Tampa Bay Fly Fishing Report

We have been set up in Florida for a few weeks now. I have been getting out on the water most days and the fishery is currently offering lots of options for us fly anglers.

Although it is winter, Florida's west coast has yet to receive any real cold fronts. Most every day has been sunny with daytime temps. in the low to mid 80's. Most of the Bay still has water temperatures in the mid 70's. Under the current conditions anglers can choose to fish for a variety of species.

The bay at this time is full of bait fish. Every grass flat that I pole over is alive with life. The Trout action on the flats is good but the larger fish are most active early and late in the day. There has also been a lot of action with both Trout and Small 2 to 3 lb. Jacks blowing up on the schools of bait. Any congregation of birds over the water will produce action. One day recently we had schools of Jacks on our flat for several hours. These aggressive eaters are instant on with E P Baitfish, Clousers and simple Schminnow type flies.

I have also been hitting the Mangroves and back bays a bit during the periods where the tide is running well. The other morning on the change from a very low tide I walked some sand bars casting into the deeper potholes and had good action with 18" to 24" Snook and some smaller Redfish that were laid up in the holes. The photo below is one of the smaller Reds that took an E P Everglades Special. This fly has been a killer.

Until a cold front or two move through we can expect to see these smaller fish dominating the catch. Once the water temps drop a bit the larger fish will move into the exact areas where we are taking these juveniles. By the way I have been matching the tackle to the targets. Most of the time we have been fishing with 6 weight rods which really make this fishing exciting.

For those of you who plan on fishing with me this winter you will be glad to see an new addition to my skiff. Last week I had a Rhodan Satelite Anchor installed. This amazing piece of equipment allows us to stay put even in strong wind and currents simply by pressing a button. This motor also allows us to set courses and track an area automatically.

Below is a shot of the skiff with the new Rhodan Motor

If you are getting away to Florida this winter give us a call and we'll get you out on the water.

We are local to some of Florida's nicest Beaches and Attractions. The following are only a short drive from where we fish. Clearwater, Tampa, St Petersburg, Anna Maria, Longboat Key, Treasure Island, Sarasota, Bradenton and the Walt Disney Attractions.

Call us at 607-290-4022 or 607-348-7497