FISHING REPORT 7/21/23: Yo Gulfster’s, it’s hot outside and water temps are up but the fishing is pretty hot right now too! Tons of sheepshead and snook are around area passes and structures near the pass line docks. The snook are chewing on greenbacks and other live baits. Flipping a bait under a dock where the shade has the water a bit cooler is a great approach. The sheepshead are chewing on shrimp and fiddler crabs. Use a small hook and keep the line tight to detect those bait stealers. I use a 15-20 pound fluorocarbon leader max for best results. Mangrove snapper are also abound on docks and bridges in the bay. Small live baits on the bottom close to the structure will get the bigger ones to eat. Once the get fired up you can get them to eat heavier jigs as well. Offshore there’s been great reports of big mangrove and red snapper as well as some lane snapper. Red grouper are also being caught in that 80-150ft range on hard bottom. Follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 6/2/23 Some awesome fishing on both coasts right now. Here on the west coast we’ve had great numbers of snook and tarpon chewing along beaches and passes. The snook are piled up in the usual summer spawn mode. This tropical storm in the gulf should only make it better with the drop in barometric pressure. Many times as a tropical system approaches and the barometer begins to drop the fish really begin chewing. Live bait has been pretty deadly but lures and flies are gettin a nice snook bite. In the same sandbar areas there’s been a lot of pompano. They’re roaming around in groups of 4-5 fish and occasionally just one single pompano prowling for food. Jigs, flies, and live shrimp are working well for the pomps if you can get it in front of them fast enough. A few cobia and a nice barracuda have also been seen on the beach while fishing so be prepared for just about anything! Bait pods have been pretty thick about one-mile offshore.  Mixed in with the bait have been sharks, bonito, and some bait stealing bottlenose dolphin. Bay Area bridges are holding a ton of mangrove snapper and black drum right now so the bridges are definitely worth a check.This time of year is a good time to freshen up on the offshore regulations. Snapper season is coming and you need to know the rules before you go. Thanks for the reports!  Follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content.  Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 4/30/23: Windy conditions abound but should settle out some this week. As we ease into May the fish are definitely on the move. The beaches are firing up with everything from kingfish, to bonito, and snook. The passes are still holding a nice mix of snapper, pompano, black drum, and trout. Live shrimp or cut bait are a great choice this time of the year. The grass beds are hit or miss but the dawn and sunset hours are getting some good action. Tons of bait just off of the beaches on every bit of structure out there. Sabiki rigs are a quick way to load up the livewell. Tarpon are on the move around the Skyway Bridge. Live threadfins or whitebait drifted down current will trigger bites. Fish the shadow lines or close to structure. Thanks for the reports. Follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 4/8/23: Fishing is red hot now as that water temperature continues to climb.  Seems just about everything locally has been chewing.  There’s still some pompano being caught around jetties and along the beaches.  Sandfleas are the go to bait for beach fishing but sometimes live shrimp will work well also.  Around jetties and bridges I like to use small bucktail jigs or goofy jigs.  Some nice Spanish Mackerel are chewing in those same areas.  Try trolling Clark’s spoons or use live greenies for best results.   I typically will use 20lb fluorocarbon with a long shanked gold hook.  Make sure the hook matches the bait, if you’re using small baits you want to make sure the hook is light enough for the bait to swim with.  Offshore it’s a party like no other!  Big gags and red grouper.  All of the snapper species are here now.  African pompano, tuna, kingfish, and the list goes on.  Chum the fish up and use sand balls to wake up those big snapper if they’re running small. Thanks for the reports and photos.  Follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content.  Don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 3/31: Red tide has definitely cleared a bit in the PInellas area. We ran 35-miles off of John’s Pass and didn’t encounter any at all. The fishing is heating up inshore. A few more speckled seatrout are being reported inside Tampa Bay which is good to hear. Their numbers are still way down so I’m releasing all of them and promoting that to anyone that will listen. Snook and reds are plentiful inside the bay and probably will be showing along the beaches in big numbers soon. There’s a bunch of pompano at the passes and bridges close to passes. Doc’s Goofy Jigs and sandflea bait patterns are the go to. Offshore we found a mix of everything from gray triggerfish to yellowtail snapper. 50-feet plus is where I’d recommend for any bottom type fishing for snapper and hogs. A lot of kingfish around but not really a ton of bait so I recommend using chum and setting up on structure. Thanks for reading and the reports! Follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 3/12: Slow reports and photos trickling in due to red tide along beaches but there are some fish being caught. Offshore, Tampa Bay, the Skyway Bridge, and northern areas like Crystal River and producing. March is always a time to look for cobia on structures and cruising the flats behind stingrays. I always recommend either putting a big pinfish out while fishing or having a rod with a large jig ready to go. Some mid sized redfish and snook are piled up along grass edges near canals and marinas. It will be interesting to see what the snook do as we deal with red tide on the beaches this year. Last year it seems the snook went further offshore to breed. Offshore it seems like there’s some good reports of fish 12-miles and beyond. Snapper, wahoo, sailfish, and blackfin tuna are chewing to name a few! Thanks for readinch Follow me on Instagram @snookjam and my outdoor page @snook_jam_outdoors for more content. I’m working on an outdoor book focusing on Florida wildlife so follow along on the outdoor page. Also, don’t forget to submit your fishing photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 2/17 - 2/23: Yo Gulfsters, spring is upon us here in Florida and the fishing is definitely starting to turn for the better. Flats fishing is hit or miss depending which flat you are on but there’s some decent action. Snook and redfish are feeding up near the mangrove areas, in the shallow water. The trout are pretty sparse. Some areas are holding fish but overall there’s not as many as there have been in past years. Not sure if this is red tide related, overfishing, or both but we definitely need to work on their numbers. If you do catch a trout I recommend safely releasing them. Tarpon season and kingfish season are also right around the corner. Some red tide is lingering from Fort Desoto south through Sarasota and Venice. Hopefully it gets stirred up and broken up before the water really starts to warm up. Don’t forget to send in your photos and reports! Follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 2/3 - 2/9: Starting out this weekend with windy conditions after that front passage. Water temps are still chilly so most of the focus has been on bridge dwellers like sheepshead and black drum. Both are being caught around the pilings of the Gandy Bridge and throughout the Skyway Bridge system. Fiddler crabs and shrimp are landing those bait stealing sheepshead while chunks of blue crab and dead shrimp are getting the drum bite. Lots of small redfish are also being caught along with a mixed bag of snapper, flounder, and others mixed in as bycatch on the bridges. Gag grouper are crushing baits too for some fun catch and release action. Hopefully some warmer weather will get mixed in here in the coming weeks to really get the fish moving and hungry! Follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content. See some of you out at the Tampa Bay Waterkeeper Waterman tournament this weekend. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 1/20 - 1/26:  A bit slow inshore with water temps dipping in the low 60’s throughout most of Tampa Bay.  The water was 63 degrees off of Pinellas Point on Friday.  Redfish are concentrated in a few areas but with some effort you can find some cruising in the shallows.  Most fish are singles or small schools of 2-5 fish.  Dead sticking with fresh ladyfish or mullet is the easiest way to catch them this time of year.  Just set out a couple of baits and wait for them to cruise through.  The deeper holes and channels are holding trout, ladyfish, and jacks.   Slow moving jigs and live shrimp will trigger some action.   Along shorelines up in Tampa Bay there’s a lot of small snook.  The bigger fish are tucked up in marinas and creeks. Offshore the action has been steady for those getting out there.  Gag and red grouper reports are aplenty.  Remember the gag and black grouper season is closed.  Some surprises like that African pompano and blackfin tuna have been mixed in as well.   The boats out for amberjack are limiting out in 100+ feet.  Thanks for the reports and feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content.   Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn 

FISHING REPORT 1/13 - 1/19: Sheepshead continue to be the fish most prevalent in the bay with the cooler water upon us. The sheepies are loaded up on just about every structure in the bay. Look for them along seawalls, docks, oyster beds, and every bridge in the bay system! Free-lined live shrimp or fiddler crabs are the best way to get bites from these bait stealers. I recommend using a size 1 hook for best results and more hookups. Dead shrimp can sometimes work but the fresher the bait, the better! Again, you want to put that bait close to the bottom and up against structure. I’ve found that if you drop the bait on the fish they will ignore it, but if you can put it in a spot where they think they found it themselves, then they’re more likely to eat. Some nice mangrove snappers are also in some of the same spots. After they get fired up they will eat just about anything that you throw in there. Thanks for the reports and photos. Follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn 

FISHING REPORT 1/6 - 1/12: Still feeling the affects of the red tide along the coast but it does appear to have either broken up or cleared out from the cooler water temps. Not too many dead fish but it seems to have pushed the fish away from the beaches and nearshore areas. As you move inland from the gulf the fish begin to show up in good numbers. Some big sheepshead are piling up in canals and near structures inside Tampa Bay. Fiddler crabs and live shrimp will get some good action. Keep the bait close to the structure of a piling, jetty, or oyster bed for best results. If you’re interested in some tournament sheepshead fishing, St. Pete Fishing Outfitters is having a one day sheepshead tournament on February 3-4. It’s a well put together tournament tgat I have done before and you should check it out. Redfish and snook are chewing at certain times along deep mangrove edges. At time the bite is slow but try a outgoing tide. Thanks for the reports and pictures and feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn 

FISHING REPORT 12/30 - 1/5/23: Drastic water temp changes since the last cold front have made things tough. Everything from fish kills to just plain old lockjaw has slowed the bite but as things warm up I’d expect the fish to be back to chewing this week. Inshore this time of year it’s usually a good bet to target trout on the deeper grass flats and in canals. Live shrimp is always a great bait for them but slowed down soft baits will also get bites. Let those baits drop down and work just above the bottom. This technique will also catch many other fish in the same areas. In the colder months I’ve caught a ton of pompano, permit, jacks, and bluefish with this method in canals. Offshore the gag grouper bite has been on fire. Keep an eye on the fishing regulations because a lot of changes happen with the year ending. As an example, gag and black grouper season closes when we ring in the new year. Thanks for the reports and photos! As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn 

