Inshore fishing report

Find new spots in bay to escape the Red Tide

By DOUG HEMMER
Published August 19, 2005

Red Tide has affected all but a few spots in the bay area. The east side of Tampa Bay from Port Manatee to the most northern parts of the bay and back down the west side of the bay to the The Pier in St. Petersburg have the least-affected water.

Those unfamiliar with these parts of the bay need to do some research before fishing. My first tool is using the Web to scout possible spots. Type "satellite imagery" into a search engine and scout satellite photos of the bay area. Some of these sites let you zoom in close enough to see sand bars and pot holes that line mangrove shorelines.

The best part of the photos is they show you deeper cuts that lead you through the bar. Study the water color of the pot holes - they are usually deeper than surrounding flats. Look for paths through the flats that have the same water color. To get a good understanding of the water color in certain depths, zoom into areas you are familiar with. The colors will be the same at the same depths in the areas you're scouting.

Scouting areas online doesn't always equal fish in the boat. Most times it's better to go looking for fish. Drifting or using a trolling motor allows you to cover large areas. Using a good pair of polarized glasses lets you see any spooked fish. When you find a spot that has fish spooking in front of the boat, you can return and fish that area later.

Target mangrove shorelines, pot holes and oyster bars. If there are other boats in the area, try to keep at least 100 yards from the area they are fishing to prevent spooking the fish they are trying for. It also allows you to find fish they may have spooked.

Artificial lures work best when scouting areas. You can work them from a moving boat better than with a live bait. Never anchor - always drift or use a trolling motor to cover as much water as possible.

At first light, use a surface plug that has rattles or propellers to create noise. If you get surface strikes in that area, it may be a good spot to try later. About an hour after sunrise, switch to a jig or gold spoon. Target the edges of the pot holes, oyster bars and the drop-offs of the flats. If you don't get any strikes during a drift, find a new area to drift.

Doug Hemmer charters out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 347-1389.

[Last modified August 19, 2005, 01:05:15]