Central Florida Angler Insider
May 29-June 4, 2020
Welcome to Angler Insider sharing the best spots and plots to catch fresh and saltwater gamefish in Central Florida in the coming days.
By Bill AuCoin
Bream and shellcrackers are still-spawning on the shorelines of Central Florida lakes, from Tarpon to Toho. If you spot one bed, you’ll usually spot others.
Bass are nearby because panfish are their breakfast and dinner. Search for bass with a topwater like a swimming frog. But if you get blowups without hookups, change to a soft plastic stick bait.
Salutes: In May, John Bard caught a 9-pounder on Lake Alfred and John Sprigg caught 9-lb, 13-ounce bass in the Tenoroc Fish Management Area near Lakeland. Both fish were released and reported to TrophyCatch Florida. They’ll produce more lunkers.
Saltwater
Saltwater’s inshore gamefish slam – snook, redfish, spotted seatrout, remains catch-and-release only below the Hernando-Pasco county line.
Be sure to fish flats, where the current speeds up around points, sandbars, islands, and passes. In Tampa Bay, hot spots include Big Cockroach Bay, Little Cockroach Bay, and Bishop Harbor.
Bigger snook are in spawning mode and in lower Tampa Bay. They’re close to shorelines and will crash your walk-the-dog lure.
See mullet jumping? Work that area for redfish. Seatrout are in deeper, grassy water, near sandy potholes. Throw jigs and suspending twitchbaits.
Or, go for the trash slam – puffer, lizardfish, pinfish. No, don’t.
Your comments and fishing reports are welcome