# Tampa Bay Report



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Where you in a skiff? Sounds like you were offshore in something a bit larger.


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## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

Dorado23. Older boat but I’m slowly giving her a face lift. I reread my post and it does sound like an offshore report BUT we also fished all of south shore Joe’s Island, Bishops, Piney Point, Cockroach, etc. Just nice not to see floaters and the amount of bait is very encouraging to see.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

True, but my last 4-5 trips over the last few months I've fished from cockroach up to gandy and over to weedon. I've never seen it so bad. There is bait, but the apex predators were gone. Couldn't even get a nibble dropping shrimp by the towers or bridges. It's gonna take a while to get back. Last time it took over a decade for bishops harbor to come back around, hopefully this happens sooner.


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## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

Two weeks ago I took the family out to Cockroach, not inside but outside flat and we caught 14 trout in under an hour. (I caught 3 on fly). But I was mostly playing guide for the kids.

Yesterday we were inside Cockroach I was in the tower and saw some small snook and a couple reds but it was brutal. Windy and overcast very difficult to see anything.

I do agree with you, CR and Bishops are shadows of their former glory. Also those places are hit hard every day. There had to be 30 trucks at CR ramp yesterday…during the week on a really shitty day too!


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## Davej (11 mo ago)

If you don't mind me chiming in, the fish are still in the Bay, and still on the East side from The Kitchen all the way South to Rattlesnake Key. You just have to learn where to fish, and more importantly when to fish. The Bay gets so much pressure on the weekends that the fish have become "boat shy". I've fished it for 55 years, and I've learned to go where the other boats cant go, and to only fish the outgoing tide. The spill at Piney Point moved the bait fish, and the Reds, Trout, and Snook that chase them to areas few boats can get to. I use the winter, negative tides to find these areas, and then go back when the tide changes, and work them over and over. I only fish artificial, and I've never had a day where I didn't catch quality fish, so just be patient, and do your home work.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Dave, there in lies the problem. Those of us who only have limited times to fish have a hard time learning the area. I go out during the week most times, but I can't pick my tides, the best I can do is find a decent weather window.





























en e


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## skinny_fishing (Aug 30, 2021)

Getting ready to start going out next week, first time out on a skiff instead of an SUP, looking forward to exploring new spots. Finding some good spots for Mangrove Snapper is first on the list.


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## Davej (11 mo ago)

firecat1981 said:


> Dave, there in lies the problem. Those of us who only have limited times to fish have a hard time learning the area. I go out during the week most times, but I can't pick my tides, the best I can do is find a decent weather window.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Davej (11 mo ago)

I hear you firecat1981. I still work Monday through Friday, so my fishing is mostly limited to the weekend. I'll let you in on a trick I learned along time ago; Buy the annual park and boat ramp pass for E.G. Simmons, and the buy the "after hours pass" as well. Its a much better and safer ramp than anywhere else in Tampa Bay, and you can come and go as you please. Focus on fishing the outgoing tide.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Sorry it's hard for me to respond properly because of the issues here with android. I launch out of simmons on occasion, or Williams. Never cockroach, I don't like having my windows smashed, and a friend had his catalytic converters stolen a few months ago. My favorite place to launch was Domino on the LMR, but I haven't tried it with my new boat since it drafts more.


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## skinny_fishing (Aug 30, 2021)

Went out last thursday and got skunked. Fish were all over (big snook, reds, sheeps) but they were super spooky, have never seen it like that before it was weird. Could not get a lure out in time before they took off. Also saw a lot of sharks, most I've ever seen on a trip so maybe that had something to do with it. Was in the Ft.Desoto area flats.


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## Davej (11 mo ago)

Full Moon !!!!!
The small Tarpon are up in the mouth of the Little Manatee River.


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## RennieRae (Aug 4, 2018)

Davej said:


> Full Moon !!!!!
> The small Tarpon are up in the mouth of the Little Manatee River.


No they are not. Those are ladyfish. Trust me they ARE ladyfish....


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## Davej (11 mo ago)

RennieRae said:


> No they are not. Those are ladyfish. Trust me they ARE ladyfish....


 Oh Yeah, your right, they were Ladyfish.....


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## bone1fish (May 8, 2016)

RennieRae said:


> No they are not. Those are ladyfish. Trust me they ARE ladyfish....


Nah! Ladyfish for sure!


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## Davej (11 mo ago)

Hmmm....I see the problem...........I said the "mouth" of the Little Manatee. What I meant was the "head waters", as far up the river as you can possible run. Also in the deeper water just east of the I-75 Bridge.


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## skinny_fishing (Aug 30, 2021)

Anyone willing to tell me about some good spots for keeper mangrove snapper inshore on the St.Pete side?

I used to just buy it a lot because it was usually cheap but now it's getting expensive like everything else so I just need to go and get my own.


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## Radik315 (10 mo ago)

Skyway.. any structure


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