Sand Bay Weather Forecast
Fishing reports straight from our guides in Sand Bay
Winter fishing has been fun as we have bottom-fishing on most of our offshore trips. The main catch has been catch-and-release gag groupers, hogfish, mangrove snappers, lane snappers, porgies, and grunts on all of our length trips. These species make for lots of excellent white fish for our captains’ to fillet back at the dock and send home with our customers! We will continue to target these fish until the water warms up and the trolling bite gets hot! Busy spring break in Clearwater Beach is coming, time to book your March and April charters now!
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Spotted sea trout are starting to push into the clearwater to St. Joseph Sound region. Mild temperatures have delayed their full migration, as it has in years past. Typically, multiple cold fronts that keep the water temperatures lower, will usher in more of the larger, female trout. However, there are a few small schools beginning to congregate. Several tactics are working especially this early in the season.
Redfish are plenty full. Although most are 22 to 25in. However, the larger fish are blending in with the mullet schools on most flats. Cut ladyfish, or pinfish cut or under a popping...
Redfish are plenty full. Although most are 22 to 25in. However, the larger fish are blending in with the mullet schools on most flats. Cut ladyfish, or pinfish cut or under a popping...
Redfish are plenty full. Although most are 22 to 25in. However, the larger fish are blending in with the mullet schools on most flats. Cut ladyfish, or pinfish cut or under a popping cork are working when casting directly into the mullet schools. Large shrimp have also produced results.
Since the water temperature has increased back into the mid 70’s, snook are still cooperating. They are responding to live sardines especially on the falling tides flowing out of the backwaters around the mouths of bays and canals. Targeting the main 3 species will change dramatically due to a cold front coming through tomorrow and cold fronts all the way through Christmas taking our temperatures from the high 70s to low 80s to mid-60s and as the days go on down to 50s as highs and 40s at night will make the fish move to completely different areas. tight lines
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Lots a red grouper and red snapper offshore in about 90 feet.
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Well, two weeks ago, the water tem dropped 12 degrees in a day and a half due to a strong cold front that came over the state of Florida and shut down our inshore fishing bite one thing we deal with is acclamation, whether the water drop or rises, can shut the fish down for a few days so our focus is fishing around the hot water discharge at local power plants this actually opens up fishing opportunities for us what we only get when the temps plummet sharks, Pompano, Permit, and cobia are just part of the fish that...
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December fishing in Tampa Bay presents plenty of opportunities for catching fish. As the water cools and then warms back up again between cold fronts, it can make the fish fairly predictable in their movements.
With a consistently cooler water temperature algae dies and the water clears, making this is one of our favorite times of year to fish as it makes for some great site fishing opportunities, as the fish will get into the shallows to soak up some of that Florida sunshine. On the lower stages of the tide, redfish and trout have been hanging out in the...
With a consistently cooler water temperature algae dies and the water clears, making this is one of our favorite times of year to fish as it makes for some great site fishing opportunities, as the fish will get into the shallows to soak up some of that Florida sunshine. On the lower stages of the tide, redfish and trout have been hanging out in the...
With a consistently cooler water temperature algae dies and the water clears, making this is one of our favorite times of year to fish as it makes for some great site fishing opportunities, as the fish will get into the shallows to soak up some of that Florida sunshine. On the lower stages of the tide, redfish and trout have been hanging out in the potholes. On the flats, the kinship between rays and fish is on display this time of year. As the tide rises. The parade of rays and sharks is on, with the cruising southern stingrays, spotted eagle rays, and occasionally bull sharks. I’ve also had cobia, pompano, and jacks cruising with them. When that water that’s been heated up in the shallows, it starts to flow into the rivers and canals and it’s time to hit it up for snook, redfish and trout along the sea walls, and mangrove shorelines!
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Conditions have been perfect this week for targeting snook, trout and redfish. The bay water temperature has been in the upper 60’s in the morning and mid 70’s in the afternoon. As the afternoon tide rises along with the temperature, fish become more active on the flats.
Live bait action has been spectacular in the afternoon. Concentrating efforts on flats that are holding mullet has been the key. Live chumming from an up-tide position will help you locate where the fish are holding. Patiently waiting for your free bees to swim down current into the fish will reveal boils and...
Live bait action has been spectacular in the afternoon. Concentrating efforts on flats that are holding mullet has been the key. Live chumming from an up-tide position will help you locate where the fish are holding. Patiently waiting for your free bees to swim down current into the fish will reveal boils and...