FISHING REPORT 12/23 - 12/29: Yo Gulfsters!  Sorry for the lapse in reports.  It’s been a bit crazy since Hurricane Ian and the following red tide.  The inshore fishing has been great up in Tampa Bay.  The redfish bite and snook bite has been solid.  The bite is slow from time to time as I feel like the water temperature has been out of whack since the hurricane.   But with some effort you will find pockets of hungry fish.  This temperature dip coming over Christmas weekend will probably slow the bite some.  Shrimp and dead chunks of bait might be the go to baits for catching fish this week.  Some strange fish have been showing up inside the bay.  I’m wondering if some catches like kingfish and bonefish are trapped in the bay due to the red tide and hurricane.  Offshore the grouper and snapper have been on fire.  I’m waiting to see if some big sailfish or tuna reports start to pick up.  As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you could be featured on the site as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Josiah Jones for catching this nice redfish in Sarasota Bay recently and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 10/2- 10/6 Well very sad for our neighbors down south. Please do what you can to help out! There’s a supply drive going on with Captain’s for Clean Water. You can get with drop items by Soggy Bottom Brewing or contact Skinny Water Culture or Recreation Specialist for more information. Help out where you can. The devastation is horrific and the need all they can get. Locally the fishing reports have been pretty quiet due to the storm. October, as I’ve said before, is definitely one of my favorite months for fishing here as the fish are in transition mode. Snook will still be in the passes but will start to move more inland throughout the month. Offshore the kingfish will be here this month so start prepping some lines and leaders. Usually the fish arrive mid October but it all depends on the water temperature and if it drops down near 80 sooner the fish may get here quick. The grouper also will start showing up in bigger numbers inshore. Keep those reports coming. Follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Lawton Martin for catching this nice snook recently on the beach and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 9/9 - 9/15: A bit slow out there still in the daytime with the the heat beating down. There’s been a solid mangrove snapper bite all summer. The outgoing tide is a great time to chase them. Small live baits like pigfish, pinfish, or greenbacks are the best baits but just about any small bait will work. Try a chum block around a pass or area bridge if you want but it’s not necessary this time of year. The bigger ones tend to chew at night and that’s not a bad option to beat the heat. The snook are cruising the jetties near passes like John’s Pass and Clearwater Pass. Large live baits or artificial baits are the ticket. Tripletail are on the beach and that should get better as more traps show up during stone crab season in October. Time to start thinking about getting kingfish gear in shape. It’s usually early October that we see the first migrating fish arrive. The bottom fishing reports have slowed some with some of the species closures but that too should get better in October. Thanks for the reports and follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Mac Kadzialko for catching this nice permit at Belleair Causeway recently and being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 9/2 - 9/8: The dog days of summer are here. The fish are very hit or miss during the daytime. Early morning and evening hours are the times that the fish are chewing best. Snook are piled up in the passes and along the beach. My favorite jig is a white bucktail this time of year. Another great bait is the glow DOA shrimp. Just lift the rod tip and let the shrimp swim down in a natural fashion. Redfish are along mangrove edges and docks. They’re cruising along in the shadows trying to find some relief from the heat. Lots of little sharks are cruising the grass flats eating everything in their path. Tarpon are swimming the bay bridges at night providing for some good summer action. Black drum are also piled up at the Gandy and Howard Frankland. Along the beaches, look for some tripletail and maybe a cobia or two near any structures. Thanks for the reports and pictures. Follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Asher Mootsey for catching this big Largemouth Bass near Trinity this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 8/26 - 9/1: Still some good summer fishing out there even though I saw water temps up into the 90’s this week. Snook are still hanging around at the beaches and passes. A friendly reminder to keep those fish off of the sand. Just grab them in the mouth in the water and take the hook except for maybe a quick photo. We saw several incidents of fish flopping around on decks or being drug up onto the sand. Let’s protect this awesome fishery! We saw lots of small trout this week which was fantastic to see. Spanish mackerel were charging on artificial baits on the edges of the flats near Pinellas Point and Fort DeSoto. Offshore it’s hogfish time. Lots of hogs are being caught on live shrimp on the sandy edges of hard bottom and wrecks. Thanks for all of the reports and photos! Follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Darcy Jahn for catching this big redfish on topwater near Sarasota Bay this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 8/19 - 8/25: Water temps in the 90’s I’m sure is helping to spin off a few more waterspouts right now. The fishing has been decent but a bit slower than it was in the spring and early summer. A few redfish are chewing on deep mangrove areas. Dead sticking or artificial baits are triggering bites throughout the bay. A lot of big fish over 30” are around. The snook bite is slower on the beach but they’re still cruising the shallows. Flies and white or silver colored artificial baits are getting the best results in the daytime hours. Schools of small jacks are crushing bait schools along docks and seawalls near John’s Pass and Pass-a-Grille Pass. Just about any small, fast moving bait will get them biting. Red grouper and Red Snapper are closing or already closed offshore so check in on the current regulations before heading back offshore. Some nice blackfin tuna and permit are being caught offshore so take a few different rods rigged for different types of fishing to take advantage of opportunities. Thanks for the photos and reports. Follow me on Instagram @snookjam and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Ryan Pawelkoski for catching this nice snook in Anna Maria this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 8/5 - 8/11: Hot weather and hot fishing. The bite has been great in the morning but slows quite a bit after about 9am when the temperature gets to about 90. It’s crazy that as many Spanish mackerel are up in the bay with the high water temp. They’re eating live baits and fast moving artificial baits. They were eating live shrimp yesterday and MirrOlure Lil Jon jigs. Mixed in with them were some small specks, snapper, and ladyfish. The snook are on the beach still. I’ve had to scale down leader size a bit due to some pretty clear water at times. Along the beach are still a few tarpon and tripletail have been showing up in higher numbers. The live shrimp at the bait shops have been small but pick out the biggest ones and float them to the tripletail on crab buoys and other floating debris. Offshore the gags and snapper are still in full effect. The best stuff has been in 120-160 feet of water. Live pinfish are the go to grouper candy. I’m hear also about scamp crashing the party too from multiple sources. Thanks for the reports, follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Jon Perruquet for catching this big orange filefish near the Skyway Bridge last week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 7/29 - 8/4: A little bit of a slower bite over the past week. The water temp is 90-degrees in much of our area which is making the fish maybe a bit lethargic. The morning and sunset hours are providing to be the best time of day to trigger the bites. Quite a few tarpon are lurking around the bay and near the Skyway. Fresh dead bait and live threadfins are triggering bites. The mangrove snapper bite on all local bridges is very good. Chum and lively baits are the key to getting some bigger fish. Night time is the best but be safe out there on the waters with the summer storms. Offshore the red snapper and red/gag grouper has been awesome in 120-160 feet of water. Live pinfish are always the main go to but dead sardines will also do the trick. Thanks for the reports and photos. Follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Ethan Harbinson for catching this nice white grunt on his very first trip offshore near Homosassa!

FISHING REPORT 7/22 - 7/28: Super hot and good action on the water this week. Snook are cruising the beaches and passes. Live baits and flies are great by day and artificial lures are working great after the sun goes down. In the bay, look for schools of bait right now along grass beds for a ton of action. Everything from snapper and grouper to mackerel and sharks will be following around those bait schools and are quick to take a live or fast moving artificial bait. MirrOlure Lil Jon lures work great in these situations with their quick darting action. A few nice speckled trout are showing up on the flats. The best bite is early in the morning or around sunset. Artificial baits are often best to cover a large area but a live shrimp under a cork is a great option too. Thanks for all of the photos and reports. Feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Hylind Brown for catching this nice snook near Homosassa this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 7/15 - 7/21: Warm water and storms is the name of the game here in July. There’s been a really nice mangrove snapper bite ongoing in the area. Pretty much every dock, bridge, or jetty is holding nice sized mangroves. Live baits like small pinfish, pigfish, and greenbacks near the bottom are key. Typically we’re using baits better 2” to 4”. Much larger than that and you’ll be needing heavier tackle for the grouper. Some sheepshead are also in those areas. Shrimp or crabs are the more ideal baits for the sheepies. If you’re in the bay, keep an eye out for dead fish floating around. FWC is asking us to report any fish kills. Seems there’s a problem with black drum, redfish, and snook that they are investigating. Let’s definitely take the time to report anything crazy to protect our fishing future. Offshore it’s still a very strong snapper bite. The mangrove snapper and reds were chewing heavy on the moon. Hopefully that will continue this week. Just be careful of these pop up storms out there. Thanks for the reports and feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors. Also don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too
could be featured on the site. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Robert Hembree Jr. for catching this nice crevalle jack near Cockroach Bay this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 7/8 - 7/14: The fishing is almost as hot as the water temperature. Water temps are in the upper 80’s and even 90’s in some areas. It’s definitely firing up the fish inshore. Hopefully tidal flushing will keep the red tide and other algaes back but only time will tell. The snook are still chewing heavy from upper Tampa Bay to the beaches. Look for them in the shallows early morning and then look in deeper or shaded areas at the height of the day. Jacks and mackerel are cruising the bay following around schools of threadfin and bay anchovies. Look for shimmering bait schools on the surface or fish crashing on the bait and throw fast moving jigs or flies on them for action. Offshore there’s a strong grouper bite. Both gags and red grouper are chewing in the deep water. Most fish are between 5 and 15-pounds. Hard bottom and ledges are a great place to start. Keep the reports and photos coming! Follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Dorian Curry for catching this mangrove snapper at the St. Petersburg Pier and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 7/1 - 7/7: Some great fishing out there this week. Snook are eating really well on the beach and there’s bait/mullet everywhere to be found. The snook caught this week were on shrimp and threadfins. A good amount of fish are up over 30” but most are in that 17”-24” range. Mixed in with the snook are some jacks, black drum, and speckled trout. I also saw a big barracuda charging on mullet near Fort DeSoto on Wednesday. Up in the bay there’s plenty of action. Lots of Spanish Mackerel, mangrove snapper, and even a few cobia running around. The tarpon are on the beach too. I was surprised to see some really close to the beach almost within 30-yards. Offshore there’s been some wahoo and big mackerel up high and some big snapper and grouper at about 120-feet. Reports are that there’s less boats offshore due to rising fuel costs, so maybe the fishing pressure won’t be too bad this summer. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to J. Tanner Heintz for catching these nice snapper and grouper off of Anna Maria last week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 6/24 - 6/30 It’s warm out there and the the water temp is high as well. It hasn’t seemed to affected the bite yet. The tarpon bite on the beach is good. We haven’t had a lot of luck on crabs but the threadfins and flies are triggering bites. The snook bite is strong, especially at night. Large artificial baits and live mullet are getting the bigger fish around John’s Pass and Clearwater Pass. Some big black drum are chewing at the Gandy Bridge and Howard Frankland Bridge. Big dead baits are key. If the small fish chew up your baits try a half of a blue crab to deter the bait stealers. Offshore there’s a nice snapper bite. Almost everyone is reporting limits of red and mangrove snapper with some lanes and yellowtail mixed in. Live baits are choice, but dead Boston Mackerel or squid can work as well. Thanks for the reports. Follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Dillon Magnuson for catching this big snook and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 6/17 - 6/23 It’s hot out there and the snook bite has slowed a tiny bit with the fish likely in breeding mode right now. This is typical the two week period where the bite turns off during the day as the fish catch their breath a bit from spawning efforts. The tarpon on the other hand are fired up. Lots of fish being caught around bridges and on the beaches. Small pass crabs are the bait of choice but they’re also eating threadfins and larger artificial swim baits. The mangrove snapper bite has been solid along the Skyway Bridge system and adjacent structures. Night time is always best for the bigger fish but you can pick through and find some nice fish in the day too. Some fish up to 18” are being caught along the Skyway fenders and jetty. Black drum have invaded deep water canals near St. Pete Beach and downtown St. Pete. Dead baits or live shrimp will get them chewing. A few permit are being caught at the passes. A large live shrimp or small pompano jig should trigger a couple of bites. Offshore the gag and red snapper are stealing the show but there’s also a few blackfin tuna and wahoo still around. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Brian Geighborough for catching this sweet American Red Snapper and being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 6/10 - 6/16 It’s a great time to go fishing on the Florida Gulf Coast. The bay is alive with jacks, black drum, big snapper, and mackerel chewing well on inshore structures like the Skyway Bridge system, Gandy Bridge, and Bayway Bridge. The mangrove edges are holding snook and redfish. The fish are being caught on top water MirrOlures, soft plastics, and live baits. Tarpon are firing along the Egmont Channel and beaches. Keep a jig rod on board for an occasional cobia cruising the beach as well. Big snook are at their summer pass and beach spots. Silver, clear, or white soft plastics or bucktails will trigger the bites. Offshore I’m seeing reports of nice gags, snapper, and AJ’s. A few tuna and wahoo are also being caught. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Dylan Lopez for catching this big wahoo off of St. Pete this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 5/20 - 5/26: A little bit of wind lately but otherwise some great weather. Looks like more rain in the forecast off and on this week. Look for the fish to be chewing inshore ahead of the rain events and the barometric pressure is dropping. Snook are piling up at the passes right now. Some big fish over 30” are out there. I saw bunches of them today at John’s Pass. Big schools of bait fish on the beaches will start to lure more and more of them out on the beaches this week. Spanish mackerel are crashing bait inside the bay and along the shipping channel. There’s still a bunch of pompano and sheepshead chewing on the Bay Area bridge system. They can also be found on rock walls along the Skyway causeway and along passes with jetties. More and more tarpon are arriving. Live crabs and dead threadfins are getting a lot of bites. Some big jacks are also crushing baits in the passes and just inside the passes along docks. Fast moving jigs or big live baits will trigger some bites. Offshore it’s kingfish and a few wahoo stealing the show on flat lines and trolled plugs. The bottom fishing is improving and should stay steady in June! Thanks for the reports and follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content. Don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Brendon Jordan for catching this nice gag grouper trolling off of Blind Pass last week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 5/13 - 5/19 Keep the reports coming! We need some more photos though for the Photo of the Week contest! Inshore the snook fishing has been great! Lots of fish are on the move out to the beaches. Some nice snook are already piling up in passes like John’s Pass and Clearwater Pass. I think some fish spend all year there, but there are some serious numbers of fish there now. Some of the fish will move offshore but expect good numbers all summer at the passes and adjacent beaches. Some mackerel and pompano are also chewing heavy near the passes. Look for fish busting on schools of bait for the macks. For the pompano, try a Doc’s Jig or a short-tailed bucktail jig around bridge pilings and other structures. Schools of jacks are working along with the mackerel. Some nice jacks upwards of 10-pounds are crushing big baits and larger jigs. Offshore the kingfish are still the main attraction but there’s a strong grouper bite too. Check those regulations before heading offshore carefully as the marine patrol guys are out and about. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Ethan Henke for catching this big Peacock Bass and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 5/6 - 5/12: Lots of different species are chewing this time of year in the bay and along the beaches. Snook have been starting to show up in the passes and along beaches in some pretty good numbers but we’re still far from the height of the season. Some big jacks are crashing on bait schools near the Egmont Shipping Channel and along the beaches. Redfish are also chewing good in the bay along mangrove lines and grass beds. Live pinfish and finger mullet are working well. A few black drum are showing up on beaches and even a few sheepshead. Shrimp are working well to get those two chewing. Offshore there still a strong kingfish bite. Look for the schools of bait shimmering on the surface or for the schools to show up on the fish finder. While out there you may also encounter a good blackfin tuna bite this time of year and an occasional sailfish. The snapper bite on the bottom is good as always. Lots of lane and mangrove snapper are chewing well on cut bait or small live baits. Keep submitting those reports and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt Wes Tallyn @snookjam

