37 Snook on a 4 hour trip!

Its almost mid-March and the fishing's going to get even better the closer we get to April. March is known for its change in weather, and Redfish. Their are many estuaries to choose from in Tampa Bay that are holding good numbers of Redfish willing to eat anything in front of them. St. Petersburg is one of the many hot spot areas for catching big Redfish. The Redfish being caught are averaging anywhere from 25 - 30 inches, and many fish 30 - 38 inches are being brought to the boat. With the month of March having an epic start, I estimate the Redfish bite to carry itself well into April. Target areas for catching these fish are mangrove lines, and grass flats adjacent to any good span of mangroves or light structure. Preferably fishing the mangrove lines during higher tides, and grass flats on lower tides. Finding moving water is key to locating fish. Still water will hold fish however I find that many fish looking to eat are in areas of moving tides. When it comes to fishing for Redfish especially you must remain stealth in your approach and pay close attention to the activity presented to you on the waters surface. I make it a good habit of noting any disturbance on top of the water. I wear a pair of polarized sunglasses to reduce the glare on the water and spot fish. Wearing polarized sunglasses can also help locate pot holes that may hold fish as well as "Swash channels" small lines made into the bottom from current flow. Fish often use these swash channels as a pathway to venture on the length of a shallow flat. Choice baits for Redfish this month are Scaled Sardines and palm sized Pinfish. I present these baits free-lined with a 2/0-3/0 hook on 25-30 lb fluorocarbon leader. When determining where to soak your baits anchor your boat up in any of the areas mentioned before depending on tide and where the most water is moving and be patient, you may have to wait for the bite to start picking up. However when it does the wait is well worth the effort. Written by Capt. Christopher M Taylor

Springtime through mid-summer is one time of the year many anglers look forward to for catching large amounts of Snook. Tampa Bay in particular has a world class fishery and produces great numbers of fish year after year. Tampa Bays network of rivers, mangrove estuaries, bayous, passes, and beaches make up this "Snook Wonderland". The Snook spawn historically starts before or after the full moon in May and lasts throughout the summer months. With the Snook spawn starting in May many fish start preparing in April chewing on anything in site. It is not surprising for my guests to catch 100 Snook during a trip in the month of June. This is when I've found the Snook bite at its peak fishing inside Tampa Bay. However these fish are within the common length range of 24-32 inches. The bigger fish 32-40 inches and up are most commonly found in the passes along the Gulf beaches from the Anclote River down south to Bunces Pass during earlier months. When fishing the passes one of my favorite baits to use is a palm sized Grunt. I get the biggest split-shot you can find and place it a foot away from the hook in its mouth and nose. The Intercoastal waterways and bridges connecting the beaches to the mainland are also good places to find big female Snook.

The Snook fishing is on the rise, and so is the bite. Recent trips have been successful in catching tons of these linsiders. When it comes to thrilling jumps and hard runs Snook is hard to beat! Redfish have been holding strong on the shorelines of Tampabay as well. Their are experiences few and far between catching a big bull Redfish on light tackle. This never seems to get old. Especially for many of my recent guests. The moderate water temperatures have alot to do with the consistent fish bite and should follow through the next few months.