Winter Snook Tampa Bay

Mother Natures continues to shine on the Tampa bay region. Shorts sleeve shirts and shorts continue to be the uniform of the day. Cold fronts this last week were minor but changed the water temperatures from 70 to 66.4 at our snook holes. Saturday we set out to achieve another inshore Grand Slam Snook Redfish and Trout for our fisherman. We focused on the Little Cockroach Bay area on Tampa Bays eastern shoreline. If you are not familiar with this wonderful area you have to make the trip or book a charter. Unlike the St Petersburg side of Tampa bay the area is filled with uninhabited mangrove islands, lush grass flats. Wildlife abounds everywhere, Manatees, Dolphins, Eagle Rays, a plethora of water birds. Did I mention great fishing! Tarpon, Cobia, Snook, Redfish, Trout, Jacks, Snapper, Mackerel, Ladyfish, Sharks Black tip and Bonnet heads. With the live well full of sardines and the tide ready turn we once again trekked across Tampa Bay. The shallow water flats looked like a new world as the low tide at 730 was negative 1', its amazing how much bare soil was visible. Take good notes, observe the deeper pot holes, oyster bars and deep cuts and they will pay dividends once the higher tides of spring resume. The day started slower than any trip the last month, the 4 degree water temperature slowed the bite. We did manage 14 snook on the day. We also scored on some very large ladyfish, trout, snapper and 3 spine snook better known as catfish. Saturday was the first trip this winter we did not get a slam, Snook, Redfish and trout. We did have a made for TV moment, imagine you cast into the mangrove and your line is in the trees but the bait is dangling in the water. Picture that bait going crazy as it can't go anywhere then gets inhaled by a snook. The snook jumped violently; typically the snook will pull the line free of the Mangroves but not this time. Now we have a snook hanging from a Mangrove and he's not happy. As to not hurt the fish we pulled hard on the rod and freed both the line and snook! Moments later the feisty snook was released to fight another day. Our beautiful Tampa bay weather came to an end Monday and the forecast is for some cold temperatures in the 40's this week. Sadly the cooler weather also forced postponement of our TV shoot Monday with Glen Pla of Average Anglers Adventures seen on Bright House channel 47 locally. We will focus our efforts on Trout, Redfish and shallow water grouper until the water warms.