Congrats to Jim D’Annunzio for getting this stud redfish and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 4/8 - 4/14: Weather is crazy but the fishing has been pretty solid. Some big redfish and black drum have been chewing heavily throughout the bay. Just about any bridge or dock is holding fish in Tampa Bay. Mixed in are some pompano, sheepshead, and snook creeping out towards the beaches. Tarpon are showing at the Skyway Bridge. Live threadfins drifted in the current will get some good bites. A few fish lover 100-lbs this week. Offshore it’s still a bunch of kingfish reports that are streaming in on email. Lots of Spanish Mackerel are also joining the show with a few 5 pound fish being caught. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Tyler Robinson for catching these awesome kingfish and being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 4/1 - 4/7: Fishing is on the uptick locally with some really good action from numerous species this week. The redfish and snook are on fire on docks and deep grass beds in Tampa Bay. The snook are easing their way back out towards the beaches. Look for the passes to heat up in the next couple weeks. Spanish mackerel have invaded the inshore waters near the mouth of Tampa Bay and along the shipping channel. Some nice black drum have holed up on the grass edges and local bridges. Tarpon are also easing their way towards the beach and now is a great time to try the Skyway for some fish. Offshore it’s kingfish time! Get out with a live threadfin or blue runner for best results. Drifting the boat or extremely slow trolling a live bait is always a great option! Thanks for the reports and as always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Ashton Griffin for catching this nice snook and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 3/18 - 3/24: The water is warming up and the fish are definitely on the move. The redfish bite remains solid on the flats with live and cut baits. Tons of small snook are chewing on the same areas after being chummed up. A few big black drum are being caught on the bay area bridge system along with a strong sheepshead bite. A few cobia are being caught on the flats and on markers inside of Tampa Bay. Look for some tripletail mixed in there. I imagine some snook will be showing up on the beach this week and next week. Nearshore and offshore the mackerel have moved into the area in full force. Red grouper are chewing heavy in 80-feet of water plus. Live pinfish are the go to but they’re chewing on fresh dead baits too. Other fish being caught out there are mangrove snapper, AJ’s, and some nice hogfish. Thanks for the reports, feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Rory Kasprzyk for catching his first solo redfish while fishing with Russ Kasprzyk this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 3/4 - 3/10: As predicted the water temp shot up in most of our area this past week. The flats were even warmer. Lots of snook and redfish were pushed up on the flats. Expect them to begin their shift from shrimp and crabs to baitfish. A few sharks and jacks also were showing up in Tampa Bay crashing on bait schools. The sheepshead and black drum bite got better this week and tons of reports are showing up on social media of big fish. Still some nice pompano on the beach. Live shrimp can get them biting but the best bet is to cover a lot of area with a small jig. Tarpon season isn’t far away so start getting those reels ready with fresh line and leaders. Offshore the word is still snapper and hogfish. The kingfish tournament season is also not too far away. I usually look for between 68-70 degrees offshore when the first kings start to show themselves. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Rory Kasprzyk for catching his first solo redfish while fishing with Russ Kasprzyk this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 3/4 - 3/10: As predicted the water temp shot up in most of our area this past week. The flats were even warmer. Lots of snook and redfish were pushed up on the flats. Expect them to begin their shift from shrimp and crabs to baitfish. A few sharks and jacks also were showing up in Tampa Bay crashing on bait schools. The sheepshead and black drum bite got better this week and tons of reports are showing up on social media of big fish. Still some nice pompano on the beach. Live shrimp can get them biting but the best bet is to cover a lot of area with a small jig. Tarpon season isn’t far away so start getting those reels ready with fresh line and leaders. Offshore the word is still snapper and hogfish. The kingfish tournament season is also not too far away. I usually look for between 68-70 degrees offshore when the first kings start to show themselves. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Braden Foran for catching this awesome East Coast mahi this month and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 2/25 - 3/3: Warm weather has invaded our area and we’re seeing the water temp rise in the gulf and bay waters. Last week the temps were around 65 so with the warming trend I expect the fish to start chewing a bit better. Lots of small snook are dotted across shorelines in the warm shallows with the bigger fish still pushed up in deeper canals and rivers. The snook will begin in March to work their way out towards the beaches for their summer spawn. Redfish are mixed in and chewing in Tampa Bay but still seeing quite a decline in Boca Ciega Bay since the last summer’s red tide. The beaches are holding pompano and a few mackerel. The bridges are holding tons of sheepshead and some stud black drum. Offshore the amberjack and snapper are the main targets and some real nice hogfish are coming over the rails. Keep your eye out for some cobia cruising on the beach and on hard bottom locations on the surface! As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Landrah Brown for catching this sweet crevalle jack and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 2/4 - 2/10: The fish are there, but it’s been a bit difficult to get them to eat! Sheepshead are the most consistent of the fish that are being caught lately. The fish are literally on every dock, seawall or bridge in our area. The fish are being caught on crabs and shrimp placed close to the structures. Redfish are being seen and a few are being caught sunning on the flats mid morning and early afternoon. Look for potholes and oyster beds. Snook are piled up in their winter homes, but not chewing on all tides. If you find them in some moving water there’s more of a chance of a bite. Offshore there’s been a bunch of stud mangrove snapper coming over the rail. Fish over 20” are becoming pretty regular. Red grouper are also chewing strong. Try big live pinfish or mackerel for baits! Thanks for the reports and sorry for the slow reports during the winter season. Follow me on Instagram for more content @snookjam and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. –Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Talan Biernat for doing the dirty work by going mangrove diving and catching this nice redfish to be selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 1/14 - 1/20: The snook are definitely piling up in their winter haunts. Live shrimp and slower moving artificial baits are the key to the bites. Look for them up in canals and sunning along the shallow shorelines during mid day. Redfish and gator trout are being caught along deeper oyster bars and grass beds. Live shrimp and dead sticking are sure bets. Near the passes, bluefish, jacks, and some nice pompano have joined the party. Offshore the red grouper and amberjack are chewing heavy. Some big yellowtail snapper are joining the party around 90-100ft. Thanks for reading and for all of the reports! Follow me on Instagram @snookjam and don't forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Phil Josic for catching this big snook near St. Petersburg this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 1/7 - 1/6: The big weather swings have the fish a bit confused I think! But fish are chewing through the bay as if spring came early this year. It will be interesting to see what the spring brings after a cold October, then a mild Nov/Dec. The redfish bite continues strong throughout Tampa Bay! Any big, smelly bait will trigger a bite this time of year. Anchoring and dead sticking around a school of bait is always the best way to trigger the winter bite for redfish. The snook are in canals and marinas right now seeking water that’s a bit warmer than the adjacent channels and deeper water. The trout took a bit of a red tide beating so I always suggest letting them go due to the circumstances. Maybe next year things will be better over the summer. Thanks for reading and as always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt Wes Tallyn

 

FISHING REPORT 12/31 - 1/6: Yo Gulfsters and Happy New Year to all of you! Fishing has been off and on the past few days. Some spots are producing lots of fish while other spots have a ton of fish but they just aren’t chewing on certain tides. Gag and black grouper close on January 1st but the bite has been fantastic in and around Tampa Bay. Just about any dock or structure is holding fish. Bunches of sheepshead are along oyster bars and docks in the same areas. There’s a ton of small ones but some decent fish are mixed in there. Redfish are on the flats at lower tides and up in the mangrove edges or under the mangroves on higher tides. Live shrimp are always a good bet this time of year, but with the unseasonably warm temperatures the fish are crushing just about anything. Offshore you need to really watch the fishing regulations as there’s some closures New Year’s Day. Just about all you can keep out there on the Gulf side is red grouper. We’ve added the link to the regulations this week to the report here. Thanks for your continued support and we look forward to another awesome year with some new reports and contributors. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Terry Frisenda for catching this sweet gag grouper offshore in 70-feet off of Anclote this week and for being selected as the Gulfshore Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 12/17 - 12/23: Some very good fishing on some decently clear water this week. Warm temps this past week and looks like that trend is going to continue. Tons of snapper and sheepshead at the local passes this week. Live shrimp and fiddler crabs are triggering the action. The inshore grouper bite has been strong. Almost any bridge or structure in Tampa Bay is holding fish. You may have to weed through some smaller fish to get to the big ones but they’re there. Gag and black grouper close on January 1st so make sure you check all of your local regulations before heading out. Offshore there’s been a ton of snapper and grouper coming over the rails. Mixed in have been a few cobia and some extra large amberjacks. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes

