Fresh Apollo Beach Fishing Reports

If you’re looking to target some great eating fish this week, the offshore bite has been amazing! Our captains have been successfully filling coolers with Scamp Grouper, Snapper, and Porgey lately. The inshore bite has also been thriving, with our clients hooking onto massive Redfish, Snapper, and Snook. You won’t want to miss Tampa Bay’s Pumpkin Patch season this fall!

The start of this year's fall fishing season has been at an all time high in the flats, with our captains raving about the Snapper and Redfish bite! Have you ever wanted to try flats fishing? Now is the time! Tucked into the crystal clear, shallow, and calm waters of the mangroves, your captain will push-pole you into fishing holes you never dreamed possible. Additionally, the Gag Grouper bite in the bay has been phenomenal, as they are starting to venture inshore with the cooler weather.

While there are hundreds of species of fish that you can catch off the coast of Tampa, Florida, there are a few that you should definitely not miss if you are wanting to really put your muscles to the test! Our top three picks for the fish that put up the biggest fight are the Goliath Grouper, Bull Shark, and Jack Crevalle. #1 Goliath Grouper The Goliath Grouper is by far our captains’ favorite fish to fight! This massive species is the largest in the western hemisphere, reaching lengths of up to 8 feet and weighing in around 800 pounds. It truly feels like you’ve hooked up to a bus when you’re trying to reel them in! They put up a really strong fight, but once you’ve gotten them to the surface, you have officially won. Additionally, despite having teeth, they typically engulf and swallow their prey whole. This means that once they’re hooked, you better hold on tight! #2 Bull Shark The Bull Shark gets its name from their short, blunt snout, as well as their commonly aggressive disposition. Bull sharks have a tendency to head-butt their prey before attacking, so you’ll know when the fight is about to begin! They prefer hunting in shallow water and are not bothered by brackish or freshwater, meaning they can easily venture from the bay into the river. This shark species is the angriest out there and they do not give up. You could be hooked up to one and fight it for an hour to get it to the boat, but as soon as it reaches the surface, they’ll take off again. This fight tactic could go on for hours, but it will be more than worth it when you get one in the boat! #3 Jack Crevalle The Jack Crevalle is a common inshore fish species that puts up one heck of a fight! Pound for pound, it is the best fighting fish inshore and will be sure to challenge even the most experienced angler. A typical adult Jack can grow up to 40 inches in length and weigh as much as 60 pounds. Even though this may seem small compared to the two previously mentioned, we definitely believe that sometimes it’s not about the dog in the fight, it’s about the fight in the dog (or, in this case, in the fish). Just like you, the Jack Crevalle may be grunting as you fight him to the surface!

Ever wondered if the fishing myths you’ve read on the internet are true or false? There are many misconceptions that circle around the web these days, so we decided to debunk five of the most common fishing myths. Myth #1: Will my talking scare the fish away? Absolutely not! Sound doesn’t travel well between air and water, so your talking (and even your kid’s screaming) is barely noticeable to the creatures of the ocean. Myth #2: Don’t bring a banana on the boat… Bananas are said to bring bad luck aboard boats. If you’re superstitious, you may want to beware of this one! However, this claim is 100% a myth. The origins date back to the 1700’s, when many misfortuned large cargo ships were noted to be carrying bananas to their destination. But seriously, please do not bring a banana on your fishing trip... Myth #3: Rain, rain, go away - the fish don’t want to bite today! One of the most common fishing myths is that fish don’t bite when it’s raining. This is simply not true! Rain does not affect a fish’s eating patterns, so you’ll still be able to reel in a big catch without clear skies. Myth #4: Big fish go for big bait. While large bait, such as Bonita and Snapper, can only be eaten by larger fish and sharks, even the big fish won’t pass up an easy, smaller snack. Myth #5: You can’t catch large fish inshore… NOT TRUE! You can catch a variety of larger fish, such as Jack Crevalle’s, Grouper, Cobia, Tarpon, and monster sharks, in the inshore waters of Tampa Bay.

While Tampa Bay is known for its world class fishing year round, most people are surprised to learn that the ocean’s tides can actually affect where and when to go fishing, as well as what types of fish are biting. Knowing this information can be critical for successful fishing in Tampa Bay. There are more to tides than just high vs. low. Knowing what a tide is can actually inform you on which fish will be biting. Ocean tides are affected by the gravitational pull of the sun, moon, and Earth. Most importantly, tides are determined by the position of the moon to the Earth. Because the Earth and the moon are constantly moving around one another, this causes a constant movement of high and low tides in our oceans. Florida’s west coast sees a high tide about twice a day year round, but the time in between these tides can vary season to season. The sun can enhance the moon’s gravitational pull when the sun and the moon are aligned, creating higher tides than normal. These are referred to as spring tides and during the winter months in Florida, we experience four, fast moving tides a day. This quick back and forth pattern of high and low tides occurs when there is a full moon or new moon. Most game fish tend to move inshore with these high rising tides and our captains love to target Snook and Redfish for this reason. The sun can also diminish the moon’s gravitational pull when the sun and moon are at right angles to each other. This is referred to as a neap tide and it creates lower than normal high tides. These tides occur during quarter moon phases and it causes very slow and minimal water movement. Some fish, such as Flounder, Red Snapper, and Grouper, are more easily targeted during neap tides because the lack of current helps keep your bait in the strike zone longer. Sometimes a low tide can go so far out that it is below sea level. This is called a negative tide and, despite the name, it can actually create great fishing conditions. When the tide becomes this low, some fish end up getting stuck in bays, estuaries, and mangroves. This depression causes a natural lack of access to deeper water, so the fish in that area tend to gobble up any food they can find, including your bait. The best fish to target during these tides are Snook, Redfish, Flounder, Jack Crevalle, and Ladyfish.

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the ocean Not a sea creature was stirring, not even a dolphin. The rods were hung by the gunnel with care, In hopes that Captain Steven soon would be there. The snook were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of greenbacks danced in their heads; And grouper under the skyway, and grunt in their reef, Had just settled their brains for a long winter's keep. When out in the bay there arose such a clatter, They sprang from their beds to see what was the matter. Away to the bait they swam like a flash, Tore open the lures and scarfed down the stash. The moon on the water of the new-fallen tide, Gave a luster of midday to fishes that hide. When what to my wondering eyes did appear, But a giant redfish and many tiny silver snappers. With a blue Crevalle boat so lively and quick, I knew in a moment he must be Captain Brophy. More rapid than Cobia his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name: "Now, Mackerel! Now, Hogfish! Now, Permit and Flounder! On, Snapper! On, Tarpon! On, Sheepshead and Puffer! To the top of the water! To the top of the surf! Now reel away, reel away, reel away all!" So up to the surface the coursers they swam, With the boat full of fish, and Captain Drew, too — And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the waves The splishing and splashing of each little fin. As I drew in my line and was turning around, Down the gunnel Captain Dakota came with a bound. He was dressed all in white, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with seaweed and bait. A bundle of fish he had flung in his ice chest And he looked like a captain that’s been put to the test. His eyes — how they twinkled! His hands, how messy! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a sunburnt cherry! His sharp little knife was covered in scurf And the beard on his chin was as rough as the surf. The end of a hook he held tight in his teeth, And the net, it encircled his head like a wreath. He had a tanned face and a little surfer belly That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly. He was chiseled and fit, a right jolly young elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself. A wink of his eye and a sweep of his net Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread. He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the ice chests, then turned with a jerk; And laying his finger aside of the throttle, And giving a nod, up the river he drove. To the Poseidon team he gave a whistle And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard them exclaim, ‘ere they drove out of sight — "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"