April Tampa Bay Fishing

Just as expected, fishing really took off this past month with a nice mid March warming trend that brought out the beast in the majority of our inshore Game Fish. Bait has started to show up in their typical early spring spots and will be pushing up on to the flats as the weather heats up this month.

Now would be a good time to rig up the meat sticks since we’re coming into the time that some big game busting fish will be ready and willing to jump on a frisky sardine or threadfin. Careful planning of you next fishing trip will ensure success when you’re back out on the water. Checking the weather, tides and moon phases all will play a part in your game plan.

More and more people will be taking to the water this month so make sure to have courteous attitude towards other anglers. Don’t be afraid to let someone know in a respectable manner if they’re not using proper boating or fishing guide lines. This insures that everyone has a great day enjoying our fabulous resource.

Snook

The Snook started to heat up this past month and will be well into the transition this month. Every creek mouth and mangrove shore line will have fish staging up on points where the tide flows around, ready to ambush any unlucky bait that swims by. If you’re using live bait and decide to chum, make sure to only chum as little as possible so that the fish don’t fill up to fast and shut off.

Fishing at night for Snook will also be heating up this month as the fish start to move out around the bridges and docks at the mouths of residential canals. Figure out which way the tide is moving, then anchor up tide and drift you free lined baits back naturally to where the fish are setting. Sardines and select shrimp are great baits when fishing at night.

Trout and Redfish

The Trout bite has really turned on at the mouths of the three major creeks along the upper bay shoreline and most of the fish have been well within the slot limit. Moving water is the key in the creeks for these yellow mouth gators. The flats along Culbreath Isles will be heating up this month as the fish pull out of the deeper residential canals. Working top waters and jerk baits along the edges of these flats is a sure fire way to catch Trout during the month of April.

Redfish have finally started to move up along the main shorelines now that we’re getting some higher tides. They’re getting very active and have been feeding like clock work on just about every time we’ve targeted them. The fish won’t be in tight schools but will be hanging close to a particular area such as an oyster bed or grass patchy bottom. Look for Mullet schooling and pushing water around these places and the reds will surely be close by.

Best of the rest

It’s just about time for the Spanish Mackerel madness to begin. With the bait schooling up across the bay, all of the pelagic species will be moving in for their spring and summer feast. The mackerel can be caught around range markers and all the major bridges simply by hanging a chum bag off the back of your boat and fishing live bait in the slick.

We’ll be getting some surprise visits from Cobia as they make their way up the bay this month as well. Make sure to have a rod handy at all times just in case one comes swimming up to say hi. Snapper fishing will be picking up on around the full moons along rock piles and the bridges. Don’t be surprised if you catch a few small Grouper while targeting the Snapper.

Its silver king season once again and the bridges are loading up with them for anyone willing to stay up after dark. We have some of our best night time Tarpon fishing this time of year just before they school up and take off for their summer spawn. Leave the light tackle behind if you’re planning on challenging the king around the bridges. 40lb plus tackle should be used unless you target only small fish.