Congrats to Baylor White on catching this big snook on a live shrimp thus week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 12/3 - 12/9: It’s happening! Those snook are moving up into they’re winter haunts in search of a nice warm spot to spend the winter. You’ll find them up in canals and creeks with muddy bottoms. Of course they’ll still be up along shallow mangrove areas as well, ambushing baits. Redfish are out on the flats searching for crabs and shrimp among the grasses. Look for tailing fish, disturbing the water’s surface in 1-2 feet of water. The gag grouper bite in the bay is on fire. Trolling is the best way to cover a lot of area but anchoring up on just about any structure will provide some action. Sheepshead are all over every structure in Tampa Bay and beyond. Fiddler crabs and shrimp are the way to go. Offshore reports slowed down this week so I don’t have a whole lot of information on that front, but amberjack and gags have been filling up the timelines on the different social media outlets. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 11/26 - 12/2 Hey Gulfsters and happy Thanksgiving week! I was lucky enough to fish with Captain Court Douthit @recreationspecialist this week and got this nice redfish on fly. I highly recommend booking a charter with him for some inshore flats fishing or tarpon action! Cooler temps has the redfish and snook chewing in south Tampa Bay and the Bradenton/Sarasota bays. Slow those artificial baits down a bit as the water temperature cools to trigger more bites. Live shrimp or chunk baits of ladyfish or mullet will also get the fish chewing. There’s still a bunch of tripletail chewing along the beaches. Worth checking those buoys and crab traps if you’re cruising the beach or headed offshore. The mangrove snapper and gag grouper bite has been strong offshore. Live baits and trolling jigs are bringing the best results and filling the coolers. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Parker Kraus for catching this nice redfish near Palmetto and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 11/19 - 1125 The past week has produced some great fish along the beaches and bays. First, along the beach there has been some good catches of Jacks, redfish, tripletail, and some nice pompano. Jigs are also catching some big trout while searching for pompano. Up in the bays and rivers there’s been a steady bite of redfish and sheepshead around the mangroves and other structures like docks and seawalls. Snook are up along the mangroves and oyster bars, moving into their winter haunts. A few of them are being caught on dock lights at night as well. Offshore I’m hearing a lot about blackfin tuna this week from multiple sources. Trolling jigs or chunk chumming around structures will bring them up. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Ryan Pawelkoski for catching this nice redfish and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week.

FISHING REPORT 11/12 - 11/18 A lot of nice redfish reports coming in this week from Tampa Bay, Manatee River, and Sarasota. Sporadically mixed in are some nice cobia. I definitely recommend putting a pinfish on a bobber while you fish if on the flats thus time of year for some big cobes. Tripletail are another great November target. Look for them on channel markers, buoys, and pilings on the down current side. Live shrimp will do the trick or a well placed DOA shrimp. A few pompano are showing up on the beach and along passes and sandbars. Small jigs or live sandfleas are best but sometimes live shrimp will do the job just as well. Offshore the kings are here if the weather would just be kind. Some 20lb+ fish on reefs and structures around 80-feet. The gags are moving closer with each cold front. Thanks for all the reports this week. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Erin Lopez for catching this smoker kingfish this week and for being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 11/5 - 11/11 Kingfish season is in full swing with a bunch of tournaments going on locally. It’s going to be a rough, nasty weekend with a cold front moving through our area. Be safe if you’re planning on running offshore with winds exceeding 15-knots and kicking up some high swells offshore. Bait schools are holding on ledges and wrecks offshore. Mixed in are some bonito and Spanish Mackerel along with an occasional blackfin tuna. Inshore the redfish and tarpon have been hot. The South Shore and Gandy area have been holding a lot of reds. Cut bait is always good or you can chum them out of the mangroves with live sardines or threadfins. The gag grouper have moved into the bays with some fish over 27”. Trolling plugs or live pinfish are always a good bet. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site!

Congrats to David E. Patlan for catching this nice bonefish off of land near Biscayne Bay and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 10/29 - 11/4 A bit of beach red tide hanging around has pushed a lot of the fish out of Boca Ciega Bay and either up into Tampa Bay or offshore. Inside Tampa Bay there are some redfish and tarpon chewing. The bay bridge system is holding some decent size tarpon that are being caught on live and dead bait. The reds have been up on the mangroves with the mullet schools. A few snook are also mixed in there, especially in areas where some oyster beds are present. Big jacks have been roaming the shorelines as well. The bigger fish are in small schools and the smaller fish are in larger schools on the flats or canals. Offshore has been good. Red grouper and gag grouper are beginning their March a bit closer to shore. The kingfish are here but seem to be a bit further offshore this fall, probably as a result of red tide presence. Look forward a tripletail while out there as well! Thanks for reading. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam and @snook_jam_outdoors for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Ben Eveland for catching this nice snook and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 10/15 - 10/21: Still a bit of red tide on Maderia Beach yesterday. Enough to make you cough and burn the nose/eyes a bit but not many dead fish. Inside the bays the redfish continue to be stealing the show. The late afternoon outgoing tide and the early mornings have been best. They’re crushing live threadfins and Spanish sardines but are also eating soft plastics. The snook have been pushed up along the mangroves. A few more sharks also have been crashing the party on higher tides on the grass beds. Offshore the fishing has been legit for big grouper and snapper. Big mangrove snapper and quite a few yellowtail snapper are being brought back to the dock with a few bonus lane snapper. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Grady Sandhoff for catching this nice mahi mahi and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 10/8 - 10/14: Some great fish being caught this week in Tampa Bay! Seeing a ton of redfish reports with probably the best bite of the year on the flats. I guess the fish can sense the weather changes with the shorter days upon us. Mixed in have been a few snook. Most on the smaller side, but some nice ones up along the mangroves in the upper 30’s. Some mackerel are showing up in the bay around the Skyway Bridge and up inside the bay on the deeper edges of the grass beds. There was a nice grouper bite throughout the summer but I expect some more fish begin to move in this week. Tarpon are chewing along docks and bridges in upper Tampa Bay and near the port. Offshore it’s time for some bigger kings to show up this week. Get those rods ready and stinger rigs twisted up! As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Lindsey Wheelwright for catching this nice redfish in a tournament and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 10/1 - 10/7: Some red tide has reappeared on the beaches of PInellas County unfortunately. Hopefully it won’t hang around too long. Some cooler temperatures are on the horizon next weekend. Inshore the redfish bite has been great in Tampa Bay. The fish are eating live greenies and pinfish. As we move through October you may think of transitioning to live shrimp or cut baits like mullet or ladyfish. Snook will begin their march towards their winter haunts this month up in the rivers and canals. Offshore there’s still a couple more weeks before the kingfishing will be in full gear. Hopefully the cooler weather next week will push some south. The mackerel schools usually show right before the kings. Look for them to be around big schools of bait along the beaches and around the entrance to Tampa Bay. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Hailey Smith for catching this monster snook this week on cut bait near Tampa and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 9/17 - 9/23: Off and on weather conditions. One day it’s calm and dry, the next day it’s wind and downpours. It’s not stopping the inshore fish from chewing heavy! The snook bite has been good on the beaches and dock lights. Mixed in with them are some nice redfish and even some decent pompano on the beach. Inside the bay the reds and black drum are chewing on bridges and docks in the day time. Some real nice mangrove snapper are being caught there as well. Sheepshead are all over canal docks right now. There’s a bunch of big ones in Boca Ciega Bay. Glad to see a bunch of them survived the red tide! If you’re going offshore, make sure you review the latest regulations. As of September 15th red grouper and gray triggerfish are closed in federal waters. Red grouper are expected to open back up January 1st. The first kings were starting bite this week. Action will be hot towards the end of the month. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Taylor Craig for catching this nice redfish on artificial this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 9/10 - 9/16: The redfish action has been good in Tampa Bay and probably is the most reported fish right now. Artificial and live baits are doing the trick around oyster bars and mangrove lines. On the higher tides, try to get the baits right on the edge of the trees or even underneath the branches. Some small snook are also mixed in there as well as some bruiser jacks. The mangrove snapper and sheepshead bite continues to be going good on local bridges. Bull minnows, greenies, and small pigfish are my favorite baits for the snapper. Offshore will probably start to heat up. There’s a weak approaching cold front that will probably begin the transition to fall for the fish. Maybe we can even start to see a couple kings show up this week! As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

The Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week goes to Kara Baker's shot of this big gulf lobster caught this week!

FISHING REPORT 9/3 - 9/9: Inshore fishing has been on fire this week with some real nice snook being caught on the flats. Some fish are in the upper 30” range and chewing on live baits like pinfish and threadfins. The snapper bite on the area bridges has also been on fire. Some nice fish in the 15”-18” range have been brought to the dock making for some nice, fresh snapper dinners! The redfish have also been cruising the shorelines too feeding on shrimp and crabs. Also seeing a ton of good sized sheepshead in Tampa Bay on dock pilings and seawalls. Try shrimp or fiddler crabs for best results. Offshore, not many people have stayed in this week due to hurricane Ida. Expect the seas to flatten this week leading way to a continued strong snapper bite and perhaps a few early arriving kingfish. I expect by the last week of September the kings should really start ramping up into an October tournament season. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site ! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Tyson Bryant for catching this awesome hogfish this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 8/27 - 9/2: Red tide conditions continue to the south of our area but things have cleared up here in Tampa Bay. There’s a good redfish bite and snook bite inside of the bay. Look along the edge of grass beds in the afternoon and up on the flats in potholes during the morning hours. Threadfins and sardines are getting the most action but they’re definitely eating artificial baits also. Redfish are also patrolling the docks, chewing on big baits like pinfish under the docks. Offshore there’s a good mixed bag of different snapper species and really nice red grouper being caught. Summer is always great for some hogfish being caught on shrimp on the sandy edges of the structure. Seas may be rough this weekend with a strong tropical system in the gulf so be careful out there! As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Buffy Archer @kaydiarcher for catching this monster lobster this week in the Gulf of Mexico and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 8:20 - 8/26 Improving conditions across our area as far as the red tide goes. I was on the water Wednesday and could still smell a couple of dead fish on the beaches but the water seemed clear with some fry bait pods along the beaches and some mullet jumping throughout the bay. Some nice reports of redfish throughout Tampa Bay on the grass beds and mangrove shorelines. Sheepshead and snapper are chewing heavy on the bay bridge system. Mixed in are a few chunky black drum, pompano, jacks, and some big tarpon. Offshore continues to be the place to be this time of year. Some big blackfin tuna are chewing heavy on schools of bait along with some big bonito/little tunny. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Doug Feinberg for catching this beast of a tripletail and for being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 8/13 - 8/19: Conditions continue to improve with the red tide as we are anticipating tropical storm Fred this weekend. Hopefully it moves further from our coast to suck the remaining red tide out of our are but it remains to be seen. Inshore there’s still some good fishing. Lots of sheepshead and mangrove snapper are being caught. Some snapper are going up to 14” or so. Try the outgoing tides around docks and other structures. A strong redfish and crevalle jack bite continues in upper Tampa Bay. Big, fast moving baits will get the jacks fired up. Same story offshore, with some nice snapper being caught in 100-feet and some big red grouper as well. Time to start thinking about kingfish season on the horizon. Get those reels lined up and make up those stinger rigs! As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Tom Goshorn for catching this nice Speckled Hind in 400-feet off of Sarasota this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 8/6 - 8/12: A bit of a slow down in the red tide surge in Tampa Bay which is a welcome break but it has moved south and north along the beaches and is still present in above background numbers. I checked in at a known location today (not fishing) and saw a good number of healthy snook in lower Tampa Bay today which was nice to see, along with a school of near legal sized mangrove snapper. Offshore has been on fire though. Big numbers of all of the grouper species and some bonus blackfin tuna action. The mangrove, lane, and a few yellowtail snapper are being caught on wrecks and other bottom structures out past 80-feet. Seeing a few permit being caught on wrecks south of Egmont Key Pass and some cobia there as well. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Today marks 5-years of the Gulfster Fishing Report! It’s been a fun five years and I want to thank you all personally for all the reports and photos that have been submitted over the years. In honor of that we have 3 winners of the fish of the week! First picture is Jack Williams with his personal best 41” redfish, then we have Steve Schneider with his personal best 29.5” mutton snapper. Finally we also have Levi Webb with a nice spotted trout caught and released near Sanibel this week!

