Spanish mackerel are all over Tampa Bay and nearby Gulf waters. Capt. Billy Miller slammed the mackerel fishing Tampa Bay around the Frankland Bridge artificial reefs. Anchor up tide from the reef and start a chum line with a frozen chum bag and cut up slivers of white bait or greenbacks. Use long shank hooksto
prevent cut offs with 40 pound flourocarbon leaders. A light spinning rod is all the tackle you need to catch the tasty mackerel. Don‘t be surprised to find mangrove snapper, sharks, bluefish, jacks and more show up,in your chum line.
Capt. Chris Wiggins has been tearing up big snook, redfish and speckled trout around downtown St. Pete and Pinellas Point. Wiggins likes big white bait with cut tails fished around docks and sea walls.
Mangrove snapper are still here along the ship channel edges and at the Skyway bridge. Medium to small green backs fished on the bottom near structure should catch your limit.
Kingfish are available in the offshore waters. Wrecks and springs in 80 to 100 feet are holding very big fish. The southern end of the Middle Grounds produced a 40 pound king for Team Delosa Pizza to win the fall Suncoast Kingfish Classic. Team Kingfish Connection was second with a 38 pounder.
Closer to shore, the Mandalay bottom off Clearwater has been productive for kings as well as the Veterans Reef off Dunedin. The Egmont ship channel is always a go to spot for good kingfish. Bill’sFacebook https://www.facebook.com/FishingWithBillMiller