Fishing Report – August 20th, 2023

Here is the August 20th fishing report. My reports are published in the Tampa Bay Times every 4th and 20th of the month! Thank you for reading, and I look forward to getting you all out on the water soon! Capt. Brian.

Recent rains have begun to cool the water slightly in the North Pinellas region, allowing for a little more productive fishing. The flats have not been boiling and redfish have begun to school a little bit and cooperate on higher tides.

Cut baits are still working best as the redfish are foraging, and not as apt to chase live baits as much. That will occur a little more into September and October when things begin to cool even more. Of course you can still get redfish to eat a live sardine or pinfish if the conditions are right, but I’m finding the cut bait system is working a little better. Snook are approaching the end of their spawn and becoming a little finicky once again. The larger female fish are surrounded by cooperative smaller males, and also hordes of small baitfish along the beaches. Newly hatched baits are so plentiful, it can make it difficult to get snook to eat your offering.

I will often choose something different that stands out like a like a grunt, medium pinfish or larger sardine. Snook will often choose to eat one large protein filled meal, rather than having to attack several tiny baits. Mangrove snapper are a good alternative for inshore anglers when other fish are lethargic. Some of the channel markers along the intercoastal waterway and inshore wrecks have held a good number of keeper snapper. Also, any rocks that can be located throughout the passes from Clearwater to Tarpon Springs will hold a fair number of snapper this time of year.

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