FISHING REPORT 7/23 - 7/29: There’s an ongoing red tide epidemic that is pretty nasty in lower Tampa Bay and Boca Ciega Bay. We have a full moon on tap right now that could possibly pull some water out of the bays with the larger tides. If you can get outside of the affected areas there are some fish to be caught. There’s some good fishing going on in upper Tampa Bay and south near Venice or further south. Most the fish I’m seeing are jacks, snook, snapper, and even some tarpon. Offshore is still rocking with a few more days of red snapper season left. In between the snapper there’s some Cobia and tons of sharks if you’re bored. Thanks for all of the submissions. Treat those fish you’re releasing with the utmost care and avoid fishing areas being impacted by red tide as to not put any additional pressure on the fish! Follow me on Instagram @snookjam for additional content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Elijah Padin for catching this nice snook and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 7/16 - 7/22 : Tampa Bay is riddled with red tide unfortunately. Not a lot of good to report there. Consult the FWC website and social media for the latest updates. I’m a little concerned with how this is going to get better with the warm water and it’s still a long time until any relief there. We did find good water conditions in northern areas like Honeymoon and Caladesi Islands. I’m considering shutting down fishing within Tampa Bay for a while just to not put additional pressure on the fish. Hard not to link all of this back to the Piney Point ongoing disaster. Offshore seems to be the place to be right now out around 100-ft of water. Red grouper are chewing heavy and all kinds of snapper. Might be a good time to just service the rods and reels and make day trips to other areas for action. We really do have great fishing within a short drive in every direction so get out and try some new areas! As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and updates. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Captain Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Brian Goldsborough for catching this nice red grouper in 120-feet off of Clearwater recently and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 7/9 - 7/15: First off, how about that Lightning win!! Boat parade is set for Monday. Pretty rough start to the past week but things are calming down a bit. Some dead fish floating around but hopefully the storm mixed up the red tide enough to break it up. The rain probably won’t help though, as more nutrient rich runoff water enters the Bay. The beaches and passes seem like the best places right now for action. Lots of snook and snapper are chewing heavy. Live greenies or shrimp will fire them up. Up in the bays there’s still a good redfish bite up along the mangrove lines and deeper cuts. A big dead bait or jig will get them fired up. The bay area bridges are holding sheepshead and black drum. It’s always a good time of year to hide under a bridge in the shade or shelter from storms and fish. There’s a good mixed bag right now under there! Offshore there’s been a few more Cobia and hogfish around with the continued strong bite of gag, red, and black grouper. Good luck out there and follow me on Instagram @snookjam and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Kelsey Simpson for catching her very first tarpon off of Sarasota this past week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 7/2 - 7/8: Tampa Bay showing some signs of red tide fish. Saw a bunch floating near Coquina Key today but other areas haven’t been too impacted thus far. Hopefully that continues and with Elsa looming, maybe the weather will break some of it up before it gets a foothold. The fishing hasn’t slowed down! Snook are chewing heavy on the beaches and passes. They won’t turn down a live bait or MirrOlure presented to them. Faster moving baits are bringing the most success triggering those reaction strikes. Some reds are also in their usual areas along the mangrove islands and mullet schools. A few tarpon still chewing on the beaches as the move offshore to spawn. The full moon last week had them on fire. Offshore there’s grouper and snapper galore in 100-feet plus along with some less popular spots in a bit closer. The sharks have been a bit of a problem but are a fun option as a plan B. Good luck out there, follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Kara Baker for getting this jumbo red snapper and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 6/25 - 7/1: Spotty red tide but otherwise good conditions for fishing. Tarpon continue to chew heavy on the beaches along with some monster west coast snook. Live bait is best but lots of snook are being caught on fly and artificials as well. A good redfish bite continues up inside Tampa Bay along mangrove and seagrass edges. A pretty decent grouper bite also is going on right now in the bay with some fish going to over 30”. Live pinfish and dead sardines will do the trick. Offshore there’s a continuing strong red snapper and red grouper bite out beyond the 100-foot depth. Thanks for the reports and as always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site. Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Fletcher and Jesse Ferguson for catching this nice snook and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 6/18 - 6/24: Wow! Thanks for all of the great photo submissions and reports this week! Great to see some nice fish being caught locally. Some pockets of red tide are around but nothing too crazy except a few dead fish from what I’ve seen. Inshore the bridges are holding lots of nice mangrove snapper and some sheepshead. The tarpon are chewing heavy around the Skyway Bridge. Look for some nice Spanish mackerel also near the Skyway and the piers. The flats are holding everything from big reds to bluefish. Live bait is good but this time of year I like to use artificial baits and cover more area. Offshore it’s grouper and snapper that are steal the show but there’s also a good shark bite and some Cobia. Thanks for all of the reports! As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Ryan Bond for catching this nice fire truck red grouper and for being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 6/11 - 6/17: Seeing some red tide fish but not really encountering any red tide conditions in Tampa Bay and Boca Ciega Bay. Hopefully it doesn’t get much worse. The inshore snook bite has been great but maybe slowing a bit. Seemed like the snook had a bit of lockjaw on this New Moon as they might be focusing on spawning right now. The tarpon on the beach have been running a gauntlet of fishermen and sharks. The bite has been strong on tides with good crab flushes. Some nice schools of jacks have been roaming the bay and they continued this week around the bay bridge system and Skyway chain. About any fast moving bait will trigger the strike. The mangrove snapper bite is getting better with some nice sized fish on about any structure this time of year. Offshore it’s the red snapper and grouper that have been chewing. Mixed in are some bonus fish like cobia, lane snapper, and hogfish. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Jack Williams on catching his first snook and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!  
FISHING REPORT 6/4 - 6/10: Some great fishing going on in our area with just about everything biting.  Some big snook have been roaming the beaches and passes eating just another any kind of live bait and bait pattern jigs/lures.  White or silver are my favorite colors to use on the beach.  Speed of retrieval will depend on the lure but quick, twitchy baits will grab their attention.  The reds and trout are chewing pretty good on flats and around mangrove islands.  Chum them up with a few live baits to get them chewing.  Some big jacks have invaded our area and are being caught regularly.  My buddy Jordan Biggers said look for the spots where “it looks like a hand-grenade went off in the water.”   Offshore lots of gags and red grouper are being caught along with some nice American Red Snapper further off in the 100-ft range.  Don’t forget to have a rod ready for a cruising Cobia as a few are being caught hanging with whale sharks.  As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn 

Congrats to Aidan Griffin for catching this redfish this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 5/28 - 6/3: After an extremely windy start the weather has cleaned up and the fish are on the chew. Big tides had the crabs flushing out of the passes and the tarpon are there to greet them on the beaches. Strong bite this week on crabs and threadfins. Most fish in the 60-90 pound range. With the opening of certain species season’s opening up, make sure you’re aware of what the new rules are for each area you are in before putting a fish in the cooler. Lots of changes happening June 1! Some little gags and juvi Goliaths have also been chewing on inshore structures. Snook are crushing baits on the beach with some big females being caught pretty consistently. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Kendall McIntosh for catching this redfish last week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 5/21 - 5/27: Windy conditions this week and continuing into the weekend. Lots of bait around has just about everything chewing inshore. The tarpon bite has gotten much better with more fish showing up on the beach. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to John Hart for catching this 40” snook on a live threadfin this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 5/14 - 5/20: Yo Gulfsters! Great fishing conditions in Tampa Bay right now. Lots of bait are being found on the flats, shipping channel, and along the beach. Match the hatch, if you see fish blowing up on small baits throw a fly or small buck tail jig. We found jacks, bonito, and Spanish mackerel crushing schools of bait all over the bay entrance and passes. Good reports of redfish and snook along mangrove islands and docks. A few tarpon are being caught on the beach but they’re not very thick yet. Offshore the Cobia are chewing on structure and following other creatures. Try a large jig or buck tail. I always like something that imitates an eel. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Christopher Doerner for catching this mean little black-tip shark this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 5/7 - 5/13: A good amount of fish are chewing on the flats in Tampa Bay along with some decent sized shark. Snook and redfish are lining the mangrove edges and being caught on a mixed bag of artificial lures and live baits on higher tides. A few tarpon are roaming in canals and near the passes but not any serious numbers yet but the water temperature is in excess of 80-degrees in most spots, moving them out of the wintering locations. A fair amount of sheepshead are still hanging around on docks and seawalls on the St. Pete side of the bay. Some snook are mixed in as well. Offshore the kingfish are roaming along with a fair amount of blackfin tuna and a couple sailfish here and there as bycatch. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Jake Patterson for catching this sweet Peacock Bass this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 4/30 - 5/5: Some solid action this week on the flats with a very good redfish and snook bite. Some of those snook are already on the beach too, chewing on small artificial baits and live greenies. Offshore is where all the action really has been! The kingfish are chewing heavy. Fish are on the beach and on offshore wrecks. In addition to the kings there’s been some permit, flounder, and blackfin tuna as well. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Kaydi Archer for catching this nice gag grouper near Sanibel Island this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 4/23 - 4/29: Easing towards May and some time for beach fishing for snook and tarpon in our area. Water temps have climbed up and the water is warm for their arrival. A few tarpon are already showing up on beaches to our south as well as the snook. Snook are eating a mix of live greenbacks and light colored jigs. The mackerel bite and small gag bite has been good at the Skyway piers. The snapper bite on the Boca Ciega bridges has been strong on outgoing tides. This should only get better as we ease into summer. Offshore the hogfish and kingfish have been on fire so get out there and fill some coolers! As always follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Josiah Jones for catching this nice redfish on an outgoing tide in Tampa Bay and for being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 4/16 - 4/22: Great fishing conditions this past week transitioning to a bit of weather this coming week but there should still be some windows of opportunity throughout the week. Spanish mackerel and kingfish are chewing heavy around the shipping channel up into the bat and along the beaches on schools of threadfins. On the docks and seawalls there’s a bunch of snook and mangrove snapper chewing on live baits. The trout have been on the deep grass edges. Live baits and artificial baits will get some nice size fish chewing. Offshore there’s a strong red grouper and hogfish bite. Take some shrimp out for the hogs and target them on the edge of structure. Good luck out there, follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content, and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Cooper Rumble for catching this awesome sheepshead and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 4/9 - 4/15: A good mixed bag of fish as always here in April! This has always been one of my favorite months to get out just due to the variety of fish all over the place. The docks ate holding lots of snook, sheeps, and snapper. While the flats are holding big trout and some nice drag screaming Spanish mackerel. The Skyway Bridge chain is holding some gag grouper and kingfish. It’s hard to fish for one without catching the other. Redfish numbers have increased in the bay with some fish in the upper 30’s. Hopefully the release at Piney Point won’t affect them too bad because there’s tons of small ones in that area right now. Offshore it’s all about the king and Spanish macks but there’s also been a strong grouper bite and even a few tuna a little further out. Hey out there and as always follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Jeff Rowe for catching this sweet redfish on live bait in Tampa Bay and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 4/2 - 4/8 That full moon last weekend provided some awesome fishing conditions with some big snook chewing on just about any kind of live or artificial bait! It should only get better as we move into the summer months and the fish start moving out towards the beaches for spawning. Redfish and trout have been mixed in too. They both have been running a bit small in the areas I’ve been fishing in Boca Ciega Bay but big reds are being caught up in Tampa Bay and in Bradenton. Some nice big jacks have been caught in Tampa Bay as well. Fast moving artificials or bigger live baits will trigger the bite. Offshore the kingfish are firing off and some bigger fish are showing up. This weekend looks like some windy weather so stay safe out there! Follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Ashton Griffin who caught this nice redfish on artificial this week near Indian Rocks Beach and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 3/26 - 4/1: The weather has really warmed up on us this week and the water temperature is starting to climb. This is starting to get the fish fired up and moving the fish out of their winter haunts and up on the flats. Closing in on tarpon time, I’m sure there’re already visiting the Skyway Bridge pilings. Mixed in would be a bunch of mackerel, both Spanish and kings. Redfish are showing along the mangroves in their normal locations. A shrimp under a cork or freelined greenback would be my choice. Offshore some tripletail and kings are chewing. The king guys are anchoring up on wrecks or hard bottom areas that are holding bait. If the bait isn’t there, look for the bait prior to hooking bottom. Good luck out there and we will be fishing the Tighten the Drag tournament on Saturday so stop by and say hi if you see us out there. Tighten The Drag Foundation is a great organization if you haven’t fished their tournament before. I believe they have a fall tournament too if you can’t get in this week. Follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt Wes Tallyn

