Tampa area Fishing this month

Question
Hi Trevor,

I am an allexpert in the freshwater side of the site.  I am going to be in your area in a couple weeks and I was wondering if the fishing has rebounded from the deadly cold?  I am going to be staying in the Bradenton area and probably fishing piers or wading.  Here are a few areas I thought I'd try.  Any thoughts on them?  Green Bridge (Palmetto).  AMI city Pier or Rod and Reel Pier.  The pier at the Ringling Causeway in Sarasota.  Point of Rocks in Siesta Key.  Or the Sunshine Skyway Piers.  I will also be near where Hwy 64 crosses Palma Sola Bay.  Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Marc

Answer
Sorry But I was checking with some of the people I know around that area. The bad thing here is we had a large kill of the Snook, Many of the larger offshore ones were found on the beaches dead and thousands of Pin Fish so. So much so that the FWC annouced a CLOSING of the Spring Snook Season until Sept 1st. However the more hardy fish have been doing fine BUT they are very slow and in many cases Unresponsive. The Trout seem to be the most active on some of the Grass Flats But hard to find and still very slow compared to our usual abundance of them this time of year. The gulf got the coldest it has ever gotten so there is a definite shock to the ecosystem going on.
- The Piers and some of the other favorite spots around there may yield fish but a very slow presentation is required and your best bet will probably be on outgoing tide in areas where the fish can lay in wait for something to wash by. Live bait is going to be your best bet Shrimp on the bottom with a split shot for trout and dead bait just laying on the bottom. Cut sardines, cut white baits (if you can find em) may work.  I am not very optomisitc about the number of fish you will catch if any but as soon as these cold spells get out of here there will be a lot more information and we should see how much damage was done by the reports that should come in.

Your best bet, Trout, using a DOA jig or a Poppoing cork with a shrimp....Good luck and hope you have a good time. At least it's not snowing and we can get out and fish.