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South Shore Fishing Just Doesn't Get Any Better Than This

Photo by FRED EVERSON

E. G. Simmons Park in Ruskin offers anglers a great place to fish from shore.

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By FRED EVERSON

Columnist

Published: March 31, 2009

This month is usually one of the best of the year when it comes to variety for Tampa Bay anglers. With water temperatures in the low 70s, we find big snook on the flats, along with cobia and tarpon.

In deep water, there's apt to be kingfish and Spanish mackerel, along with big schools of ravenous jack crevalles. Bait should be plentiful and easy to find. The fishing just doesn't get any better than it does this month.

Capt. Tom Rinehart of Apollo Beach turned in the first report of Spanish mackerel last week. He was fishing the Bahia Beach Reef for sheepshead and snapper and said he caught more than half a dozen macks, as well. Rinehart also said he was nearly spooled by something that was very big and very fast. Sounds like a kingfish.

Capt. Larry Malinoski reported catching kingfish last week in the Gulf around Egmont Key. Water conditions are perfect just now for kings, and they will stick around until water temperature rises into the 80s.

I like fishing for Spanish mackerel this time of year because they usually are willing to hit shiny artificials. Gotcha plugs and a variety of chrome spoons are the mainstays for mackerel, but sometimes they get finicky. When they are feeding on tiny glass minnows, they will ignore anything bigger. Here, it takes something much smaller than a spoon.

I have had some success with quarter-ounce diamond jigs, but the best thing to toss at Spanish mackerel when they are feasting on glass minnows is a small streamer fly tied to resemble the little baitfish. A 7-weight rod is plenty for mackerel. I like a sink-tip line with three or four feet of 50-pound monofilament for a leader. The heavy leader will minimize cutoffs, but not eliminate them, so it pays to carry plenty of flies.

Capt. Danny Guarino of Ruskin reported great fishing for snook on the south shores of Tampa Bay last week. He said most of the captains he spoke with reported hot action on snook between Joe Island and the Little Manatee River. Most of the guides were fishing the mangrove edges with live sardines.
I've heard some reports of bait on the flats but have yet to see any. It seems to be here one day and gone the next.

Most of the captains I spoke with are just making the long run to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, where there always seems to be whitebait. I expect to find bait on the range markers off Cockroach Bay this time of year, but you need a slack tide to catch bait in deep water. You also want to throw a three-eigths or half-inch net in water deeper than 3 or 4 feet.

Fred Everson is a Ruskin fishing guide. All South Shore fishermen and guides may submit information and photographs to be included in this column by calling (813) 830-8890 or sending an e-mail to ihuntsnook@aol.com.

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