Bait collection can get tough this time of year. Schools of greenbacks that have been here for months leave the flats to spawn. In a week or two, the new school should arrive and prompt anglers to change strategies.
Artificial lures save time and effort. Learning how to use them will make you a more versatile angler and decrease the reliance on finding bait. Those who find greenbacks are rewarded for their effort, but there are some drawbacks. The new hatch of bait will wreck a net when all are gilled. This can be avoided by using a 1/4-inch mesh on cast nets. Even small diameter mesh can be problematic. Often schools of glass minnows swim with the small greenbacks. A net full of gilled glass minnows is a stinky mess and quite time consuming.
Pompano are starting to thicken and can be caught under any of the bridges in Tampa Bay. Live fiddler crabs fished on the bottom, close to the pilings, are almost a sure bet. Pompano jigs tipped with shrimp or a fiddler crab will entice many species. Large black drum often will nail the crabs. The wrestling match can last forever, but it is possible to land these fish. It does take some steering of the fish and precise boat positioning for it to go down favorably.
Snook can be found on the outside edges of mangroves or around docks that have good water movement. They are out of season so catch and release fishing should be done carefully.
- Dave Walker charters out of Tampa. Call 813 310-6531 or e-mail www.snookfish.com
