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Post by Mackerelman on Feb 12, 2019 20:28:04 GMT -5
Mack don't usually bite at night... Unless you morning late afternoon... I casted from about 4:30 till 6:30 so before dark - was using several different spoons To get them to bite at Night You sometimes need Live Greenbacks under a street light. I have done that. But like Tears said, Macks usually don't bite at night.
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Mackerel ?
Feb 12, 2019 20:54:18 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by SkyJay on Feb 12, 2019 20:54:18 GMT -5
match the hatch at night- outgoing tide freeline livies. one time way back my son got em bitin a gold Rattletrap and wore em out for about 2 hours but that was mid summer.
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Post by tears143 on Feb 12, 2019 21:49:59 GMT -5
I casted from about 4:30 till 6:30 so before dark - was using several different spoons To get them to bite at Night You sometimes need Live Greenbacks under a street light. I have done that. But like Tears said, Macks usually don't bite at night. I catch bunch of them at night last year. Dead bait drifting next to the light. They were biting mid column.
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Post by tears143 on Feb 12, 2019 21:52:48 GMT -5
The macks finally showed in Naples today. Started crashing bait. Some decent fish over the rail. Up to about 18-19" Still big whiting being caught as well. Bigger than normal That really surprised Me this Year when they hit Here in Tampa Bay before Naples & the Cape Coral/Fort Myers area. When I saw the posting that the Macks were hitting Sarasota I knew that it would only be a day or two. Plus they arrived here in Tampa Bay a few days earlier than in past years. It may have been the Warm temperatures that We have been having in January. Almost every Year, they arrive here around February 15th or around February 21st. History does repeat itself according to the Fish. Not a surprise at all. Very few people know that there are 2 runs with pompano as well as mack. The bigger one are the one coming from the south. The smaller run which you are seeing right now is coming from the bay. Power plant and river fish. I have a very photo of macks being caught last year beginning of Feb. I only learned of this last year as well. When you think you finally understand everything and then you realized you only understand a piece of the puzzle only.
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Post by Mackerelman on Feb 12, 2019 22:15:20 GMT -5
Here is My last Years catch on February 14th 2018
Tears's Catch on February 26, 2017 My Catch 2-19-2016
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Post by tears143 on Feb 13, 2019 10:44:27 GMT -5
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Post by silverspoon on Feb 13, 2019 12:34:13 GMT -5
NOAA monitoring of water temp at St. Pete shows gave back like 4 degrees with this front, had risen above 70 degrees when fish were being caught a few days back, disappointed but just days away from ideal temps
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Mackerel ?
Feb 13, 2019 12:45:00 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by tears143 on Feb 13, 2019 12:45:00 GMT -5
NOAA monitoring of water temp at St. Pete shows gave back like 4 degrees with this front, had risen above 70 degrees when fish were being caught a few days back, disappointed but just days away from ideal temps Water temp? Didnt know it rised to 70 yesterday. Crazy.
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Mackerel ?
Feb 13, 2019 16:16:10 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by parkpass on Feb 13, 2019 16:16:10 GMT -5
I'm out here now and not much happening, got one 15" Mack and saw one more caught. If the bait is here it's deep and not active, birds are waiting patiently for a meal
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Post by mackdude on Feb 13, 2019 19:51:28 GMT -5
Fished this afternoon for some Mangos on my boat, limited out in an hour suprisingly with a monster 17 incher. I wasn't able to make it out, but I think I saw a charter boat catch a nice king (couldve been a cuda). Could it be that the Kings are back or no? Dont want to make any premature guesses and end up getting grilled.
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Post by Mackerelman on Feb 13, 2019 19:51:32 GMT -5
In My opinion, the Macks in the Bay should start biting on on Friday or Saturday once the Air Temperature warms up a bit after Today's & Tomorrow's Cool Weather. The Big Macks should be coming through once the Gulf Water Temperature reaches 70 degrees & the Air Temperature in in the 80's. The Bait Schools are probably not here yet. If the Bait were here, the Big Macks would be here to eat it like in Past Years. Looking at the Weather Forecast, I would say the Big Macks arrival should be sometime Next Week when the Air Temperature is in the 80's. I like Warm Water & so do the Big Macks. skywaypiers.proboards.com/post/41415/threadBe Ready ! I know I will Be ! Good Luck !
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Post by willdawson84 on Feb 13, 2019 21:25:55 GMT -5
I know im going crazy waiting for the run of big fish to happen i got my stuff ready an im watching this report about 4-6 times a day (no fingernails left to chew! Lol )i thank everyone who can contribute information on this board you are eyes and ears for those who do so themselves a big thank you
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Post by silverspoon on Feb 14, 2019 8:52:39 GMT -5
yeah, water temp at St. Pete has fallen some more, been dropping steadily for past couple of days, looks like sights set for next week, the waiting is the hardest part
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Post by tears143 on Feb 14, 2019 9:43:46 GMT -5
Fished this afternoon for some Mangos on my boat, limited out in an hour suprisingly with a monster 17 incher. I wasn't able to make it out, but I think I saw a charter boat catch a nice king (couldve been a cuda). Could it be that the Kings are back or no? Dont want to make any premature guesses and end up getting grilled. boat inside the bay?
