the fish even more active. Look for the tarpon at the mouth of the bay all along the Skyway Bridge and in the Egmont channel. Also look for them along the Gandy Bridge. Tarpon are agressive fast fish and can close the distance between boats quickly so remember to give other fisherman in your area ample room to fight their fish and help out when you can if you can. Tarpon are a great Catch and as you can see they are great to get a picture in then release. The picture in this post was sent in by

Capt. Brook Wallace
Full Boat Charters - Bradenton, FL
www.floridainshoreguide.com
captainbrook@tampabay.rr.com
941-725-0798

Great Fishing Weekend

2008-05-10T07:35:00.002-05:00

With the Tarpon Showing and being caught in the bay already and the King fish still hitting regularly. The fishing should be great this weekend. Redfish have been reported on most of the flats, especially near Weedon Island and Cobia have been caught there and seem to be hitting freelined shrimp and small whitebaits. If your not out with your Mother this weekend make it a point to go fishing the weather is great and getting better and the fish know it. Be sure to check the flats near St. Joseph sound and in the 3 rooker. Anclote area for some good steady fishing action.

Tarpon Time

2008-05-08T19:59:00.002-05:00

Its getting close to that time of year when the tarpon are all over the Tamp Fishing Areas. Reports are coming in about Tarpon being caught off some of the passes near 3 rookers, Egmont and others. Kings will be in the same areas until the end of the month as well. Don't forget the "Suncoast Tarpon Round-up" is this month. For more information check out the Tournament Web Site. http://www.suncoasttarponroundup.org/main.htm

Tarpon Key Trout

2008-05-04T10:55:00.003-05:00

On the water by 5:45am and headed towards Tarpon Key down near Ft. Desoto. The wind was out of the NE and the tide was coming in. We started with a little top water and found that the trout were hitting nicely in about 4-6ft of wate. My wife landed the first nice sized 24" and then I was able to bring in about a 22" We continued catching them all morning and the wind died down and about 7:00am we started with the gulp and I finally landed about a 24" keeper and we saw a lot of fish and even a couple of 30+ snook crusing the shoreline. At about 8:00am we switched back to Top water and the trout were back on top.

We fished about another hour and called it quits. We were really looking for Reds but the trout were a nice steady fight all morning long.

Tight Lines.

3 Rookers Fishing Report

2008-04-28T15:45:00.004-05:00

We made it to 3 Rookers Bar on Saturday evening and camped Saturday night. We fished that evening and landed a few small trout and we talked with some fellow campers that had fished all day and had caught some keepers around 20-22 inchers. The next morning we went out and drifted the flats with some nice trout landed, until around 8:00am. We had a report that a few 60-80lb tarpon had been landed in the pass between Honeymoon and 3 Rookers.

Other places around the bay were hooking up with Spanish Macks and off the gandy a 30lb Kingfish was landed last week. Fishing seemed to pick up with the weather but another front moving through might turn them off for a day or two.

Look for my pics from the campign trip soon.

3 Rookers Weekend Fishing

2008-04-25T15:54:00.003-05:00

The weekend bite should be good and hopefully the winds will cooperate. Redfish are on the flats and the Snook are in the passes. Kingfish are close to shore from 3-10 miles out. Some Pompano are hitting on the beaches. The spanish mackerel are hitting at the bridges and on the piers. Grouper are hitting in good numbers if you can get your baits past the Red Snapper. Remember Red Snapper are not in season UNTIL 1 June. This is a new law that just went into affect.

I will be hitting 3 Rookers this weekend and the flats around it. I will post a report when I get back.

Weekend Fishing

2008-04-18T11:44:00.003-05:00

After this cold front has come through we should see a turn on of the fishing. The Full moon happens this weekend and the weather should change around enough to give us a good bite. Gandy Bridge is having a Good Spanish Mack Bite and most of the flats have trout and redfish on them. Under the Howard Franklin bridge there was a good Black Drum bite on live jumbo shrimp on the bottom.

The flats off Ft. Desoto and Dunedin Causeway were having a good turn-out of Trout and Reds. Snook have also been hitting good in the early morning and early evening on the turn of tides.

Tight Lines

Gas Prices and Fishing.

2008-04-16T07:31:00.004-05:00

We all know what it costs to fill our boats and with the prices increasing it's hard not to really notice it when we do. I personally have a 100Ga tank. 3/mtg. I found this and thought it might be useful.

Boat Gas Saving Tips
1. Be sure the automatic choke is disengaged after engine warm up... chokes often get stuck, resulting in bad gas/air mixture.

2. Buy gasoline during coolest time of day - early morning or late evening is best. During these times gasoline is densest. Keep in mind - gas pumps measure volumes of gasoline, not densities of fuel concentration. You are charged according to "volume of measurement".

3. Choose type and brand of gasoline carefully. Certain brands provide you with greater economy because of better quality. Use the brands which "seem" most beneficial.

4. Fill your Tank up and keep it full. Evaporation happens when there is a lot of air in the tank. The more air the more evaporation.

