Saltwater Fishing Tampa is all about Fishing and Having Fun!
Simple and Easy to Learn Saltwater Fishing Tips & Techniques using Live bait.
The Mangrove Snappers were caught Thursday, July 1st under the Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay using live greenbacks on knocker rigs with fluorocarbon leaders, 3/4 ounce slip sinkers and 4/0 Gama hooks. I also set out my grouper rod and used the same knocker rig except used a 7/0 Gama brand circle hook.
Didn’t see much red tide or smell it but on the way out noticed some floating fish. Mostly pinfish, catfish, and numerous other bait fish.
The Mangroves and Gag Grouper were really hitting and I would have stayed longer but a thunderstorm was heading my way and i had to leave.
Toss the pinfish, greenback or live shrimp out and let the line out slowly so it sinks down towards the bottom and let the tide take the pinfish in towards the bollards under the Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay, Florida.
That’s the best way to catch Mangrove Snapper, Grouper and Cobia. The same goes when fishing the shipping channel. Anchor up current from bottom structure and let your pinfish or greenback drop down to the structure slowly. Waiting and hungry fish will gobble them up
The bait was bought at Hooked Up Live Baits (see link below) Outside of Maximo Park, St. Pete Florida on the NorthWest end of the Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay.
The live bait wells that I use to keep my bait fresh and lively are 10 gallon and 20 gallon from Marine Metals. The air pump is a dual hose 12 volt air pump called Power Bubbles. these air pumps really produce the oxygen and tiny bubbles to keep the greenbacks alive a lot longer. One trick I use to keep the bait alive is to drop in a frozen quart ziplock bag of ice to lower the water temperature when the weather gets the bait well water too hot. This will help keep your bait a live longer.
I also use Foam-Off which takes the ammonia out of the water and stops the foaming on top that chokes of much needed oxygen for the bait to breath. It’s also worth every penny! Link Below. find on Amazon or Bass Pro.
You will learn how to catch more fish using these simple and easy to learn proven techniques for catching more saltwater fish. Coming home with a cooler of fish instead of fish stories is much better! Try these techniques and they will help you.
How to choose the right rod and reel set-up for fishing Tampa Bay and Saltwater Fishing. I like using medium fast action rods for mangroves and then switch to medium heavy spinning rods to heavy spinning rods and reels for Grouper and Cobia.
Also learn that using the correct leader material such as, Seaguar Blue Label 100% fluorocarbon leaders which are almost invisible to fish, will get you more fish hook ups. Many more!
Learn by going with lighter braid main line and lighter leader material will also create more fish hookups by making the line almost invisible and your bait appear more natural.
The links below will help with where I buy my bait, the costs and benefits of buying bait vs catching your own. It depends how fast you want to get out on the water and the availability of bait.
Also Foam Off will keep your bait alive by taking the ammonia out of the water that starves the bait of oxygen
And finally, again, Seaguar fluorocarbon leaders, Blue Label. That’s all I use. Worth every penny! Using these leaders will change your fish catch, for the better.
Write or comment and I’ll do my best to answer as quickly as possible.
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Good luck and Happy Fishing!
Links:
Live Bait Near Maximo Park: [ Ссылка ]
Foam Off: [ Ссылка ]
Seaguar Fluorocarbon Leaders: [ Ссылка ]
Marine Metals Bait Wells [ Ссылка ]
Marine Metals Power Bubbles [ Ссылка ]
My Favorite Fishing Reels/Rods
Spinning:
Shimano Thunnus 4000 Reel on Shimano Terez 20-50 lb. Medium Fast Action Rod 7’2”
Shimano Thunnus 8000 Reel on Shimano Terez 40-80 lb. Medium Heavy Fast Action Rod 7’2”
Shimano Saragosa 5000 Reel on Shimano Tallus 50-100 lb. Medium Heavy Fast Action Rod 7’2”
Shimano Saragosa 14000 Reel on Shimano Terez 65-200 lb. Extra Heavy Fast Action Rod 7’2”
Conventional:
Shimano Trinidad 16a Reel on Shimano Terez 65-200 lb. Extra Extra Heavy Fast Action Rod 6’6”
Braid used: Daiwa J-Braid & PowerPro 30 & 40lb and then 50lb PowerPro on my Trinidad
Hooks: Gamakatsu & Mustad Ultra Point. 2/0, 3/0 and 4/0.
