Fishing in the Tampa Bay area has been steadily improving as the water temperature continues to rise. Snook fishing in Tampa Bay has been excellent and will only get better as the water temperature rises. The snook are being targeted in the deep pot holes on the grass flats and mangrove areas. Live white bait is the key to driving these fish crazy. Once these fish are located, chum heavily and watch the fireworks! The Redfish bite has also been heating up with slot-sized fish being taken off the oyster bars in the Bishops Harbor area as well as the Tarpon Key area. Live free-lined white bait will do the trick. Chum hard with cut or live white bait and the fish will find you. The Trout bite remains steady in the Ft. Desoto area in the deeper grass flats. One of the most exciting ways to target these fish is to work topwater plugs in the early morning and late afternoon.

Shrimp under a popping cork is always a great way to catch these fish, and a free-lined white bait isn’t a bad way to go either! Tarpon have been slowly coming into the bay but not targeted heavily yet. The main push of tarpon should arrive by the end of this month. The month of May all the way to July is the prime time to catch Tarpon. The method for catching these fish is fairly simple, but can prove to be frustrating at times. My favorite way to target Tarpon is sight casting live pass crabs to a moving school of fish. However some of the most explosive action I have ever seen has come out of deep jigging Boca Grande Pass. With depths that exceed 70 ft. in some spots, and over 10+ hookups per day, Boca Grande Pass is the absolute Tarpon capitol of the world!! Call or email today to reserve you dates for Tarpon season as dates are filling up fast! Good Fishing!! Captain Josh Gone Coastal Charters 863-640-2208 Gonecoastalcharters.com gonecoastalcharters@yahoo.com