Sarasota / Southern Tampa Bay
Two words describe the fishing this past month, especially the past week and a half, in the Sarasota / Southern Tampa Bay area - BIG SNOOK! Sun Coast Kayak Sport Fishing has been putting clients on big Snook in small out of the way mangrove areas during the day and along the lighted docks on the ICW at night. The Snook have been running larger than normal in these areas and in just the past week two clients have caught and released two Snook 20# or better. The average fish has been 26" to 27" with many fish in the 30" to 33" range with the biggest running up to over 40". Finding good, clean moving water has been the key to consistently locating these fish.
Redfish are around and willing to bite if you find them. Most trips have resulted in Redfish being caught in shallow flats and oyster beds directly adjacent to where we are catching Snook. The Redfish are also co-operating around many docks and sea walls along the ICW and will readily take a live bait or slow moving jig soaked on or near the bottom. Most of the Redfish have been in the 17" to 21" range but just last Sunday clients of Sun Coast Kayak Sport Fishing caught and released a 29" and 33" Reds up in southern Tampa Bay.
Sea Trout are on fire early in the morning and are readily blasting top water baits around first light and late afternoon in 2 to 3 feet of water. There have been good numbers of fish within the 15" to 20" slot limit and a few well over the slot to 24" recently.
Tarpon are on the beaches and around the area bridges. The bite has been slow recently due to rain and wind that have effected the water clarity and given the big 'Poons a bad case of lockjaw. In fact they haven't been showing all that well yet this year, with only a few large schools and a lot of singles and doubles that aren't staying on the surface long enough to target them. Just today though was the first really good day of the big Tarpon showing in fishable numbers and laid up schools. I am hopeful that by early next week we will be in our traditional Tarpon fishing patterns here in southwest Florida.
Other fish that have been really showing up strong lately are the Spanish Mackerel off of the beaches and in the passes, large Mangrove Snapper along the mangroves and docks ( some to 16" or better ), good numbers of big Sheepshead along oyster beds in Tampa Bay, a consistent bite of small Black Drum to 5# in some areas of Sarasota Bay, and just yesterday clients were able to sight fish two small cobia off the backs of Rays up around Miguel Bay.
Freshwater
Even with all the rain we have had lately the water levels in many area lakes and rivers is still far below normal. This has concentrated Largemouth Bass into deeper areas and made them easy targets. Sun Coast Kayak Fishing clients have found the average Largemouth, on two trips this month, was around 4# and fish to 7# were taken on each trip. Crank Baits worked slowly around fallen trees and obstructions, as well as weed line edges were wicked effective. With no major rains in the forecast these patterns should continue to hold out for a while.
Everglades
The Everglades canal system is seeing some truly explosive fishing action right now for Largemouth Bass, and exotic Oscars and Mayan Cichlids. Sun Coast Kayak Sport Fishing clients have been catching and releasing on average over a 100 fish per angler on trips into the area. This has been typical fishing down there for some time and we have even started to see some Peacock Bass becoming more frequent farther out into the Everglades canals along Alligator Alley.
Peacock Bass / Exotics
By far my favorite freshwater game fish in Florida waterways the Peacock Bass continues to thrill Sun Coast Kayak Sport Fishing clients on each trip into the Miami / Dade area. The first spawn is drawing to a close but the sight fishing opportunities and the larger fish are still abundant. Now is the time of year were we are seeing a lot more top water action as well which makes for some really exciting and explosive action. In the more northern canals around Ft. Lauderdale we have had a really good Snakehead bite. This is truly amazing top water fishing at its finest. These fish hit hard and fight strong making it well worth the trip into the area.