Congrats to John Hart for getting this nice redfish on cut bait in St. Joseph Sound this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 3/19 - 3/25: Man, we saw a lot of small snook and some nice redfish last weekend fishing the Waterman Tournament put on by Tampa Bay Waterkeeper. It’s a great organization and we highly recommend looking them up and helping them out. High tide was the most active time. The fish seemed to stay up under the mangroves until the tide rose and then they moved out on the flats to feed. Tons of little sharks, black tip and bonnetheads were on the flat too and we managed a couple of trout. Spanish mackerel are also all over the bay. Just about any structure along the shipping channel is holding fish. A live greenback or trolled bait will lure them to the ice box. A few tripletail have been floating around along the beaches and were caught this week. Most have been smaller fish but it’s still nice to see. Offshore the Cobia and permit have turned on to the south. Lots of both off of southern areas like Anna Maria. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam or on my new page where I will be emphasizing on photography sales @snookjam_photography and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site!

–Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Kian Coose for catching this awesome trout this week in Sarasota Bay and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 3/12 - 3/18: Redfish are on the agenda for us this weekend in The Tampa Bay Waterkeepers tournament. If you’re out there say hi on Sunday. Windy conditions all week but some nice catches are being made by those that tough the conditions out or find a spot to hide. Spanish mackerel are chewing pretty good but not as many big schools as usually there is this time of year. Snook are beginning to move out of their winter haunts and up onto the flats in the day. A few are also at the passes chewing on shrimp and small threadfins. Some mangrove snapper are also being caught on structures inside of Tampa Bay and Boca Ciega Bay. Offshore we are starting to see some early kingfisherman scouting the beaches for fish. Mostly Spanish right now but expect the numbers to climb with this warmer weather. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Christian Barlow for catching this nice speckled trout and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 3/5 - 3/11: More of that in the works this week as the trout bite has really been strong. The fish are eating shrimp and soft plastics on the grass beds and along the edges of mudflats in the deeper water. The Spanish Mackerel have been eating along the Bay Area bridges and on nearshore wrecks. Fast moving artificials or live greenbacks will always do the trick. Some redfish are being reported at the passes and along the docks in Boca Ciega Bay. These fish will be along oyster beds and up along the mangroves in those same areas looking for a meal. Casts up under any structure should find a few. A couple of snake kingfish are showing up offshore. Probably not enough fish to consider targeting them yet, but worth throwing out a flat line while bottom fishing. Red grouper are showing up in really good numbers in the 75-100 foot range. Limits are coming back into the docks daily. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Sam Tallyn for catching this nice redfish on Sunday and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 2/16 -3/4: Well the weekends are a bit longer now without football so more fishing time for me! Water temps are definitely climbing as we have a nice warm streak finally headed into March. Redfish are starting to show a little better on the flats. Targeting the mullet schools is a good way to start during the higher tides and then working to the shallows mid day or on the lower tides. The snook are mixed in as well in the mangrove areas. Speaking of mangroves, the mangrove snapper are chewing on the area reefs inshore and offshore. A little chum goes a long way to stirring up some of the bigger fish. Will be getting ready to start scouting the Skyway Bridge for some tarpon in the next couple weeks and the bite there should be good all the way until May. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Alexis Pipino for catching this nice snook a while back and being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 2/19 - 2/25: A bit of a cool break here in the middle of a warming trend has the fish a bit confused but chewing nicely on the flats. Trout and reds are being caught with regularity throughout Tampa Bay. Live shrimp under a cork have been the go to combination for success. Mullet schools or deep mangrove edges are a good place to start in the morning and then easing up on the grass shallows as the sun warms the water. A nice mix of mackerel have been being caught around the entrance to Tampa Bay and Skyway fishing pier. Fast moving artificial baits or live greenies will do the trick for some non-stop action. Sheepshead are still thick around the bay bridges and structures. Offshore it’s a mix of some red grouper and some mangrove snapper along with some stray cobia and mahi. As always, follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Ryan Bond for catching this cool amberjack off of Caladesi Island this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 2/12 - 2/18: Water temps are beginning to rise and that’s good news for our area fishing. Sheepshead and trout are the main targets right now but soon the attention will be back on big schools of redfish and snook catch and release on both, of course. Lots of gag grouper are chewing as well along area bridges and some bluefish are mixed in. It would be a great time to re-spool those kingfish rods as they will also be here soon. That also means the tarpon will be moving out to area bridges and eventually the beaches. Offshore there’s been some amberjack and big reds grouper as well as a few permit and tuna. As always feel free to contact me with any questions on Instagram and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Suz D’Annunzio for catching this huge jack and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 2/5 - 2/11: Cold, windy, warm, calm... welcome to another crazy Florida winter and more cold on the way again next week. Sheepshead are on the chew this week and we will be out at the St. Pete Fishing Outfitters Sheepshead tournament on Saturday. If you’re out there say hi! The sheepshead are literally along every dock, seawall, and bridge inside of Tampa Bay. I stood on one seawall today and counted 13 of them while standing in one spot. The creeks and canals are holding snook but many of them are not interested in chewing. Shrimp or dead baits on the bottom are you’re best bet. You really have to put it right under their noses for a bite with this cooler water. Please always remember to take extra special care of reviving the fish and make sure they’re ready and strong before releasing. Mixed in right now are some jacks and snapper too. Offshore it’s been the red grouper that are the best bet along with some amberjack in the 100-foot range. Good luck out there and follow me on Instagram @snookjam with any questions and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Ryan Bond for getting this awesome red grouper off Clearwater Beach last week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Congrats to Phil Josic and Jim D’Annunzio for catching this monster west coast snook fishing off St. Pete this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 1/22 - 1/28: Awesome weather this week and this coming weekend with slicked out seas finally for a weekend. A lot of people are after the sheepshead right now and there’s still a very strong bite on all bridges in Tampa Bay and adjacent areas. Cool temps have the fish chewing on fiddler crabs on the pilings or seawalls. A sharp, size one hook is preferred by me but there’s a lot of new jighead options that others are swearing by that may lead to more landed fish. The redfish are plentiful on the grass flats and mangrove areas. A few big schools as well as some singles and doubles following mullet schools. Offshore there’s some good snapper and red grouper as well as some big AJ’s. Follow me on Instagram @snookjam to ask any questions and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. –Wes Tallyn

Congrats to 13-year old Kaleb Pate for catching this awesome gag right before the closure and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 1/8 - 1/14: Sheepshead continue to be the story around area bridges along with some black sea bass and black drum also mixed in around the same areas. The flats are staying consistent with some nice specks along the deeper edges and some reds up in the sunny areas. I’d look to the canals and creeks if you’re looking for the snook but the cooler temps may have some on lock jaw. Offshore there’s also been a good bite of black sea bass along the beaches and lots of hogfish on the edge of hard bottom areas. Don’t forget to check those crab trap buoys for a tripletail too. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Rob Hembree Jr. for catching this perfect dinner sized drum last week and for birthday selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 1/15 - 1/21: Half way through January and looking forward to the spring but there’s been some days here and there with some awesome weather. Good fishing in deep canals and along the bridges in our area. Everything from Spanish mackerel, pompano, and big specks are chewing on freelined live shrimp or jigs. An occasional bluefish or black drum are mixed in as well. Sheepshead remains to be the main target species for a lot of anglers. Shrimp and fiddler crabs are good choices right now. As always feel free to contact me with any questions on Instagram @snookjam and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. –Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Andrew Thomas for catching this absolute stud flounder off of Venice this week and being selected for Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!  

FISHING REPORT 12/25 - 12/31: Coldest temps of the year this weekend and it’s also the last chance for gags and black grouper before the closure on January 1st.  The cold dip may trigger them to be chewing heavy in the bay and around the Skyway bridges.  Live pinfish are the best option either freelined or on the bottom.  The trout fishing may also benefit for the cold front.  Jumbo live shrimp either under a cork on the flats or freelined in deeper canals will do the trick.  I’d expect some bycatch of pompano and Spanish Mackerel mixed in there.  Good luck out there and happy holidays!  Follow me on Instagram @snookjam where you can also enter to win a box of MirrOLure lures in our drawing on January 1st. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site!  – Capt. Wes Tallyn 

