Fresh Pinellas County Fishing Reports

Had one of those PERFECT days where we caught a monster Goliath Grouper (although they actually get way bigger), and then targeted some table fare and picked up FOUR nice Hogfish and a mixed bag of others. Definitely, a great day!

Took a guy out who only cared about catching a shark and so we went Sharking! Caught lots of them but no monsters this time ?

The gag grouper season opening on September 1 was met with fewer boats on the water due to the passage of Hurricane Idalia and the messed up conditions in the Gulf. But earlier this week reports from anglers getting out there is that fish are chewing. That was probably a given since most of these fish hunkered down during the storm and didn’t venture far from the big relief of ledges and rocks they were holding on during the stormy conditions. Several reports from anglers working 14 to 16 miles off Pinellas had good success with hogfish using live shrimp. We have been tearing up mangrove snapper and started working the gag grouper over this past week. Water temps in the Gulf dropped over the past week but it hasn’t really affected the movement of fish much. But gags will likely be on the move within the next month toward shallower depths. INSHORE If you can get on the water when the wind’s not blowing a gale and the seas are calm, you’re bound to find some decent action with some trout. With snook season open, anglers are looking to bag a fish while they can. Redfish are moving around on the weather from last week’s storm passage. Look for some fish to start showing up where they haven’t been for a while. As always, find the bait and you’ll find the fish. Pinfish are definitely a preferred bait right now, and not only live versions, but cut bait seems to be outperforming the live stuff. Spanish mackerel have been working inside Tampa Bay lately in fair numbers. It’s that time of year and we should see more of them as the weeks pass and cold fronts begin to blow south from the Panhandle. Kingfish should start showing up in the next few weeks as well. Hurricanes and tropical weather can affect the migration of these fish. Keep an ear on the Big Bend reports for fish showing up off Homosassa and the rocky areas up on the Nature Coast. That’s your barometer for the near future.

Lots of great fishing on the artifical reefs and ledges …. Making memories!!

Customers didnt want to keep any of the fish and so we released them all. We also forgot to take any pics of all the fish we caught - but still had a blast!

The hurricane has passed and the fishing is still hot and will only continue to get better throughout the fall!! Message me about a trip.