St. Pete Report- Tarpon & Permit
Well here we are…the last week of August. The temperature maybe HOT, but not nearly as hot as the tarpon and permit fishing has been lately! Crabs have been the ticket for both.
I’ve been asked a lot lately, “Are the tarpon still around?” The answer…”Absolutely the tarpon are still here and in good numbers”. There is still some light tackle sight fishing and fly fishing to be done on the beaches. Stake up and wait for the fish to come to you. These fish are definitely willing to eat! The tarpon have been chewing well around the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, too. The days just before and after the big moons the fish have been crushing crabs free lined while drift fishing during the outgoing tides. Off the moon, the fish are more than willing to take threadfin and pinfish. There are also good numbers of tarpon in most of the traditional spots well inside the Skyway as well.
Permit, permit and more permit!!! Permit fishing has been great over a good many of the near shore wrecks and reefs! The bait for these hard battling fish? CRABS! Free lining crabs over the structure on a 3/0 circle or “J” hook tied to 40 pound fluorocarbon seems to be working the best for us. Some fish have come from crabs suspended 6-8 feet under a cork. While mostly drift fishing and sighting the fish, from time to time we anchor near the whatever the ‘mits are holding on and float the baits back over the structure. These are a formidable foe that are as beautiful as they are strong! The challenge usually comes in keeping these drag burners from getting down and wrapping the structure resulting in one break off after another.
Best of the rest…
Snook fishing is still pretty good on the beaches and in the passes. Live baits such as pilchards, pinfish, threadfin and grunts will definitely get you hooked up. The red fishing for me has been a little slow. But, in my defense, I have spent the majority of my time hunting tarpon and permit. Did I mention that already? Anyway, as far as the species we would target on the flats go…get out early or go out after the afternoon t-storms pass. The bite will typically be better and you’ll be a whole lot more comfortable. Oh, and let’s not forget how productive night fishing can be. Docks, passes and bridges are all great areas to target at night.
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