5. Regular tune-ups ensure best economy; check owner's manual for recommended maintenance intervals. Special attention should be given to maintaining clean air filters... diminished air flow increases gas waste.

6. Remove vinyl tops - they cause air drag. Rough surfaces disturb otherwise smooth air flow around your boat's body. Also be aware of anything that may hinder the smooth movement of your boat through the water.

7. Remove excess weight from your boat make sure you have what you need and all your safety equipment but remember the less weight you have onboard the less weight you have to push through the water.

8. Fill Your tank to the top and if friends are riding with you go to the pump AFTER your trip and split the fuel equally.

After the Weekend

2008-04-14T08:59:00.006-05:00

Fishing was great this past weekend and alot of people have given me reports on whats biting.

Trout and Spanish Macks have been termendous off the Gandy Piers. Hitting anything shiny and live shrimp have been producing better then average.

It looks like around some of the markers near the Skyway have been seeing Kingfish hitting live greenbacks and some very good Spanish Mack action as well.

The flats have been giving us a mixed bag and inshore slams are common this time of year. Snook are hitting near the mangroves, the Reds are hovering over the Oyster Beds and the Trout are haunting the grass flats.

This cold front coming through will turn things off but I'm betting that the upcoming full moon will turn the fish on after the cold front moves through by Friday and Saturday we should see a feeding frenzy that will give us all a good fishing weekend again.

One other report was that the Shrimp are moving into the normal pattern and if your wanting to try some good Shrimping they seem to be in with a report of over 4 dozen by one of my experienced buddies netting them up.

Tight Lines.

Inshore Slam At Double Branch

2008-04-12T15:16:00.005-05:00

Nothing beats that quit early morning calm right before the sun comes up. We hit the mouth of double branch at the exavt time the tide turned around to an incoming. The pollen on the water showed us right where the Fast and Slack areas were and a "Bagley's Jumping Finger Mullet" a great top water bait gave us a couple of the largest swirls and two LARGE hook ups from these snook. Then Finally we put one in the boat. The wind picked up a little then we switched to a Silver/Blue Rattle Trap and hooked a 20+ RedFish. It seemed that the bite slowed so we trolled around the mouth area and finally found some persistent trout that would not leave the top waters alone. An inshore slam right before this upcoming front was a great start to the weekend. We Explored a few other areas and found a couple spots that looked "fishy" but by about 8:30 the rest of the fisherman had showed up and we were already headed back. 5-8 boats in the mouth of double branch makes for a busy area.

Other fish around the area biting are Macks at the bridges and bay waters. Kingfish offshore and some good in the bay fishing is being had over any of the grassy flats for schooling Reds and Trout.

Tight Lines.

Fishing at the Gandy Bridge

2008-04-10T17:25:00.002-05:00

Fishing has really picked up with the weather and this weekend should be great. The Spanish Macks are hitting any thing flashy and if your planning to fish this weekend or anytime this week the weather should be good and the fishing should be excellent.

If your hitting Gandy bridge pier check out

Gandy Bait & Tackle
4923 Gandy Blvd. Tampa, FL 33611. Phone:(813) 839-5551

Fishing is Really picking up

2008-04-09T12:31:00.006-05:00

Captain Jason Prieto is offering a $50 discount on all 6 and 8hr charters booked thru May 15th.

Mention that you saw this ad on TampaBayFish.com! I received the personal E-mail and he said he was giving a discount if you mentioned the e-mail but hey he may not HAVE your e-mail address so ask him if you read it on TampaBayFish.com if he will put you on his e-mail list.

Captain Prieto has a new radio show and he hopes everyone will listen and call in.

The fishing has been great, we have been catching lots of Snook and Redfish with Trout not far behind. The Tarpon are Starting to show up in good numbers. I also wanted to let everyone know about my new radio show on 860 WGUL AM. Its called Outdoor Fishing Adventures and we talk about anything that has to do with fishing and then some. We also give away a free Tica rod and reel every week to our callers so feel free to call in and talk fishing with us the call in number is 813-289-1860 or Toll free 877-969-8600 . It on every Saturday from 7AM to 9Am on 860 WGUL AM or you can listen live on 860wgul.com. Give me a call and mention this ad to get the special offer!!813-727-9890

Thanks
Captain Jason Prieto
Cell # 813-727-9890
www.steadyactionfishingcharters.com
Steady Action Fishing Charters
Co Host
Outdoor Fishing Adventures
860WGUL AM rafio 7AM to 9AM
Outdoor Writer
Florida Outdoor Adventures
Florida Marine Times

Finding Shrimp Near Tampa

2008-04-03T06:38:00.003-05:00

The Tampa Area is great for finding Shrimp. Sometimes not the largest and sometimes not the sheer numbers as other areas but they are here and many people do not realize it. I regularly post information when myself and my friends head out on my Web Site tampabayfish.com

Currently what you want to look for is a nice calf to knee high deep wading area that has a nice grassy bottom. Some of the bext places that we have found are here and here

The next thing you need is a way to see the Shrimp A nice LED Head lamp works great. White is ok but we find that a RED light actually helps see the eyes a little better. This headlamp is great and Cheap but does the job

The next thing you need is a good Shrimp Net or The "Ozello Shrimper" I recommend the "Ozello Shrimper"! I've used a Net and I've used the "Ozello Shrimper" and it catches double the number of shrimp then a Net.