Live bait action has been spectacular in the afternoon. Concentrating efforts on flats that are holding mullet has been the key. Live chumming from an up-tide position will help you locate where the fish are holding. Patiently waiting for your free bees to swim down current into the fish will reveal boils and pops allowing you to see where to set up.
Free-line pilchards on medium light spinning gear spooled with 10-pound braid. The light braided line will not only help you sling your bait out to where the fish are, but also help you to feel any subtle bite you might have when fishing an open bail, a tactic that can be deadly effective.
Creeks that serve as wintering homes for snook are loading up with fish right now. As our next cold front passes more of the larger fish will enter the creeks. Fishing around sundown will typically give you the best opportunity to hook into some bigger fish. Live pilchards work great, and chumming will get the activity levels of the fish up, but don’t be afraid to send out a larger bait. Pinfish and or finger mullet will really get the attention of a big snook.
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Inshore has been on fire with redfish bite back on track, sheepshead are showing up in strong numbers. Offshore kingfish, Spanish, hog snapper and gags are close to shore. Best time of year to fish!!
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Since the weather keeps fluctuating, most of the fish have been scattered, but are of good quality. We have been encountering
Redfish, Trout and snook on the flats, but the tide and area has been crucial.
Cut bat and small pinfish are working well. Artificials have been working great, bait such as mirror lures in the skin series such as pinfish or finger mullet have been catching all 3 inshore species. Also soft plastics like exude dart, mirror lure prevoker and gulp on 16th ounce Jighead have produced some big redfish, Trout, and Snook while we are fishing with bait...
Redfish, Trout and snook on the flats, but the tide and area has been crucial.
Cut bat and small pinfish are working well. Artificials have been working great, bait such as mirror lures in the skin series such as pinfish or finger mullet have been catching all 3 inshore species. Also soft plastics like exude dart, mirror lure prevoker and gulp on 16th ounce Jighead have produced some big redfish, Trout, and Snook while we are fishing with bait...
Redfish, Trout and snook on the flats, but the tide and area has been crucial.
Cut bat and small pinfish are working well. Artificials have been working great, bait such as mirror lures in the skin series such as pinfish or finger mullet have been catching all 3 inshore species. Also soft plastics like exude dart, mirror lure prevoker and gulp on 16th ounce Jighead have produced some big redfish, Trout, and Snook while we are fishing with bait has helped to locate the schools. Also be prepared for cobia or triple tail as they will show up when you least expect it. This happened to us on Tuesday with couple nice cobia.
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Offshore, Spanish Mackerel and Kingfish are running pretty strong, as are grouper and lane snapper. Inshore, the snook is pretty good and the redfish are starting to move into shallower water
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The water has cooled down with the recent fronts. Bait has been plentiful, with scaled sardines, threadfin, shad, ladyfish and blue runners. This has started the nearshore to explode with Spanish Mackerel, and their big brother, the King Mackerel.
For the Kingfish there is no bait to big like mackerel, lady fish, or mullet to catch that big smoker
The back water bite has been getting better. Redfish are getting to be in good numbers with the cooler water. For the artificial enthusiast, topwater bite will help you locate these bruisers, as well as Speckled Trout. These fish will often...
For the Kingfish there is no bait to big like mackerel, lady fish, or mullet to catch that big smoker
The back water bite has been getting better. Redfish are getting to be in good numbers with the cooler water. For the artificial enthusiast, topwater bite will help you locate these bruisers, as well as Speckled Trout. These fish will often...
For the Kingfish there is no bait to big like mackerel, lady fish, or mullet to catch that big smoker
The back water bite has been getting better. Redfish are getting to be in good numbers with the cooler water. For the artificial enthusiast, topwater bite will help you locate these bruisers, as well as Speckled Trout. These fish will often be together with the mullet schools. With the extreme lowtides, you can find the Reds tailing on scattered turtle grass or around pot holes. For these conditions, live shrimp, cutbait and soft plastics will be your ideal baits.
With higher tides, concentrate on points, oysterbars and spoil islands. Make sure there are mullet in these areas, because the Redfish and Speckled Trout will be there also. The best bait to use now is whitebait, silver dollar size pinfish and cutbait. Your leader should be 2-3 ft. of 20 to 30lb florocarbon, with a 3-4 o/t light style circle hook. As for the fly enthusiast, all species can be caught.
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