Congrats to Derek Thomas for catching this awesome snook on top water on Manatee River and for being selected for Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 12/18 - 12/24: Cold water and windy weather but the fish are chewing! The water is starting to clear up a bit, especially near the beaches and passes. A good mix of species being caught, everything from pompano to snook are chewing heavy along passes and canals near John’s Pass and Clearwater Pass. Black drum and sheepshead are everywhere right now! The beach jetties and bay bridges are absolutely loaded. Live shrimp and fiddler crabs will do the job. For bigger drum try chunks of dead bait or a chunk of blue crab. Off the beaches there’s Spanish mackerel and bonito running. Offshore it’s getting close to the end of gag/black grouper season with the year coming to an end. Mangrove snapper and blackfin tuna were reported quite a bit. Some red tide is being found to our south with dead fish showing up on the beaches. Hopefully the cooler temps will curb it. Thanks for reading! For more content follow me on Instagram @snookjam and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Rachel Perruquet for catching this nice snook on a live finger mullet in Boca Ciega Bay and being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 12/4 - 12/10: Congrats to Rachel Perruquet for catching this nice snook on a live finger mullet in Boca Ciega Bay and being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week! Some temperature dips are upon us. Last week we saw 72-degree water temps along the beach but it’s dipping into the 60’s now. On the flats look for some big trout to start chewing on the deeper edges and look for the reds to start schooling up in the sunny shallows. Snook are still at the passes and chewing heavy. More fish are in our southern Tampa Bay Area but I expect them to move inland the next few weeks. Some creek snook are showing up already and along the local river systems. Sheepshead are on fire all the way from Anna Maria to Upper Tampa Bay. All of the docks and piers are holding small convicts but the bridges and bottom structures are holding the bigger fish. On the beaches the schools of bait are attracting big Spanish mackerel for some fun drag burning action. Offshore the grouper are chewing heavy. A few nice reports of big Cobia have been caught in the 40-60 pound range. Get out there and get some fish! Feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Anthony Pipino for catching this 39” redfish and for being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 11/20 - 11/26: Wind and some cooler weather this past week and moving into next week. One positive out of it has been some clean, clear water along the beaches and passes but the water has been still pretty stirred up inland. The redfish have been chewing well on the flats of Boca Ciega and Tampa Bay. They’re being caught on soft baits and live greenies. This time of year I’d follow the schools of mullet to find some fish mixed in. Mixed in are some nice crevalle jacks and small gags. Bigger gags are on the Skyway pier and other structures inside Tampa Bay. Live pinfish or a trolling plug will yield good results and a fresh dinner. Offshore the red grouper and hogfish are chewing with a few tripletail to be found. A couple flounder being found on the nearshore reefs. Red snapper is open beginning this weekend and for a few days next weekend. Check the FWC site for full regulations. Thanks for reading and for the reports. Follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Kaydi Archer for catching this nice snook near Lover’s Key this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 11/6 -11/11: Wind and beach bait! Steering went out on my boat so wasn’t out this week but the reports are streaming in like crazy. The sheepshead bite has taken off along the bay bridges and docks. The Misner Bridge is holding tons of them in the 12-14” range and some bigger ones here and there. Still some mangrove snapper mixed in as well in the same areas. Try a live shrimp or small pigfish on a knocker rig or bottom weighted rig close to the structure. Gag grouper are moving in and are being regularly caught now on the Skyway piers. Live pinfish is the ticket. Along the beaches the bait is plentiful. Some snook still being found at the pass entrances feeding heavily. Mixed in are ladyfish and Spanish. Offshore the kings are still here. Look for some bonus cobia and tripletail this time of year while cruising the beach and nearshore wrecks. Thanks for reading, follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content, and submit your photos to gulfsterreporr@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Josiah Jones for getting this nice Gag near Longboat Key last week and for being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 10/30 -11/5: The inshore grouper action has really picked up over the past week with the water temps beginning to dip down into the mid 70’s in some locations. Live pinfish and trolling plugs are the best options. Look for rock piles in the bay or around the Skyway fishing piers. On the grassbeds the snook and redfish are chewing and the bigger trout are beginning to show up. Sheepshead are on the local bridge pilings and it’s looking like it’s going to be a nice season for them this winter. Offshore the kings are showing a bit more regularly. Some bonito and Spanish are being caught as bycatch. Lots of reports of big red snapper also being caught. As always follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Nick deHaas for for catching this 23.5” tripletail last week off of St. Pete Beach and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 10/23 - 10/29: Quite a mixed bag out there to catch right now inshore and offshore. On the inside the snook and redfish have been pretty active. There’s been a lot of mullet and baitfish on the flats which has fired up the fish. Only issue we ran into was a ton of catfish on the flats and dock lights. Snapper and sheepshead are chewing on area bridges and structures. Some grouper are already mixing in and showing up inshore. Tripletail and Spanish mackerel are on the beaches. Offshore it’s grouper and kingfish time but there’s still a lot of others chewing including: snapper, blackfin, mahi, and some permit on the south reefs. Thanks for reading and for the report. Follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Austin Moore for catching this sweet tarpon on the south shore of Tampa Bay this weekend and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 10/9 - 10/15: It’s nice to have some changing weather and some pre-front fishing days to look forward to. The bait has pushed a little more offshore and along the beaches this week. The passes will probably be on Fire this week with mackerel and other gamefish. Keep an eye out for a tripletail as well on any structure you may come across as well. A live shrimp or a fly will fire the fish up! Redfish reports are still streaming in heavy as well. Offshore there’s an increase in the numbers of kingfish coming into the docks. Haven’t seen any monsters yet but most of the fish are in the 10-15lb range. Thanks for all of the reports, follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more, and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Paul Thompson for for catching this beast 36” snook and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 10/2 - 10/8: The first change of weather is upon us and the bait fish are stacked up in the bay and passes. The Spanish mackerel are absolutely everywhere chewing on the bait fish. Most fish are in the 12” to 18” range with a few bigger fish around Egmont and off of the passes. The same mixture of trout, jacks, snapper, and bluefish are still mixed in along with redfish on the edge of the flats. Look for the pelicans and terns diving on the bait and you will find the bait being pushed to the shallows by the fish. Snook are under the mangroves and beginning their mart has inside for the winter. For bigger redfish look up in the shallow potholes on the grass beds early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Try a cut ladyfish or big dead sardine on the bottom. Offshore things are beginning to change. A few kingfish are showing up right on time and Cobia are with them. Start preparing for those tournaments! As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more content. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. Wes Tallyn –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Jessie Pipino for catching this nice snook and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 9/25 - 9/31: Unbelievable fishing right now in Tampa Bay. Lots of sardines are schooled up on the edge of the grass beds and following them are a nice mix of fish. Everything from jacks and bluefish to mackerel and trout are slamming live and artificial baits. We had 40-50 fish on MirrOlure Lil Jon’s and flies Bear the Skyway on a trip last week. Even had a few sharks in the mix and willing to eat artificials. Some unseasonably large Specks were also chewing. They should only get bigger as we ease into some cooler weather. Look for temps to dip the middle of next week and that should start a four bite that will last through one of my favorite fishing months, October! Lots of redfish are being caught too. Weedon Island and the Apollo Beach area are loaded up. If you find the fish, they will eat. Look for single fish on potholes or in mullet schools. Offshore there’s still a solid red grouper bite. A few surprises are out there in the form of: tuna, mahi, and African Pompano are an added bonus. G Follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more and as always feel free to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Jason Ownbey for getting this nice upper slot redfish on a swimbait near Marco and for being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 9/18 - 9/24: A whole lot of rain this past week and keeping an eye on the active tropics again this week. A lot of rain in our area might stir up the water some but also should drop the temperature a bit which might help the bites and make the fish a bit more active. The snook bit was on fire before Sally with some big fish being caught pushing 40-inches in our area. The redfish also were active, feeding on the mangroves and pot holes or along the edge of oyster beds. A big dead bait will trigger the bite or try a soft plastic jig. Red grouper are chewing offshore when the seas are calm enough to get out. Also, some dips in air temperatures might start to move some kingfish back south. Good luck out there and as always feel free to contact me on Instagram @snookjam. Don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Logan Olson for catching this nice little tarpon on a live shrimp this week and for being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 9/4 - 9/10: The water temp is still up but we have seen a lot of fish on the flats. Tons of trout have been crushing small baitfish and finger mullet schools on the flats. We caught a bunch of them on shrimp flies and schminnow flies as well as a bunch on MirrOlure Lil Jon’s. I bet we could have caught bunches on a top water plug but no reason to hurt the fish with season closed. The redfish have also been fired up inside Tampa Bay on potholes and spotty grass areas. There’s a bunch of sharks cruising the flats as well. Most are bonnetheads but a few blacktips will be mixed in. Offshore it’s red grouper that are chewing along with some nice mangrove snapper. Look at traveling at least to 60-feet of depth for results. Thanks for reading and follow me on Instagram @snookjam with any questions. Also don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Presley Roney for catching this monster 6lb 4oz Peacock Bass on Tuesday and for being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 8/28 - 9/3: Dodged Laura as far as the weather conditions go. Prayers to those impacted by the storm both short term and long term. Locally it’s been super hot with heat advisories all week. The fish have been about the same as the last two weeks. Lots of bait in Tampa Bay. Most of it is small fry bait getting shredded from below by Spanish mackerel and ladyfish but some nicer mackerel are being caught in the mix. Downsizing the bait can often trigger the bites you’re looking for. The snook are still crushing baits along mangrove edges and deeper canals with some small tarpon and ladyfish mixed in as well. Snapper and sheepshead are on the Skyway Bridge system. Fiddler crabs or small live shrimp will get the bite going for the sheeps. Redfish have been showing up on the docks with moving water and near the passes. Big dead baits will get them going but also a live pinfish on the bottom. Offshore it’s been ok with the same snapper, grouper, and hogfish reports. Mahi and tuna a little bit further out in the 110-130 foot range. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam with any questions or more content and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Kyle Bower for catching this nice snook and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 8/21 - 8/27: Summer doldrums but still some active fish on the mangroves and deep water areas. Keeping an eye on the weather as we roll into the peak of hurricane season. Ahead of the storms and on the dropping barometer. As the atmospheric pressure drops the fish notice that change and feed ahead of changing weather conditions. On the fishing side there’s been a decent mangrove snapper bite still. Outgoing tide or moving water on some structure is the best place to be. The mackerel are piled up around area passes like John’s Pass and Clearwater Pass. Still some jacks and ladyfish to weed through but you can get a full cooler with live bait or fast moving artificial baits. Offshore there’s a lot of fish out there. Everything from grouper to bonito as well as a bunch of sharks. Now is definitely the time to go if you’re into shark fishing on the beaches or reefs. Follow me on Instagram with any questions and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Neil Tran for catching this nice set of red grouper this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 8/14 - 8/20: Water temps continue to soar this week with beach temperatures in the low 90’s which is a bit above average for this time of year. Inshore this week is still producing some nice snook inside passes and on mangrove edges. We saw a few tarpon rolling on area bridges in the 30lb range while snapper fishing. Lots of snapper around but some small ones to weed your way through. Try a number 1 hook with a 15lb leader for best results but be prepared for some break offs from bycatch. We got red and gag grouper along with some ladyfish while snapper fishing. Redfish are prowling on the edge of grass beds in the morning hours but expect the schools to break up and move into the shadows for the afternoon heat. Offshore there’s a strong red grouper bite with some amberjack and gags mixed in. I’m seeing a couple more kingfish being caught as well as several tripletail. Get out there this week and send in some reports. As always follow me on Instagram @snookjam and submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Clifford Mason for catching this fire truck red grouper off St. Pete Beach this week and for being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 8/6 - 8/13: A bit of a summer doldrums for inshore fishing right now. The water temperature is really warm right now. I saw 93 degrees on the bottom machine on Wednesday off of Shell Key. The snook have completely cleared off the beaches after breeding season. The snapper seem to be the most consistent fish right now. Best bet would be to anchor up on one of the Skyway bridges and chum them up. Live greenbacks and killifish or bull minnows will get the consistent bite. The deeper mangroves will be the ideal spot to look for fish trying to get out of the daytime sun and heat. Redfish and snook are piled up in there right now on the high tides. Get the bait under the trees for bites. Two feet away might not be close enough. Offshore is the place to be. Lots of grouper again this week. Reds and a few black grouper are coming home for dinner. American Red snapper shut down this past week so let them swim away for another day. Follow me on Instagram for more information @snookjam and as always submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. –Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Jason Ownbey for catching this perfect sized tarpon this week in the 10,000 Islands and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 7/31 - 8/5 : Hot and a bit of wind upon us this last week or so. Looking like we need to watch the tropics again for some possible weather Sunday and Monday but expect a strong bite as the barometric pressure drops ahead of the storm. Snook, trout, and redfish should be chewing heavy this weekend on the deeper flats and docks. Didn’t see as many snook on the beach this past week. I’m guessing they’re in the deeper passes and canals where the water is a bit cooler. Still a ton of mackerel in Tampa Bay and off the beaches. Offshore the fish are chewing. Lots of reports of blackfin tuna, amberjack, snapper, and several sailfish still being caught offshore on wrecks and hard bottom. Time to start thinking about kingfish season again as we move into August already this week! Thanks for all of the reports. Follow me on Instagram @snookjam for more and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Marlon Fuss for catching this awesome redfish on a pinfish last week in Boca Ciega Bay and for being selected for the Gulfster fish photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 7/24 - 7/30: Some nasty weather this week off and on with some tropical moisture moving through the area. Regardless of that, the fish have been biting heavily and are schooled up on baitfish. It’s a little unexpected to be such a great bite given the water temperature being near 90 degrees in most places in the bay and nearshore waters. Mackerel and snapper have been on fire inshore. Mixed with the macks are some fun bluefish that are pulling some drags. Around the bridges the black drum are chewing. Big fish up to 30-lbs are circling the pilings. Try a chunk of blue crab or big dead bait for best results. Offshore things are still on fire but fewer reports this week with some rougher seas. As always, follow me on Instagram @snookjam and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Samantha Wadas for catching this sweet snook to completing the inshore slam last week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 7/10 - 7/16: A nice mixed bag of inshore fish this week despite some windy onshore flow from the Gulf. The snook are schooled up at the passes very thick right now in full breeding mode. We found a bunch of trout too at the passes and the grass beds near passes. We also found tons of ladyfish and even a small permit that was a nice surprise. The Skyway Bridge area is producing lots of Spanish Mackerel as well as a very steady tarpon bite. Offshore has been rough this week but the fish have not minded. Tons of grouper and amberjack reports. Also saw a sailfish report on a local charter. As always feel free to contact me on Instagram @snookjam with any questions and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Luke and Jackson Kaly for catching these two nice red snapper last week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 7/3 - 7/9: Lots of great fishing reports coming in this past week including a solid snook bite along the beach and area passes. Take extra time to revive those beach fish right now because that water is really starting to heat up along the shallow beaches. That, coupled with the fact that they are in full on breed mode can make it tough on the fish and dangerous at times. Redfish have started to seek a bit deeper water and are along the docks near open water areas. They’ll be under docks this time of year seeking a bit of relief from the sun. While looking for those reds you’ll see a bunch of sheepshead there as well and some snapper chewing. Offshore the sharks are chewing along with mackerel and the usual bottom fish. I saw a big black grouper over 100-lbs was caught this week as well as a few surprise sailfish. Thanks for reading and as always feel to contact me with any questions on Instagram @snookjam and keep sending those photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Carlie Stephens for catching this sweet redfish in the flats near Weedon Island this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 6/26 - 7/2: Awesome fishing out in the blazing hot air temps this week. The winds have seemed to found their summer patterns. The snook have been piled on the beaches and passes as expected. Threadfins will trigger immediate bites but the more adventurous angler will get good results on flies and artificials. Look for triples or single fish cruising the beach. A ton of tarpon can also be seen in those shallows as well. Crabs are flushing heavy the past few days out of the local passes along the Gulf Coast. Offshore is absolutely on fire and the flat seas are allowing for the deep water runs. Big red snapper and blackfin tuna are on the menu. Big gags and a few big shark have also joined the scene. As always feel free to contact me on @snookjam. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Kalvin Tinkham for catching this nice red snapper for dinner in about 170’ of water off of Anna Maria Island this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week! Finally a decent weather week!

