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Mackerel Taken Early Off Pasco No. 1 Reef

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NICK STUBBS

MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE

Published: July 1, 2008

Updated:

Tackle shop roundup

One Stop Bait and Tackle, 727- 842-5610: Pasco No. 1 reef has been holding some mackerel to 6 pounds. Fish have been biting best early in the morning, the action slowing by 10 a.m. Chumming the water helps get things fired up.

Salonika's Bait and Tackle, 727-849-6377: The oyster bars off Brasher Park have been holding some reds. Fish have been tight to the mangroves at times. The flats off the park, extending out toward the stilt houses, have been holding some trout to 18 inches. Anglers have been fishing early to beat the heat, with most reporting good catches by 8:30 a.m.

Fisherman's World, 727-942-8944: A few reds have been taken on the flats at Sand Bay. Fish have been running around the oyster bars and along mangroves there, taking shrimp and live sardines well.

Tarpon Tom's Bait and Tackle, 727-938-2379: Donnie from the shop is having his way with the snook along the back of Caladesi Island. He's taking all sizes, but a few to 38 or 40 inches, and he's had a number of break-offs. It's catch-and-release only because of the closed season. He's been using live sardines and fishing before 10 a.m.

Hart's One Stop, 727-938-5364: John and a couple of buddies have been fishing offshore. A trip 20 miles off Tarpon Springs produced a number of small gags, some 70 large grunts and some sea bass to 14 inches. One of the anglers, throwing a Berkley 12 artificial eel, hooked and landed a couple of cobia under the 32-inch minimum length. John also reports bagging a couple of nice trout while fishing live shrimp on the grass flats just off the Anclote power plant. The largest was 20 inches.

Dunedin Bait and Tackle, 727-736-3474: Anglers fishing the Intracoastal Waterway near the Sand Key Bridge have been finding reds along the sea walls and rocks. Fish remain small, but have been plentiful and offer great catch-and-release action on shrimp and live sardines. Snook have been running in the trough just off the beach at Anclote Key. It's the spawning season and fish must be released if caught, but anglers are catching a range of sizes for sport.

Pier 60, 727-462-6466: A few tarpon are being jumped from the end of the pier. Most fish are breaking off shortly after biting, but a couple of fish 80 to 100 pounds have been brought to the base of the pier and landed before being released. A good number of pompano are being caught. Fish have been biting early in the mornings, taking Silly Willy yellow and white banana jigs tipped with shrimp. A pink teaser feather seems to improve the bite. Most have been running 10 to 14 inches. The bite runs for short periods, and then shuts down. There have been some cobia under the pier, though most have been undersized. Trout are running 15 to 17 inches and taking shrimp and live sardines under popping corks.

Redington Long Pier, 727-391-9398: Pompano have been a good bet at times, with good numbers of fish 11 to 15 inches falling for yellow and white Silly Willy jigs tipped with shrimp. The bite has been over by 9:30 a.m. most days. A good number of tarpon are being hooked from the pier. Fish 90 to 120 pounds are taking live baits, battled and either lost or landed and released. There also is a good deal of catch-and-release snook fishing going on. Fish to 40 inches are being caught on live ladyfish and pinfish in the shadow lines of the pier at night.

Nick Stubbs is founder and webmaster of Bitetracker.com a fishing Web site specializing in daily fishing reports displayed on animated fish tracking charts.

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