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Daily fishing report

Red Tide in lower Tampa Bay has killed many mullet, shad, pinfish and catfish. The good news is, few gamefish can be found floating. The trout action is steady and a few redfish can be found. The trout are slamming topwater plugs at sunup. Look for big ones near mangroves during a large high tide. During low tide work shallow edges of the flats with a red or brown jig. Small jigs and those with slug-style tails produce trout from 1-5 pounds. Jig fishing helps you find out if that area has anything alive. If you don't feel pinfish tugging on your lure, there probably won't be trout in that area.

Best action has been during strong incoming tides. The trout are moving onto the flats and dropping into potholes. As the tide gets higher they head for mangrove islands. Drifting near potholes, use shad tail silver-sided jigs and slow sinking plugs that flash. Keep your rod tip high and retrieve with a slight twitch. Squeeze down barbs for easy release. It's catch and release until the end of the month south of Pasco County.

Many keeper-size grouper have moved into 20-50 feet. Start at your closest spot and work your way out. Pinfish schools hang over the reefs that lie in 40 feet. The Betty Rose and the reef north of it had all we could catch using gold hooked bait catching rigs in a No. 8.

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

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