Some of the tastiest critters that roam the bay have shown up in abundance. Mangrove snapper, many in the 3- to 4-pound range, have followed schools of glass minnows and fry baits into the ships channel and well inside the bay. A half-dozen trips this week produced quick limits of mangos, with some outings exceeding 40 catches.
The largest concentration of these bait stealers has been at the mouth of Tampa Bay, but Tuesday we caught them 4 miles inside the Skyway.
It will be crucial this weekend to plan trips around tide changes. Stronger than normal new-moon tides will be screaming, making it difficult to stay down during mid tides.
You'll likely lose some on 20-pound test line, but going heavier will reduce bites. A foot and a half of 30-pound mono leader will help catch most of them. Match your hook to the size of your bait. I prefer a No. 1. A 2-ounce weight is plenty when the tide is right; any heavier and baits will be stolen undetected.
Greenbacks and shrimp will work, whitebait will work better. While many of the flats along Pinellas Point, the clam bar and approach to the Skyway are loaded with suitable mangrove snapper bait, it'll be the friskier scaled sardines, a.k.a. whitebait, that get it done. Mackerel fishing is good and going to get better. Lots of barely legal macks are crashing bait pods a mile off the gulf beaches. They can be tricked into biting silver spoons trolled quickly through the bait schools. The big macks will prefer live bait either slow-trolled or chummed if anchored over some hard bottom areas. Capt. Joe Dvoracsek released a couple of silverkings Wednesday near Pass-a-Grille. Late-season tarpon still can be found in Boca Ciega Bay, near Gadsen Point, and north of the Courtney Campbell Causeway.
Snook season opens Monday. Rick Rush from the baithouse at the St. Petersburg municipal pier released a half-dozen linesiders this week while offering live shrimp. Other anglers on the pier have reported landing sheepshead using fiddlers and barnacles for bait.
Flounder have been a bonus while fishing the edge of the ships channel, and last year in September many "doormats" took up temporary residence along the artificial reefs in the 28- to 32-foot range. Most notably, the St. Pete Beach Reef. A small pinfish or whitebait slowly dragged along the sandy bottom near the rocky structure often can be irresistible.
- Jay Mastry charters Jaybird out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 321-2142.
