Much to the delight of Tampa area fishermen, snook have returned both earleir and in better numbers than last year…indicative that fish populations are on the mend from the severe winter of two years ago. Almost every Tampa Fishing Charter run in the last two weeks has produced at least one quality fish and, on some days, a half dozen. 
Although fish numbers aren’t yet back to where they were, there are fish in almost all locations that snook should be found this time of year and the average size is probably 32 inches…with many fish in the mid thirty inch range. As is always the case, these fish seem to bite better on moving water and, in certain cases, when the water is just a little bit cloudy. As the gulf waters are gin clear right now and these fish reside in relatively shallow water, they will often become line shy. Sometimes a water clarity change will trigger a bite, as happened on a Tampa fishing charter a few weeks ago. Having patiently fished a group of large fish for over an hour with no success, the Tampa Fishing guide decided that the fish needed to be rested and went trout fishing. 
Upon returning a short 45 minutes later, three snook were hooked on the first four casts. The fourth cast yeilded a redfish….all from the same spot that didn’t produce a fish just a short while before. Although tidal movement had been good during the first part of the day, fish refused to bite until the water became a little discolored. Others adjustments that can be made to catch cautious snook are using extra long flouracarbon leaders…five to six feet. Also, downsizing the leader from 30 to 20lbs test can make a difference…just be aware that a 15 to 20 lbs snook will take a while to land on light tackle and the 20 lbs leader is at risk of wearing out after rubbing against a snook’s small teeth over the course of a protracted battle. Tampa Fishing guides will go down to 20 lbs leader, but usually only when snook cannot be coaxed into biting the heavier line. Some snook fishermen take a different approach…believing that braided lines are just too visible… and leave their snook rods spooled with monofilament line.
A myth exists that snook are an incredibly smart and elusive fish and there is good reason for this. During the spring and summer months, these fish are usually found in very predictable and visbile areas. 
As a result, most snook fishing is done to “sighted” fish. When an angler throws thirty or forty casts in front of a group of fish that can be seen and is not rewarded with a bite, it is logical to come to the conclusion that these fish are “smart” becuase they won’t eat the bait. The reality is quite different. Snook, much like humans, have “meal times” and, quite honestly, can be downright careless once the dinner bell goes off. 
Tampa fishing guides, as well as good recreational snook fishermen, know that most of the snook caught on a given day will be caught in a short period of time. Catching snook becomes all about determining when a certain group of fish will eat. Two clear pieces of the equation are tides and time of day. Snook tend to eat at both ends of the day but most importantly, on strong water movement. Big tides at dawn and dusk certainly heighten the odds of success. By fishing to different groups of fish during these prime times, Tampa fishing guides will start to develop patterns. Group A eats first thing in the morning. Group B eats two hours after the tide starts to go out etc etc. It does not mean that these fish will always eat at that same time, 
but if a Tampa fishing guide works hard enough on patterning enough groups of fish, it is highly likley that, during the course of a fishing trip, that one group of active snook will be encountered and this short fifteen to thirty minutes period of activity may yeild 3 to 6 fish. Successful snook fishing, like so many things in life, is simply the result of hard work.
Trout are still being encountered out on the beach and, although not as big as their winter counterparts, legal fish are mixed in with the shorts. Tampa fishing guides are finding whitebait the most productive bait choice by far. If trout don’t immediately bite after arriving on a spot, a net full of bait distributed into the immediate area will set them off. 
If it doesn’t, go look somewhere else as the fish probably are. Large trout are often encountered when fishing for snook and can add some entertainment to the day when the snook aren’t feeding. This action will last for a few more weeks and then these trout will decline in number and size.
The redfish mystery continues in northern Pinellas County with the consensus among tampa fishing guides that big fish and little fish are dominating the catch. Although something about the local fishing changes every year, this is the first time in recent memory where 24 to 27 inch fish have not been abundant at this time of year. 
Almost every Tampa fishing charter produces at least one redfish over the limit of 27 inches, with many of these fish surpassing thirty inches in length. Most quality slot fish caught in the last month have been coaxed out from under residential docks. Schooling fish, when found, have all been large and the “resident” fish that hold along mangrove shorelines have averaged 18 to 20 inches….legal fish, but they offer up a pretty skinny fillet for anyone looking for a redfish dinner. With that said, there is nothing wrong with catching an overslot redfish or two every time out as these bruisers will burn some serious drag. A piece of cut mullet or pinfish makes for a great bait as it can be be cast both accurately and for distance, allowing the angler to keep a good bit of distance between the boat and the fish.
With the snook bite remaining as strong as it has been, there’s plenty of ways to bend a rod during the course of a Tampa Fishing Charter. Big redfish, snook averaging 30+inches, scattered seatout, a stray mackerel or shark are all a possibility…maybe even a tarpon rolling down the beach. Whatever the target, the weather is beautiful, the water clear and the action strong. Good luck and good fishing.