Outdoors

Daily fishing report

It is customary each spring for schools of bait to infiltrate the bay. Some settle on the flats, others gather around bridges or fishing piers. Many work their way well into the bay through the main shipping channel.

Hot on their tails are schools of mackerel and bonita, disturbing the surface as they pursue their meals. Kingfish will come later.

Take advantage of the mangrove snapper as they pick up the pace. Fattening up on the food that is readily available, the snapper may be found along the edges of the channel from Egmont Key to well inside the Skyway.

Fishing near the mouth of the bay, Van Vick and his parties have been reaching limits daily. While some species will eat any time, mangrove snapper eat more during changes in the tide.

If targeting mangrove snapper, whitebait is hard to beat. To catch the sheepshead, Key West grunts and others sharing the rock piles, pieces of shrimp are best.

Sheepshead fishing is red hot. We caught more than three dozen keepers Tuesday working a bridge piling using mussels for bait. Invest in an oyster knife if you use mussels to make shucking easier and safer. Use the shell as chum for best results.

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

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright