February is a month of transition on Florida’s West coast. Some years it is cold, windy and a continuation of Winter and other years it is warm, humid and the start of Spring. As of now, it looks like we are going to be starting with Springtime, and with that the fishing is getting ready to explode.

Once we get the water temperatures to start climbing everything will fall into place. The migrating baitfish and the baitfish that hung out in our residential canals all winter will break out onto our shallow grass flats, and that will trigger the start of what we all know as the spring bite! The first to enjoy the presence of the baitfish will be the big Sea Trout, they will begin to gather on all of our barrier islands and any rock and oyster bars adjacent to deeper water. These Trout will be in large schools as they are preparing to spawn, so the action can be fast and furious if you hit the right spot. The next to find the bait enticing will be the Snook that have been on a pretty strict diet all winter. They will be waiting on almost every point that has any current and deep water near.

One thing that will be different with the Snook is they will move from point to point pretty quickly as they work their way out to the open grass flats to feed on the arriving bait. The feed will turn on and off with the tide, so make sure you keep a mental note of when the bite started for the next time out.

The third part of our inshore trio, the Redfish will be on the prowl for not only the influx of baitfish but also plenty of shrimp and crabs will become a lot more available to them. For this reason, the redfish will roam the grass flats in search of all of these tasty morsels. If you are looking for Redfish this month I would look around any structure, such as oyster bars, sand holes, deeper troughs, and any kind of debris that will hold food for them.

With springtime right in front of us, there are several other species that will start to become available. Spanish Mackerel, Kingfish, Cobia, several Sharks, Triple Tail, Flounder, and loads of Jack Cravelle.

As always the tides and weather will dictate the best days to be out there but one good thing with February is that once the water gets to 70 degrees the bite is on! Look to the calendar to see when the full and new moons are, these will be the best days!

This has been a very constant year to say the least, a cool winter has led to a warm and very mild spring, and that have led to warming April winds. And through it all the fishing has been FANTASTIC, lots of big Snook, Redfish, and an abundance of big Trout.

The only draw back has been the Sardines that we use for bait, it has been tough to get and non existent for some. Luckily i have had a few little hidding spots that hold them and Ive been able to keep my clients fishing with the bait that the fish really want this time of year. This is the time of year that everybody waits for, Snook, Redfish and Cobia take center stage and that is what everybody is coming to catch. This spring has not disappointed in that aspect. This has been the best year in the past 15 years for Big Snook ( 35 inches +) they seem to be on every point and deep trough that has good water flow, and they are eating like they are starving!! The Redfish while not as thick as the Snook are here and when you have the right feed and approach them on the right tide you can have some big days 15 to 20 fish days are not uncommon. The Cobia have been going in and out with every little front we get, but when they are here all you have to do is get a bait in front of them and it is on. I have had a big advantage over them with the new boat and the hight i gain by using the tower on it. Once we spot the Cobia i am able to follow him and get the cast we need to catch him. There have also been loads of Trout and Mackerel around to but I very early target them this time of year as most of my clients would rather catch the big 3! If you are going after them though any of the Barrier Islands such as Anclote and both of its Sand bars are loaded with them, along with all the rock bars from Gulf Harbors to Dunedin, with Trout you will usually have company as once the school is found everybody will get in on the action.

Next week will be my last week in the north area as It is time to chase Tarpon in Boca Grande, the fish have been there for a while now and i can’t wait to start flying some Tarpon. I do have some afternoon trips still available but the mornings are booked solid until mid July, but give me a call if you want to catch a king, if I can’t take you I can help you find a full time Capt. to put you on one.

 

Capt. Greg DeVault

727-919-8666

 

 

Well so much for a warm winter!! Mother Nature brought a very abrupt end to our Indian summer about 3 weeks ago. Since then we have had 5 cold fronts come through our area in 7 days…needless to say it has put the fish into a bit of a tailspin. But one good thing about fishing in Florida is there is always something that will bite, especially if you have the right equipment to get to where they are at! I just happen to have the tool for the job, my 18 foot airboat will get me back into the back country where the water tends to stay a little warmer and a little deeper, if you know where the holes are. And because of this I have been able to put my Clients on very good catches of Snook, Redfish and Trout, while other are scrapping by with Ladyfish. It is a unique way of fish and I work with Mother Nature, not against her. I look forward to the North wind that blows so cold and the extremely low water that comes with it, as the water levels become VERY low and trap the fish in all the holes that I can still get to. But enough of how the right tools make a good carpenter lets get to whats biting.

The Redfish have been very good this winter, bunched up in small schools they have been eating very well as long as you do not push them out of the hole they choose to be in. Mirrolure Lil Johns have been the ticket most of the time with a Live shrimp picking up the stragglers.

The same holes were holding good numbers of Snook from 10 inches to 40 inches and they to were very aggressive on the Lil Johns, but were also eating the Mirrodines good also. They have slowed up dramatically since the last blast of cold air finally got the water temps to touch the 50s, but when we get a little warm up they go right back to the feed!

