This is the time of year we’ve been waiting for for the past three months. The grasses will re-establish on the flats, the bait will return to the flats and the target species we long to catch will be in prime feeding mode. Snook will come into season, trout will find the grass flats, snapper will return and mackerel will follow. Small catches will be followed by many days of 40-60 fish and the bay will be alive again, if the winds agree.
The bay grasses will begin to regain their place within the bay and all of the above will once again be available to anglers for large numbers of catches. It’s the seasonality of things in the bay. As the grasses grow, the greens will begin their transition back into the flats for their annual spawning activities. The trout will follow them again, along with the shallow water snapper. Snook will be re-located to the outer point of all passes and tributaries of the winter shelters.
Cobia can be found crawling on the flats or starting to hang from the cans, nuns, buoys and poles around Tampa Bay. Always tired of the triple tail in the deeper water structures. Large or jumbo shrimp are the best baits for these fish, especially when sight fishing.
Kings will begin to migrate into areas as water temperatures begin to rise. These fish are much closer to shore this time of year and can sometimes be fished just outside the Skyway Bridge. Sabiki puts up some bright blue runners or big threads and trolls very slowly on a fist rig. From the Skyway to the Whistle Buoy, marker 1 of the Egmont Channel or Tampa Bay.
This is an amazing time of year to be on the water, but be aware of the potential for wind during March. It can be very hairy at times, but it makes for some wonderful days on the water. The general rule is to make a plan to fish for the day but always have a contingency. If the high seas are not conducive to a safe adventure, always make a plan to go ashore. (A hard lesson learned.) We have all had those days.
When fishing for trout, try using plastic lures. They maintain a much better survival rate after release than live bait. Not to mention the hooking ration is much better with artificial bait.
This is a good time of year to test your fly fishing prowess as there is very little surface grass to impede the movement of the fly. My normal setup is an 8-weight fly rig with a green decoy fly. You can buy them or try tying your own. I buy them because mine come out looking like something the cat threw up.
Get on the water and see what makes Tampa Bay so special!