Last week's full moon pushed many snook and trout into the passes and along the beaches. Free-lined threadfins, pinfish, scaled sardines and small crabs fished in the swash channels produce strikes during strong tides, and snook can be spotted cruising the shore when the sun is bright. Cast upcurrent and let your bait drift to the school. Most of these areas have good catch-and-release action until September.
Light tackle produces more strikes. Most areas have few obstacles a snook can use to cut your line. Rods can be rigged with 6-pound to 12-pound line with 25-pound leader. Hook bait through the nose so it can swim naturally in the current.
Deep grass flats in Tampa Bay hold mackerel, bluefish, trout, sharks and cobia. The productive grass is in 5-6 feet. Whitebait rigged to a long-shank hook will put you in the action.
Fish the grass patches during strong tides. You can hang a chum block off the boat, but you'll have to deal with catfish. The action gets better when you chum with live whitebait. Keep your drags loose and let the fish strike a few times before trying to set the hook. When the action slows, move and chum before fishing.
- Doug Hemmer charters out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 347-1389.
