# Little Manatee River



## skinny_water (Jun 11, 2008)

Atlantic Croaker. Great live bait for Snook!


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## JaxLaxFish (Aug 23, 2010)

It's hard to tell in the picture because the cooler is white but it almost looks like the bottom jaw is longer than the top. If that is the case which is how it looks to me it is more likely a silver perch.

I seem to have forgotten how to post a picture so here is a link
http://www.fishing-boating.com/baitprofiles/silperch.htm


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## CarlosNoe (Sep 5, 2008)

What is the location of Little Manatee River?
Are the rivers deep, or more Kayak driven?

Looks great from the photo, and the fish also..


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

It is on the west coast south of Tampa (Ruskin). There is a channel in the river but you need to pay attention as most of it is real shallow. There ase a lot of kayaks out there. South of there is Bishops Harbor - real kayak friendly.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

I've gotten nswers rangine from butterfish, silver perch, to croakers, and some who say they are all they same fish. I will happily catch him again, I live variety.

As far as the river goes, yes it is out of ruskin, or riverview I'm not sure which it is considered. The LMR's mouth is part of the cockroach bay preserve. Yes there are shallow areas mixed in with deep channels, I see alot of bayboats and flats boats back there, along with kayaks. I'm going out tomorrow to try my luck with arti's. 
It is very easy to navigate because the shallow water is VERY apparent. It's not like the flats where the water is more clear and depth is harder to judge. The water in the river is more murky so the deeper parts (anything more then a few feet) appear dark, but the shallow parts are very light. Basically if you are cruising and you are about to run across an area where it gets light, prepare to be stopped quickly .

It is a perfect area for micros cause even when the wind is kicking it doesn't get very choppy, and there are alot of areas to fish where most of the bigger boats can't get to.


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## CarlosNoe (Sep 5, 2008)

Sounds like mine kind of place....thanks for the info:


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

A little update on the area as last time out I grounded my boat twice trying to be curtious. If you are running through and there is a channel in the middle stick to it, if someone is fishing there then try to be curtious and slow down, but don't go to the shallows trying to be nice. 
The water was clearer then I had ever seen it a few days ago and it was harder to see depth. I still think it is a awsome area and I look foward to the next trip in a few days.


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