Flats fishing with Southern Drawl has been good. Slams have been par for the course over the last two weeks while casting the shallows of Bishop Harbor off southern Tampa Bay.
The incoming tide has been the key. Topwater action has been good around mangrove islands along the northeast side of the harbor, with snook, redfish and spotted seatrout cooperating. Top snook was a 27-incher. We've taken redfish to 28 and spotted seatrout to 16. Most fish were taken on Rapala Skitter Walks, D.O.A. ¼-ounce gold glitter shrimp and CAL Jigs.
Trout action also has been good in the middle of the harbor around scattered grass patches.
We paddled to the spoil island at Port Manatee on two occasions. The first time resulted in eight snook to 25 inches, three redfish to 24, four trout to 17, five jack crevalle, two gag grouper and 11 flounder. Most of the fish hit at the bottom of the tide along the edge of the flat. Top lure was the D.O.A. CAL Jig (1/8-ounce head) and gold paddle-tail grub.
Another outing at the spoil island produced 15 spotted seatrout to 19 inches, a remora and two jack crevalle – all on CAL Jigs.
John Garrity and his son, Jake, of Toledo, Ohio joined me for a half-day outing on Sarasota Bay. We fished Buttonwood Harbor and the flats south of Whale Key. Action was slow, but John and Jake managed flounder, spotted seatrout, jack crevalle and ladyfish on CAL Jigs with shad tails.
John, who recently purchased a home on Siesta Key, was so impressed with the Native Watercraft Ultimate 14.5 that he purchased one the next day from Economy Tackle/Dolphin Dive in Sarasota.
Ken Taylor of North Port joined me for an all-day outing at Bishop Harbor. Ken caught a plethora of spotted seatrout and a few ladyfish on CAL Jigs, D.O.A. Shrimp and D.O.A. TerrorEyz in the harbor and on the flats in Tampa Bay.
The long hot weather finally has come to an end and that should be the spark that turns the fish on. I look for very good action on snook, trout and redfish on the flats when the weather and wind settle. Bishop Harbor, southern Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound should be hot spots.
Freshwater action also should improve with the weather change. Bass, bluegill, shellcracker, speckled perch and channel catfish are expected to begin their pre-winter feed. Top area lake is Lake Manatee.
We'll begin running out Everglades trips for the exotics (oscar, Mayan cichlid, peacock bass) in December. These all-day outings usually result in about 100 fish per angler.
