Fishing Report • October • St. Pete Beach Fishing Report from Salty Fly Charters

Fly & light tackle fishing anglers on board the ‘Salty Fly’, my custom Silver King flats skiff caught various species on the flats last week. Cooler water and air temperatures helped to make the week of the 12th one of the best of this fall’s season. The bait is plentiful and everywhere on our Tampa Bay flats and the fish are on the feed. Fishing the south side flats from St. Petersburg to Ft. De Soto, my anglers caught numerous trout, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish and sharks.

October – Inshore waters

Tuesday, October 13th, even with a cold front moving through as we fished, the flats fishing became explosive, and the bite increased as the day progressed. With light, westerly winds and sunny skies, we drifted flats and edges in 2 feet up to 8.

Using custom, hand-tied flies and L & S Mirrolure Heavy Dines, my anglers Barrett Hahn, Christina Rockov and brother Miguel Pena enjoyed a great day on the water. With safety being my number 1 goal, everyone on board caught fish all day and never got hooked or cut by the sharp-toothed species or many hooks being used.

 

St. Pete Beach Fishing Report and Fishing Forecast

With the strong, easterly winds that we’ve experienced since the weekend, much of the bait fish and predatory species should push closer inshore. As the inshore waters return to normal expect fishing to stabilize and the bite to get better as the tides start in increase with the approaching full moon. TIP – If you tides are weak where you are presently fishing and the bite is slow, try finding areas to fish where the tide waters are squeezed, either by the flats depth, tide strength or wind. If you can find better moving waters to fish, you’ll usually find them much more productive.