Mangrove Snapper: Fishing for mangrove snapper is about as good as it gets for Tampa Bay area anglers and locations elsewhere.

1: At Big Pier 60 in Clearwater, mangrove snapper have been caught nearly every day this past week. Spanish mackerel are steady catches along with spotted trout, bonnet head and nurse sharks. One tarpon was caught this week and a few Atlantic spadefish were caught, reports Big Pier 60 Bait & Tackle (727-462-6466).

2: At Madeira Beach, nearshore there’s a few hogfish here and there around a depth of 40 feet. There’s some keeper size red grouper, but a lot of shorts. Big lane snapper are biting at a depth starting around 60 feet, along with some nice mangroves. Deeper offshore, triggerfish season opened on August 1 and the bite is pretty good. The gag, red and scamp grouper bite is also good in deep water, reports Capt. Dylan Hubbard of Hubbard’s Marina (727-393-1947).

3: At John's Pass, there’s “absolutely ridiculous” numbers of snook in the pass, especially at night and just before sunrise. During the day they’re biting just outside the pass and on the beach. There’s also “clouds” of mangrove snapper around the bridge, the docks and just about any structure. Some pompano are biting from the jetty and on the nearby beach. There’s not many redfish in the pass, they’re mostly tucked up in the back bays, reports Hubbard.

4: At Fort De Soto Park, there’s lots of snook around the marina, the docks and the seawall. Mangrove snapper and sheepshead are also plentiful. The oyster bar flats around Tarpon Key are producing a good redfish bite. The flats off Conception Key are also good for redfish and some trout. Inside the park, good size trout have been caught at the Soldier’s Hole. The Gulf Pier is holding Spanish mackerel and sharks, with all the bait. Mangrove snapper and sheepshead are biting around the pilings. Snook are biting in the rocks at the base of the pier and along the beach. Bunces Pass is also producing snook, whiting and a few flounder, reports Capt. Claude Hinson at Tierra Verde Bait and Tackle (727-864-2108).

5: Around the Sunshine Skyway and lower Tampa Bay, good numbers of Spanish mackerel have shown up throughout lower Tampa Bay. Anchor up along the edges of the shipping channel and chum with live or cut scaled sardines for the best numbers. Mangrove snapper are biting in the same places. The large bumpers around the Skyway and the articial reefs are holding lots of good size snapper. A 1/8 oz. jig head with a small live scaled sardine or a piece of cut bait will get the bite. A lot of smaller sized tarpon are around the bridge on the top of the outgoing tides. Most of these fish are ranging from 60 to 100-pounds, reports Capt. John Gunter of Palmetto (863-838-5096).

6: At Anna Maria, limits of mangrove snapper are biting around any of the reefs, hard bottom ledges, the bridges and certain areas on the flats. There’s a lot of snook on the beaches. Any kind of structure will be holding snook, as well the deeper troughs along the shore. There’s also been quite a few redfish up to 32 inches caught while fishing for snook on the beach, reports Capt. Shawn Crawford of Florida Sport Fishing Outfitters (941-705-3160.

7: At St. Petersburg, the mangrove snapper bite is very good along the shipping channel, at the Skyway and around just about any structure. Scaled sardines, shrimp and small pinfish are producing good size fish. The gag grouper bite is also good along the channel and on the bay reefs. The flats off Tarpon Key are good for redfish and trout. Pinellas Point is also good for snook and redfish around the docks. Weedon Island has a good snook bite on live baits and redfish are taking cut bait on the bottom. Spanish mackerel are in the bay around the Skyway and out to Egmont Key. There’s still a few tarpon on the beaches from St. Pete Beach down to Longboat Key. There’s also some tripletail on the swim buoys, reports Larry Mastry at Mastry’s Tackle (727-896-8889).

8: In the north end of Tampa Bay, mangrove snapper fishing is good around the bridges and most structure. The shipping channel further south and the reef off of Picnic Island are also good for snapper. Big schools of big black drum moved in around the bridges. They’re eating shrimp, cut crab and yellow color Berkley Gulp baits. Snook are pretty much everywhere and the redfish bite is good in the upper bay around Safety Harbor way. There’s still a few tarpon around the bridge at night. Some of the markers in the bay are holding tripletail, reports Gandy Bait & Tackle (813-839-5551).

• At Homosassa, it’s August, so look for over slot size, schooling redfish on the spoil banks in Crystal River. Western facing points between Chassahowitzka and Hagen's Cove can also provide some of the best redfish action of the year. Inshore structure or rocks in 6 to 12 feet of water are holding good numbers of mangrove snapper and white grunts. Live shrimp are the best bait. The Homosassa channel markers out past Hell’s Half Acre are producing good numbers. Look for glass minnows on the surface and there may also be Spanish mackerel in the area, reports Capt. William Toney of Homosassa Inshore Fishing Charters (352-621-9284).

• At Fort Pierce, offshore the mahi bite is decent around the 80-foot mark. On the bottom, there’s a decent bite for mangrove and mutton snapper around the same depth. At the inlet, there’s a few whiting in the surf and the weeds are thinning out. Snook and mangrove snapper are also biting in the inlet. The snook are preferring live baits during the day and jigs and Hogies at night. Mangrove snapper and a few muttons are also biting inside around the bridges. The Juanita spillway is producing some snook with the runoff. Some trout are biting in the river around the docks and deeper water mangrove lines, reports Clint Walker at the Fishing Center of St. Lucie (772-465-7637).

Compiled By Michael Wilson / Ledger Correspondent