The Speckled Trout has been decent this winter but not on fire, the size is good but the numbers seem to be down, at least for me. Normally 100 trout a day is not uncommon this time of year but it seems if we can get 1/4 of that we have been doing good. I may just be fishing to far in the Back country to be getting the numbers I’m used to, but the Reds and Snook have made up for it.

Looking Forward February is only a couple weeks away and it will be time to throw the cast net as the crickets we love to use will become effective again. look for this spring to be Very good as we have had a normal winter with cool water temps and lots of fronts, the fish will be hungry when the warm winds from the south kick there metabolism up a notch!

What a winter it is going to be!! we have already had a lot of cold air make it into the sunshine state and the water is cooling off nicely. the Big trout have begun to group up and hang out over most of the hard bottom areas on the sun coast and are eating just about everything that gets in front of them, there is not much to catching a limit of nice big trout right now for sure. Just find a depression with some hard bottom around it and you will have plenty of action.

 The redfish are in BIG schools if you know where to look, they are not everywhere and you had better know where you are going or you may lose a lower unit trying to get to them. Once you do get to them it is non stop action as long as the tide is moving. the bait dosent really matter as they have been eating anything that moves!

Snook are still around in some of the deeper canals but I usually don’t mess with them this time of year, although on my last 3 or 4 charters we have been catching several small ones up to 28 inches. this time of year you will find many different species living together, Flounder, Sheephead, Redfish, Snook, Trout, and Mangrove snapper are being caught out of the same hole on most of my charters right now.

With the water cooling down it is only going to get better as we move into Dec. and Jan., The low tides will be the tides to key on. The low water will concentrate the fish into holes and troughs, this is when you need to have the right equipment, light line and long rods will get you more distance on your cast. Also if you are looking for a charter make sure your captain has a boat that is capable of getting to the SHALLOW areas that the fish are in right now, its no fun watching fish being caught while you are on the outside looking in or worse yet, setting on bottom stuck!

The holidays are coming and so are the crowds, if you are wanting to do some fish for Christmas contact me soon there are only a handful of days left for Dec. and Jan.

 

Fish on,

Capt. Greg DeVault

727-919-8666

It has been a long hot summer for sure, seemed like not to long ago I was wondering if we were going to get the dreaded heat that we associate with summer. Well it made it and it was all it was supposed to be. Along with the normal heat of summer has come some very good and unexpected fishing, our Cobia that are usually gone from the inshore waters have been fairly plentiful all summer, and the redfish that are spread out and lethargic to say the least have been aggressive and very abundant if you know where to look. The snook that are normally easily to find and tough to catch have lived up to there normal summer standards. The “other ” activity of summer, Scalloping, was spectacular this year. The Scallops were as thick as I have ever seen them and I was as busy as I have ever been with charters to pick them up. looks like next year we are going to be VERY busy hunting down the tasty little critters, check out our new website dedicated to scalloping, www.scallopcharters.com .

As I said it was a better than average summer for fishing in Tampa Bay and New Port Richey, but the best is yet to come. Actually it is very close to starting right now, the big schools of Mullet have started to form and the snook are moving in from the spawning rituals. it is only a matter of a few cold fronts getting through the state to cool the water just a bit before the dinner bell is ringing non stop. Don’t wait to long or the best days will be gone, this is one of the best times of year coming up and the fish are defiantly ready and waiting for you!!

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727-919-8666

 

 

It has been awhile since my last report, but the months of April, May, and June are always very busy! This year was actually the busiest I have ever been. I did not have a day off from March 21 through July 10, that was a long run and didn’t leave much time for site maintenance. But now that the big rush is over it is time to catch up on some things that need to be taken care of.

It was a great couple months in Boca Grande this year for sure, there were more Tarpon in the water than I have seen in several years and the weather was very cooperative. I only lost two trips to weather out of the 80 I had booked, and the best part about fishing in Boca Grande is if you cant get to the Tarpon we have TONS of snook to catch. And catch them we did.  But when the weather and the tarpon were happy ( which was a lot this year) we were flying tarpon on the Beach, in the Pass, and on the Hill.

Well that was what happened last month, let talk about the fishing this month. I got back home and started running charters in the New Port Richey area right away, I was able to find bait in A LOT of areas, and it is very thick. One or two throws of the net and you are done. The fishing was pleasantly good. We have been able to catch slams on just about every charter I have run since getting back, and the numbers have been good.

The Redfish have been the best, they are in small groups on most every hard bottom area we have. And the mullet are starting to group up in large schools already, when you find one of these schools it will be loaded with redfish also. I sat on one school the other day and caught 20 reds out of it. This activity should keep on all the way until the mullet spawn in December. Looks like were going to have a great Fall.

The Snook are not as plentiful up here as there were down in Boca Grande, but there are plenty of them. They are a little more finicky than the redfish, but when you get the tide right they will eat. Pin fish has been the bait for snook the last few days, but they will eat a dine just as fast. The obvious places on the beaches have fish on them but they also have a lot of traffic to. Don’t be afraid to look in some of the late Spring spots you may be pleasantly surprised.

