Tampa Bay Fishing Charters

Posts Tagged ‘flats fishing tampa bay’

Tampa Fishing Charters have been very good this past month. We have been catching good numbers of Trout and Redfish. Everyone has been in on the action. Women,Children and Men alike.

The action has been steady on light tackle making some of the smaller fish really put up a nice fight. Trout have been caught in the keeper range. We have also been catching some Redfish with in the slot range of 18 to 27 inches.

This time of year the fishing can be fairly easy and kids catch on real quick.

This is a good time of year to take advantage of some rod bending steady action. No matter what your skill level Capt. Steve Betz will put you on the fish and instruct you on how to catch them.

If you would like to book a charter with Capt. Steve feel free to contact him to book your date or ask any questions you may have.

Tampa Bay Fishing Charters has plenty to offer. December weather is Spring like so we are experiencing some nice catches. I dont know how long it will last until our next set of cold fronts come along but for now we are taking advantage of it.

Cobia are in the bay and on recent charters we have been getting some keepers to the boat. Right now Cobia fishing is an option. We are still catching plenty of Spotted Sea Trout and Redfish also.

On nearshore charters we have been having a good bite also with some nice flounder coming on board. Along with flounder we have been getting Gray Snapper and Black Sea Bass. There are also a few Spanish Mackerel around to supply some drag ripping runs!

Our weather has been very mild so its time to take advantage of it.  There are plenty of opportunities to catch fish and even put a few in the box for dinner.

As always thanks for stopping by and reading my reports.

If you would like to book a charter or ask any questions feel free to contact Capt. Steve.

September is close at hand. Here at Tampa Flats and Bay Fishing Charters we are getting ready for some good action. If this next month is anything like last year you can expect to catch a nice variety of fish including Snook,Redfish,Spotted Sea Trout and possibly a Cobia or two along with many other species.

On a Tampa Fishing Charter your Fishing Guide Capt. Steve Betz likes to keep the rods bent. Spotted Sea Trout are usually a sure bet this time of year. Not only do they provide steady action,they make for great table fare. You may enjoy them fried in your favorite batter or maybe sprinkle the fillets with some spice ad a little butter and broil.

A nice bag of Spotted Sea Trout

This is a great time of year to take the kids fishing. It tends to be a little cooler outside in September making time on the water more enjoyable. Kids love the steady trout action and can also have shots at snook and redfish.

We also catch Redfish and get our shots at Cobia this time of year.

Fishing in Tampa Bay is always an adventure! I am often asked what is biting and if the fishing is good at a particular time of year. In Tampa there is always some fishing action to be had. We catch fish all year long!

If you would like to book a charter please feel free to contact Capt. Steve. He is always willing to answer your questions,and if he is booked on the date you would like he can recommend a top guide in Tampa Bay to take you.

Thank you for stopping by.

August Scalloping in Homosassa Florida has started off nicely. We are getting limits of them on most Homosassa Scalloping Charters.

We have been taking both family’s and large groups on our charters. The children are really having some fun,so much fun sometimes they take a nap on the ride back to the dock.:)

These two young ones are sleeping off all the fun they had!

We can accommodate larger groups on scalloping charters, we often take groups up to 12 people. Both Captains have knowledge of the area and work together to make sure our guest get as many scallops as possible to take home.

Most of the folks in this group were from Taiwan

If you are interested in trying something new or you have been scalloping before and would like to book a charter,please feel free to call or e-mail Capt. Steve. He will answer any questions you have.

A short Tampa Bay fishing report.

Fishing in Tampa Bay has been good as usual. This time of year dont expect off the hook fishing. Higher water temps slow the bite so fishing is all about patience.

Redfish,Trout, Snook,Mangrove Snapper and other species are all being caught. Live and dead bait has been the ticket. If interested in a Tampa Bay fishing charter give Capt. Steve a call. He will set you up with some of the finest guides in Tampa that are in his personal network of skilled charter captains.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great summer!