The reason is because the "Ozello Shrimper" comes down on top of the Shrimp and if the shrimp get spooked they shoot right into it. A net on the other hand comes in from below and if the shrimp gets spooked he "teleports" right out of your net about 5-10 ft away. and if you haven't seen them "teleport" then you haven't been shrimping.

Well Our season here in the Tampa area will really kick off about the last week in April and Last until about the first Week in July. Hopefully this will help everyone "Find Shrimp Near Tampa" and if you do find some and would like to send Pictures Remember "Ozello Shrimper" has a contest running so send him your pics and Also send them to Me at [url]TampaBayFish.com[/url]and I will post them on my weekly pics.

TampaBayFish
http://www.tampabayfish.com
"Google's #1 'Tampa Fishing' Web site".

Capt. Bill Miller and Capt. Mel Berman Tomorrow Night

2008-04-01T13:29:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow night be at Precision Toyota, 1101 E. Fletcher Avenue in Tampa , Wednesday, from 7-9 pm. will be hosting a fishing conversation for 2 hours. This is a good chance to talk fishing with a few of the prominent and well known fishing people in Tampa.

Kingfish Offshore

2008-03-28T09:35:00.002-05:00

Hit the water this weekend and head offshore for some great Kingfish action. The reports are coming in the early kings are being landed on the near shore reefs. Other action is starting to pick up inshore with the arrival of some of the Spanish Macks. Look for early tailing Reds on the grass flats around Desoto and up near Dunedin. Weather should be good and the fishing should be great.

FREE Fishing Weekend

2008-03-23T12:01:00.002-05:00

The FWC has designated the weekend of April 5 and 6 as Free Fishing Weekend. Both residents and nonresidents can fish in public fresh waters across the state without a license. All other fishing rules apply (see MyFWC.com/Fishing).

Although its not soltwater you can still hit some great lakes within the state.

Tarpon Fishing Seminar tonight

2008-03-19T10:40:00.000-05:00

Since Tarpon season is coming up shortly so to get ready you should start looking to update your tackle and skills. Here is one way to do the skills update.

Capt. Tommy Ziesmann, aka "Tommy Z" of Action Charters will present a free tarpon fishing seminar Wednesday, March 19, at 6:30 p.m. at Boater's World, 9931 Adamo Drive in Brandon, FL. Find out more info here.

Windy Weekend

2008-03-08T11:25:00.002-05:00

Looks like this weekend is not the weekend to be out on the water. But with the time change tonight we should see some warmer weather and longer days so that next weekend could be a great fishing weekend. The Trout and Redfish should be back on over the next few days after this front blows through. BUT if your down here vacationing and wanting to fish. Stay off the Offshores since the seas are huge and they probably aren't running anyway and the inshore in protected water may be the best bet.

Tampa Fishing Inshore

2008-03-05T14:44:00.000-05:00

Looks like a couple of friends made a few trips into the flats down near Desoto and the skyway area. They told me that it looked like a lot of fish were moving around in the shallows and near shell island the Mullet were swimming on top of large schools of RedFish. The trout were also biting pretty heavily on shrimp and gulps. Looks like I am going to have to make my way to the flats this weekend to see whats biting for myself. I also heard reports of Kings moving in on the closer artificial reefs.

Fishing is really starting to pick up

2008-03-04T10:32:00.002-05:00

We hit the water Saturday Night out of Clearwater and decided to head to the Rube Allyn to see if the snapper bite might be on. Once there we started getting bites immediately the snapper where there and we started landing a few a couple of shorts and a few keepers. But the excitement came when we started hooking into the Goliath Grouper. We would start reeling in our little 40lb snapper rod rigs and then about 1-2ft off the bottom the pole would bend over and take us for a ride. They were monsters that we couldn't get turned and didn't have the gear to land one. So 3 times we broke off. We did however land about 5 Gags and 1 Red grouper of the 5 1 was keeper size but since we are out of season we let em all go. All in all a good quick trip we were back at the ramp by 9:30 and had a couple a snapper to fillet.

Tampa Tribune Outdoor Expo and Boat Show

2008-02-29T12:29:00.001-05:00

TODAY Friday February 29th is FREE. Tomorrow it is $8.00 if your interested this will be a good time with some great speakers. Here is the link with more information. http://promos.tbo.com/triboutdoorexpo_2008/index.htm

The Tampa Tribune Outdoors Expo and Boat Show

2008-02-25T15:34:00.002-05:00

Coming up this weekend is the Tampa Tribune Outdoors Expo and Boat Show. This is an annual event that has a lot of demonstrations and topics of interest for the Tampa fisherman. It's located at the Florida State Fairgrounds and will run all weekend long. The Cost is $15.00 and you can catch some good boat deals and some good products that you just can't find anywhere else.