Permit and Cobia Roaming with Tarpon

Vance Tice of Tampa Fishing Outfitters said tarpon are biting off the Pinellas beaches, on Egmont Key and off Bean Point, among many silver kings spots. Some cobia and permit have been showing up among the as well, he said.

During the full and new moons, the big tides flush crabs around and anglers have a chance at catching a smorgasbord of fish, such as monster snook, redfish and permit.

Look for tarpon to spawn into next month. After their spawn, more tarpon will head to the Howard Frankland Bridge, Courtney Campbell Causeway and Gandy Bridge and on the east side of the bay by downtown Tampa and the Hillsborough River.

“They’ll hang out there during the summer,” Tice said.

Tice said the range markers are holding mangrove snapper, gag grouper and a few Spanish mackerel.

Offshore, the best bite for Tice has been from 120 to 1235 feet of water primarily for mangrove snapper, red snapper and gag grouper. He said frozen baits, pinfish and white bait, along with a lot of chumming behind the boat, produced tons of keeper mangrove snapper.

“I also heard the Middlegrounds have been on fire,” Tice said. “Lots of big red snapper, mangos, gags, red snapper and amberjack.”