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Post by Mackerelman on Feb 14, 2019 10:06:40 GMT -5
A Message I received from the NS Skyway Pier says, "Looks like the Spanish Mackerel have started to move in along with Silver Trout, Whiting and Sheepshead".
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Post by justfishin2 on Feb 14, 2019 12:46:01 GMT -5
A Message I received from the NS Skyway Pier says, "Looks like the Spanish Mackerel have started to move in along with Silver Trout, Whiting and Sheepshead". I was out yesterday on the SSP from 8am to around 1pm, caught 4 keepers and had multiple follows and pull offs. They seemed to like the top water system, popping float with a spoon trailer on a 7 to 8'ft leader. Got cold and wet, but that's why we have heaters in our trucks :-)
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Post by Mackerelman on Feb 14, 2019 13:02:11 GMT -5
Tomorrow should be good & maybe better with Warmer Weather moving in on Feb. 15th. Did You see any Big Macks ? Great Pic Justfishin2 !
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Post by justfishin2 on Feb 14, 2019 13:07:50 GMT -5
I agree with Mackerelman on the air and water temps, I'm looking to get back on the SSP Friday myself and hopefully it will be a sunny day. Went out earlier this week on Monday (SSP) and ran into a couple of friends who were also going after the macks. For the life of me I could not get hooked up, I guess it was not my day. But there were plenty of fish to be caught, a guy that I know had caught an easy limit and graciously gave me 11 macks for my smoker. I'm hoping to see him Friday as I have a couple of fresh smoked mack fillets to share with him. The below photos are from Monday's catch, and I smoked them all up the following day.
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Post by Mackerelman on Feb 14, 2019 13:14:08 GMT -5
That is what I call Smokers ! Thanks for the Pics !
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Post by Mackerelman on Feb 14, 2019 13:15:43 GMT -5
I am headed out there in the Morning with a few people hoping for the "Big Ones".
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Post by mangomaniac on Feb 16, 2019 12:41:27 GMT -5
Anyone been out there in the since that cold rain
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Post by Mackerelman on Feb 16, 2019 14:53:39 GMT -5
I have but caught nothing. I think that the Weather scared off the Bite.
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Mackerel ?
Feb 16, 2019 17:28:07 GMT -5
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Post by parkpass on Feb 16, 2019 17:28:07 GMT -5
Wasn't much of a bite anyway, a few were caught but nobody was piling them up
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Post by seabird on Feb 16, 2019 19:57:19 GMT -5
We may give it a go late Sunday afternoon depending upon tides and wind. Most likely site will be Ft. DeSoto. I was surprised at Friday's lack of results, weather had looked good that day and we thought we may have missed something by going to the State Fair.
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Post by karneei on Feb 17, 2019 12:25:41 GMT -5
Was at the SSP from 7:30am to 10:30am today slinging a 00 Clark Spoon behind a 3oz egg sinker. No Macks. Water was comming in, lots of grass in it. Didn't see any bait, but alot of boats at the end looking for it, they may have been getting it deep in the water colum. Only saw one fish caught, a nice Mack, on a Pomp Jig, at the usual Pomp spot.
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Mackerel ?
Feb 17, 2019 12:56:02 GMT -5
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Post by parkpass on Feb 17, 2019 12:56:02 GMT -5
Strange that you caught nothing, some were caught yesterday so it's still hit and miss I guess
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Post by justfishin2 on Feb 17, 2019 13:18:53 GMT -5
I went out Friday morning from 8 to 1:30pm, the bite was very slow. Moved all over the SSP to locate the Mack’s, the 3 that I did catch were all on sinker rigs with spoon trailers. The largest one was 18”1/2” as all were caught on my second or third drop on the retrieve. The 2 smaller Mack’s spit up several bait fish when they hit the deck, evidence of them feeding. After the current slowed way down it just shut down everything, (sheepshead & macks) we only had 1 high tide during the course of daylight and I believe without any good water movement the baitfish just dispersed and so did the mackerel.
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Mackerel ?
Feb 17, 2019 15:52:21 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by shadowxmas on Feb 17, 2019 15:52:21 GMT -5
Nice pics and thanks for the report justfishin2.
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Post by Mackerelman on Feb 17, 2019 18:58:19 GMT -5
We need an Out-Going Tide in the Mornings with a 4 Tide Day. The Macks need a Strong Current of Water.
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Post by seabird on Feb 17, 2019 20:30:19 GMT -5
We may give it a go late Sunday afternoon depending upon tides and wind. Most likely site will be Ft. DeSoto. I was surprised at Friday's lack of results, weather had looked good that day and we thought we may have missed something by going to the State Fair. We got off to a late start Sunday and given the high winds, we did not try either the Skyway or Ft. DeSoto. Went to the Sand Key piers for an hour around sunset. There were some whiting caught. I just caught a ladyfish. No macks but they may have been taken earlier. Water was rather cloudy.
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