Mangrove snapper fishing in the bay was superb last weekend. We caught 50 using 3-inch whitebait during the first hour and a half of the outgoing tide. On a less desirable two-tide day Monday, the snapper were not as frenzied, but mackerel, flounder and an occasional triggerfish picked up the slack.

Bait that was abundant on our flats and too small to use earlier this year has grown to the prime size for snapper. With the upcoming new moon phase, anticipate action to increase. Twenty-pound test, 30-pound leader, a No. 1 hook and a 2-ounce egg sinker work well. You are going to lose some tackle, but if you use heavier rigging, you will not get as many bites.

Pompano made their presence known too. On the Saturday morning tide, John Young caught the limit (10) and released several others fishing with tandem-rigged jigs at Pass-A-Grille. Monday, without the influence of a strong tide, Young fished one of the bridges to Tampa. He caught more than two dozen. Some fell for the jigs but most opted for fiddler crabs.

Though Pompano in Florida rarely get bigger than 6 pounds, with their disposition and body shape, they'll wear you out on light spinning gear.

-- Jay Mastry charters Jaybird out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 321-2142.

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