Scalloping in Homosassa Florida has been a wonderful experience so far this year for my clients. I cant think of a better way to beat the July and August summer heat. If you are looking for something different to do this summer with your family and friends look no further. You will be asking yourself why you did not give scalloping a try sooner!

Scallop

Scalloping is done by snorkeling on the shallow grass flats of the pristine waters of the Gulf of Mexico in Homosassa Florida. Scallops can be found in water from 3 to 6 feet deep. Its really very easy to do. As you scout the sea grass and sandy holes you will see them laying on the bottom. A quick dive down yields,a collection of 3 or 4 at a time in some cases. Children as well as adults find it thrilling as they scan the bottom not only finding scallops but also spotting starfish and small bait fish swimming the flats.

Snorkeling scanning the bottom for scallops

Scalloping is like a Big Easter Egg Hunt! It can get very competitive with family’s and friends trying there best to out do the others on how many they can collect.

She may just be the Winner!

Now that you have your limit of Scallops,you can either clean them your self (our captains will instruct you) or you can drop them off with the Scalloping cleaning crew and have them done for you(for a fee) while you enjoy a cold beverage and food at one of the local water front restaurants.

Enjoying a break at the Freezer

When you are ready to enjoy eating your freshly caught Homosassa Florida scallops you will need a recipe. My favorite recipe is very simple. I save a lot of the scallop shells. I clean them up with some dish sop and water and then put 2 pieces of scallop meat in each shell half. Sprinkle the tops of them with you favorite seasoning. I like a little garlic powder or a dusting with some Old Bay. Now top the scallops with some grated parmesean cheese and a pad of butter. Put your scallops on a baking pan and either slide them in the oven on 350 or on your grill. Cook until the cheese is melted. Do not over cook! You will come up with a dried out scallop.Enjoy!

Scallops on the Half Shell

Now for the Tampa Bay fishing report!

This time of year the early bird gets the worm,so to speak. Beating the summer heat is key. Ask your guide to pick you up early morning. Trust me you will want to be off the water by noon!

Black drum in the 30 to 50 pound range are hanging at the bay bridges. These fish make for awesome battles on light tackle. There are still some Tarpon to be caught along with Redfish,Snook and Trout. Sharks can also be had and can be very thrilling to catch!

Black Drum Caught on Light Tackle

Tarpon Boat side!

If adventure is what you want then give Capt. Steve a call!

The summer heat is here and so are the fish that come with it. Tarpon, Sharks,Spanish Mackerel and Bonita are here.

On recent charter’s we have caught them all but the elusive Tarpon. We have had hundreds if not thousands of Tarpon around the boat. They have just not been willing to cooperate and bite on our offerings. I am hoping that on the next Full Moon tides in June the story will be different.

Tarpon Rolling by the Boat

While Tarpon fishing we often do what is called chumming. We cut baits into to pieces and put them out behind the boat. We will then free line a live or chunk of bait on the hook back into our chum line. This can be very effective at times while Tarpon fishing. It can also attract some unwanted guest. On a recent trip we had Flipper show up right behind the boat. Eating our chunks of chum on his way to us. Time to move!

Flipper at the back of the boat

I am not going to lie to you. Tarpon fishing can be very frustrating at times!

The spanish mackerel,shark,bonita,are a different story. Chumming heavily and free lining baits have been producing some nice drag ripping fish on light tackle. Most anglers enjoy these type of charters because is provides a lot of action!

Sand shark

spanish mackerel and bonita

Tampa Bay fishing should remain hot through out the month of June. If Tarpon is what you want then book a Tarpon fishing charter,if its steady action and drag ripping runs oon light tackle then book a Shark Charter.

Capt. Steve runs charters 7 days a week including holidays!

The end of April is here and now its Tarpon time! This is the time of year I love as I switch gears and head out in search of the Silver Kings aka Tarpon.

