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Everything that swims is moving in this month of transition

Photo by Fred Everson

An angler uses a hi-tech fishing kayak off E.G. Simmons Park in Ruskin.

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By FRED EVERSON

Tribune columnist

Published: October 15, 2009

Drier, cooler weather will make for some of the best fishing of the year, with all the variety an angler could hope for.

October is a month of transition, and everything that swims is moving.

Bait migrate south and many predators follow, including kingfish, Spanish mackerel, cobia and tarpon. But all will linger in and around the confines of Tampa Bay until the cold fronts push them toward their winter quarters to the south, usually between mid-October and Thanksgiving.

Water clarity is slowly improving, but it still has a long way to go. Temperature has held steady for the past few weeks at 85 degrees, a slight improvement but a long way from being cold enough to clear up the water.

The snook bite hasn't taken off yet. I'm seeing some fish beginning to come into the Little Manatee River, but most of them have been shorts. There has been a lot of bait around the docks and on the flats, mostly glass minnows.

The trout bite continues to be good on the flats between Sand Key and Piney Point, with the best fishing at sunrise and sunset. That's not going to change much until the water temperature drops into the 70s.

There are a few pompano around, but nothing like the run we had last year. It's still a bit early, though.

Last year, pompano fishing was at its best off the Simmons Park boat ramp in November. I like to idle across the deep side of the flat from Mangrove Point to Apollo Beach, stop the boat and drift. I throw Doc's Goofy Jigs and chrome pompano jigs at them.

Redfish are a good bet for the whole month of October, but they are hard to see at low tide because of poor water clarity. Until that changes, I will target them on the mangrove shadow line at high tide with cut bait — ladyfish, threadfin and jack crevalle.

Speaking of ladyfish, I've seen several big schools of fish in the Little Manatee River at first light this past week. I keep a rod ready, rigged with a pompano jig, whenever they come by, so I can catch a couple for the freezer.

Ladyfish chunks are good bait for most predators, including snook, tarpon, redfish, cobia and shark. Keeping the bait on ice will keep it firm and make it stay on the hook better.

Last trip out, we found some sardines on the flats in front of the Cockroach Bay boat ramp, but it was a struggle. The water was murky, and the wind was blowing, so all we could do was drift and throw the net blind. We also netted quite a few pinfish.

Bottom fishing for snapper on slack tides continues to be a good bet. Small pinfish and sardines are the best baits for mangrove snapper, fished right on the bottom. These fish will hang in the bay around hard bottom until the first cold fronts drive them offshore.

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

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