Capt. Tyson WallersteinFlats Monster Inshore Fishing

Snook, trout, jack crevalle and mangrove snapper are holding along the Tampa Bay bridges. Hot conditions have slowed the bite at many of the typical summer spots, however good water flow and the depth around the bridge structure attracts bait and predators alike.  

Free-lining sardines along the fenders and any of the pilings holding bait will tempt whatever fish might be holding there. Medium weight rods do just fine for pulling the fish from the structure. Typically, a thirty-pound leader is all the heavier you need to go however, if you’re specifically targeting mangrove snapper then downsizing to 25 or even 20-pound fluorocarbon might be necessary.  

Other structure spots such as artificial reefs and causeway rocks are holding fish as well. Targeting these spots early in the day is a good idea as the bite generally slows down after 10 a.m.  

Plenty of bait can be found cruising the slightly deeper pothole bottom away from the mangroves. Flats south of Gandy bridge have been holding the most bait.  

          Redfish have been hanging out under the mangroves during the last half of the incoming tide and the first couple of hours of the outgoing tide. Work the mangrove points with either free-lined pilchards or pinfish. Casting your baits as close to the bushes as possible is a must when hunting redfish in the trees.