May and June should prove to be two of the most productive months for Tarpon fishing. Tarpon have been  making their annual migratory run into Tampa Bay and are ready to do battle with anglers! I will continue to run my typical charters of Snook,Redfish,Trout and Spanish Mackerel but the Silver Kings will be hard for me to avoid targeting.

Speaking of Snook,April proved to be a good month filled with some nice catches. On one of my charters I had three 15 year old boys that had a blast fighting the linesiders. I had a first on my boat with a triple hook up and all fish landed. It seems inevitable that when ever this happens someone loses a fish before it is landed. Not this time as proof is in the picture!

Triple Header!

Capt. Steve is booking charters 7 days a week. So call today to get the best date!

March was a fantastic month for fishing in Tampa Bay! I was very busy with Fishing Charters and April looks to be another busy month for me. People are taking advantage of our spectacular Florida weather and awesome Tampa Bay Fishing.

This past month of March I had a variety of clients and they caught a variety of fish. Even on some of the days ours tides were not the best we managed to pull it off and catch some quality fish.

Snook (big ones),Redfish, Trout, Spanish Mackerel, Silver Trout,Flounder,and many other species were in the mix. Tarpon and Kingfish are here but I have been so busy catching all the other species I have yet to target them this year.I am however getting ready to switch gears and start fishing for the Silver Kings aka Tarpon!

I suspect April fishing is only going to get better. The bay is covered with bait fish and along with that comes a lot of good fishing. Red Grouper season opened on the 1st so the opportunity will be her to target them on nearshore charters. Tarpon fishing should really heat up and following the Tarpon into Tampa Bay will be Sharks. Spanish Mackerel should be hot and steady making some great action for Kids and Adults! Snook,Redfish and Trout will all still be here and ready for the catching!

This is the perfect time to book a fishing trip with Tampa Flats and Bay Charter’s! The weather should remain mild through the month. This is the perfect time to take a Kid fishing.

Here are a few pictures from last months charters.

Alex's first snook!

Spanish Mackerel

Brent with his first snook!

Girls can catch fish too!

Alicia took her kids fishing while on vacation.

I hope you enjoyed my report and pictures. If you happen to be in town on vacation or are a local wanting to learn more about fishing in Tampa Bay it would be my pleasure to take you on your next fishing adventure!

Capt. Steve Betz

March fishing has really been very good.  We were dealt a handful of days this month with some really slow moving tides that made it a little difficult to catch large amounts of fish,but the quality of fish were there.

On my charters this month clients are catching a variety of fish. Redfish,Trout,Bluefish,Spanish Mackerel,and Snook have all been caught along with other species. It is that time of year that you get surprised at what you may catch on a Tampa Bay Fishing Charter.

Here are some pictures of some catches on recent charters.

Crowne family showing off some of their catch

Little girls having fun with Dad

Father and Son with a nice Snook

Redfish for dinner

The spanish mackerel are here!

If you would like to book your nect Tampa Bay Fishing Charter please fell free to call or Email Capt. Steve with any questions.

Capt. Steve charters full time in the Tampa Bay area 7 days a week 365 days a year.

Its February and it feels like spring time! Our weather here in the Tampa Bay area has been mild for the most part this winter. We have had very few days of what I would consider cold weather for the area. Mostly our days have been starting out with 60 degree temps and getting up into the 70s and 80s by the afternoon. Crazy weather for February!
That being said Tampa Bay Charters is having some good days on the water. Snook, Redfish and Trout are all being caught on the flats of Tampa Bay. We had an early showing of bait this year. Catching bait is something I don’t usually expect to do until mid to late March. It actually showed up in January but I continued to use live shrimp as the fish were more than ready to eat them. Things change so I am now catching the bait for my charters again. A little sooner than expected this year.
On a charter just this week my clients did very well catching snook,redfish and trout. I only expect the fishing to get better as we get into the real spring time!
Here are a few pics from a recent Tampa Bay Fishing Charter.

Thanks for stopping by to read my reports. I hope to take you on your next fishing adventure.

Capt. Steve Betz