The Trout fish in the summer is usually pretty good, the only draw back is the size. They are a lot smaller than what you will catch in the cooler months, but there are plenty of them. Deeper grass flats are holding tons of them right now, use your smaller bait to chum them up and then sit back and catch all you want. Trout feeding will attract other trout, so once you get them around you they will stay as long as the food is there. And be ready there are some good ones out there, we caught 10 over 20 inches on a charter this week.

I am defiantly out of typing shape, my hand already has a cramp! There is a lot going on this time of year, the grouper are open and eating, scallops are open and plentiful and its just a great time to be on the water with light winds and beautiful weather. This week starts my scallop charters so next report I will be able to give you a first hand report of how thick they are.

If your looking to get out and have some fun this summer give me a call and we can make it happen!

 

Capt. Greg DeVault

727-919-8666

 

WOOOOHOOO!! That sums up how I feel, we have finally made it to Springtime. I know the fish have been feeling it, but mother nature just wouldn’t let them break out of the cold water. Well it has finally happened, the water temps are in the high 60’s and will be above the 70 degree mark soon. Even though we have had a cold March the fishing was very good, and with the warm start to April the fishing has been even better.

The Snook have taken center stage the past week, with all my charters catching a lot of them. They were waiting on the warm water and when they got it they started to eat! there have been several days that we have had 10+ snook days and the size is getting better every moon cycle. I am starting to see the Snook on a lot of the outside points but the biggest groups are still up in the backwaters. It wont be long before they get out and really start to hunt down there food, they are very hungry.

The Redfish have not slowed down a bit, they have moved around a little bit but we are still catch very good numbers of reds. The one thing that has changed is there diet, they are starting to eat the live bait a lot better. They are still eating cut bait, but they have no problem chasing down a live sardine know. There is no certain area for them to be, they are still moving around quite abit but the numbers in the schools are getting bigger.

Our Trout fishing has stayed pretty steady all year, there are LOTS of Speckled Trout around and everyone is catching them. All you need to do to find some trout is to find a little structure, rock piles, pilings, spoil Islands, and anything else that is on the flats. The size of the Trout is not as big as normal but they are still good solid fish.

And finally the Cobia have arrived! I have been seeing several of them as I move from spot to spot. They are on the backs of the sting rays for the most part but you will see a free swimmer occasionally. They will eat just about anything you get in front of them right now, but not much will beat a pinfish if they get finicky.

I have been waiting for Spring temperatures to get here and now that they have it has finally broken loose. We are right in the middle of the best fishing of this year and it should stay for several more weeks. Enjoy the pictures of the last few charters.

Capt. Greg DeVault

727-919-8666

 

 

February has come and with it what seems to be the start of a very fishy springtime. While I have been out almost everyday the past couple months, it has been the past few weeks that I have been seeing more and more fish on the flats. And the Sardines that all the fish are looking for are here to.

The redfish are in big schools already, i have been fishing 4 schools for about two weeks now that all have around 100 to 200 fish in them. And the best part is they are eating very good, we have been able to catch them on both live bait and artificial s. The Speckled Trout have not been quite as good as I expected them to be by now, but they are here and they are big! If you find some fish away from the community holes you will catch plenty, but if you are sharing fish with others, be prepared to catch a few and look at ALOT.

Our Snook are starting to show up but mother nature keeps sending fronts our way to keep them in check for now. I think by the end of this month we will have a very good snook bite going and by mid March it will be full on. The other good thing I have been seeing while moving spot to spot on the flats are COBIA. Yes they have started to arrive and the ones I have seen are big boys to. While it is a little early for them to show up, they are here and I’m sure they will be hungry.

I know it is not warm everywhere but that is why everyone comes to Florida for vacation. The weather is great and the fish are hungry. If you are looking to get out on a Florida Fishing Charter make sure you are getting a full time guide that knows the area and has the right tools to get you on the fish at anytime. I pride myself on making sure my clients have a great trip and catch the fish they are after. Spring is our busiest time and days are filling up fast so if your looking to get out on a Tampa Bay Fishing Charter contact me as soon as you can.

Good fishing,

Capt. Greg DeVault

727-919-8666

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a winter it has been! The past month has been absolutely beautiful as far as the weather has been concerned, mid 60’s at night and low 80’s in the day. And along with all this great weather has come some of the best fishing I have seen in years! Normally we are chasing Redfish and Trout this time of year as they are the only species that really tolerate the colder months, but with the warm weather this year the Snook have been very active and very hungry.

 We have been fishing mostly on the low tides that we get all winter, this forces the fish into the holes and troughs on the flats making the fish easy targets. and easy they have been. Redfish have been in very large numbers and aggressively feeding, the trout have been going crazy also, 50 to 100 a day have been the norm. And last but not least the Snook, they have been on the flats looking for anything moving so they can fill there belly.

This warm winter we have had is going to make for an early spring, with lots of fish and plenty of beautiful days to catch them on. Our spring usually begins in February here in Florida, and it is starting already. The bait that all our inshore fish feed on have started to show up, and with a few more weeks of warm weather we will be fully into our Springtime!

Here are a few pictures of the great fish we have been catching, hope you enjoy them and I look forward to getting out and catching them with you!

 

Capt. Greg DeVault

727-919-8666 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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