FISHING REPORT 6/19 - 6/25: Some solid tarpon action on the beach and around the Skyway Bridge. Crabs seem to be key for the best bite but the threadfins are also being torn up around the bridge. Some real nice reports of redfish in Tampa Bay. Flats near the Gandy Bridge are holding schools and single fish in the potholes and mullet schools. Offshore there’s a run on gag and black grouper. The bite has been very good in 80’ plus depths. Live pinfish are king but fresh cut bait like bonito strips are also very effective. As always feel free to contact me on Instagram with any questions @snookjam. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Johnathan Scott for catching his first inshore gag this week and being selected for for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 6/12 - 6/18: After a wet start to last week we have had some improving weather and the fish have turned back on again. Inshore it’s the snook and tarpon that are on fire along the beach and some good gag grouper in Tampa Bay. The tarpon are piled up near the deep water passes and chewing on crabs and dead/live threadfins. There’s also a nice mangrove snapper bite heating up on the bay bridges and docks near the passes. Offshore has never been better with the opening of red snapper and gags. Lots of big fish coming into the filet tables. Some real big gags and monster black grouper as well. As always feel free to contact me with any questions on Instagram @snookjam and make sure to send your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Taras Stelmashenko for catching this sweet Fire Truck about 40-miles offshore this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 6/5 - 6/11: Insane weather pattern this week as Cristobal pulls north out of Central Mexico and towards the northern Gulf Coast. Heavy rain to the east of the center of circulation should continue to send bands of rain our way. Probably would forecast some good fishing during the barometer changes but I would warn about taking extra special care watching out for heavy winds, rough seas, and lightning. The snook are chewing heavy on the beaches. You may find periods of lock jaw depending on the tides as I did on Wednesday afternoon. There were some specks on the beach crushing schools of small bait fish. Offshore there’s been a really solid bite of sharks, grouper, red snapper, and mutton snapper. The best bite has been in the 100-foot to 120-foot range. Some good bycatches of yellowtail snapper and a few sailfish have been some nice surprises. Good luck out there. Follow me and ask any questions on Instagram @snookjam. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

Congrats to Kylie Lettieri @kyliebythesea & @hunterduff15 for catching her very first Goliath Grouper and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week! Nice fish, Kylie!

FISHING REPORT 5/29 - 6/4: Some solid early summer action here on the west coast of Florida and some crazy wind conditions that will hopefully chill out soon. Tons of boat traffic has made a new normal on the water. The snook have been a solid staple to target in the area. Snook are crushing baits and are extra hyped up this time of year for breeding season. The fish are crushing live baits and a few on the fly. Target the beaches and passes. We found some good trout bites on the flats and a few drag screaming bonnetheads in the mix. Some solid tarpon bites now in full go on the beaches. Offshore a fantastic mix. All the snappers are there on the reefs with a great grouper showing too. Kings and Spanish are steadily being caught all over the area and up into Tampa Bay. As always feel free to contact me with any questions on Instagram and please follow me @snookjam and the hashtag #snookjam. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 5/22 - 5/28: Congrats to Capt Kyle Ingram on bagging this awesome Amberjack this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

The wind is the deciding factor on our fishing anyway. We’ve seen some lulls in the catches when the wind is blowing and then some great fishing on the calm outings. A strong snook bite this week on everything from live shrimp to flies. Also found some fun trout, ladyfish, and jack action on docks and the edge of grass flats. The tarpon are firing off on the beaches with some nice fish being caught from Boca Grande to Clearwater. Crabs or dead threadfins are being chewed up on the times when the tide is flowing best. Offshore the sharks and amberjack are keeping the rods bent but there’s some snapper and grouper action still there. A little further out there’s a nice mahi and tuna bite too! Keep an eye out this time of year for a whale shark and their cobia companions. Thanks for all the reports. Submit any questions to @snookjam on Instagram and as always keep those photos coming to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 5/15 - 5/21: Congrats to Talan Biernat for catching this beast snook in St. Pete this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

The wind has been blowing strong all week causing for conditions to be a bit tricky but the fish are still chewing on the right tides. Chose a spot with some good tidal movement inshore along a pass or mangrove edge. Live shrimp and greenies will do the trick. Some big snook are on the beach along with some small pods of tarpon and some big sharks. Offshore it’s been bumpy but those venturing out are finding loads of Kings, blackfin, and bonito on the surface with a handful of cobia and sailfish. I heard about a good mahi bite at about 125’ this week as well. Thanks for reading, follow me on Instagram @snookjam and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes

FISHING REPORT 5/8 - 5/14: Congrats goes out to Capt. Bill and Audri Permenter for catching this nice Waccasassa Bay redfish last week on their 35th Anniversary and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

The fishing action has been hot! Some good snook and redfish action along with some smaller trout also showing up. Snook have invaded the beaches this week and are around all of the area passes from Sarasota to Anclote. It’s only going to get better this week. Hopefully the wind will lay down a bit and make them a bit easier to see. Also on the flats there’s been small sharks raiding live and dead baits. They can be a lot of fun, just please be careful to release them properly. I caught the biggest bluefish I’ve ever seen (in Tampa Bay anyway) on Wednesday this week. Also some jacks and snapper around area bridges. On the beach the tarpon are officially starting to fire off. Daisy chains and traveling small groups are becoming a lot more visible. Thanks for all of the reports, follow me on Instagram @snookjam, and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 4/24 - 4//30: Congrats to William Burrows for catching this awesome Rooster Fish and for being being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Well when the wind isn’t blowing the fishing has been hot. Crazy high tides in St. Pete on Thursday as the next spring front approaches. After the front clears on Friday target some solid snook action at the local passes and beaches. Tarpon are streaming out of their winter haunts and out towards the beaches. Saw some solid reports from the Skyway. The beaches are awaiting! Offshore there’s a real nice mix bag of tuna, kingfish, grouper, snapper, and several nice sailfish being caught this week. As always follow me on Instagram with any questions @snookjam and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site!

FISHING REPORT 4/17 - 4/23: Congrats to Capt Mike Barrett for catching this awesome 38” snook near Honeymoon Island this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

The latest update is that the PInellas County beaches will remain closed at least for the near feature. I’ve noticed that the kayak launch areas locally are pretty packed so play it smart and keep a good distance from others so they don’t shut those down too. Some outstanding snook reports this week as they’ve really started to pile up on and near the passes. A couple whispers of some schools of tarpon in the same locations. The tarpon are definitely at the Skyway Bridge in some decent numbers but I expect it to only get better as we approach May. Keep an eye out too (and this time of year I always have a large swim bait rigged) for a surprise cobia popping up on the beach or flats of Tampa Bay. I’d even check out those channel markers. Offshore a cool mix of fish, more snapper and grouper reports and still a few African Pompano. The shark action has picked up. I think they follow the kingfish packs. Good luck out there and follow me on Instagram @snookjam with any questions. Also don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 4/10 - 4/16: Congrats to Dylan Stark for catching this awesome snook on a live pinfish near Tierra Verde this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Well, looks like fishing is still a go in Florida. Just make sure not to get too close to others so we can keep it open. Most of the ramps are open and tons of places are open to launch a kayak or wade fish from. Those who are getting out are finding some nice snook and redfish action inshore on pinfish, greenbacks, and artificial baits. Also, there’s some big jacks to be found along docks and seawalls. Use a fast moving artificial or big live bait to get the attention of the bigger fish. The tarpon are beginning their move to the beaches and will be there soon. Clean up those heavy rods and check the line if from last season. Offshore there’s been a mixed bag of fish being reported. Everything from grouper and cobia to permit, African pompano, blackfin tuna, kingfish, and yellowtail snapper. Good luck out there and stay safe! Follow me on Instagram with any questions and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 4/3 - 4/9: Congrats to Jacob Kelley for catching this nice snook last week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

It’s going to be an interesting week with the stay at home mandate in place. From everything I’ve seen, the bait shops are open and fishing is allowed. Definitely stay tuned to the Gulfster social media and we will try to keep you updated as best as possible. I can’t stress enough NOT to push it. If people take advantage or don’t follow the rules, we may have it stripped from us. I’m going to kind of sit back and see how things shake out. Don’t go into areas or beaches you shouldn’t be in because I think the FWC and local PD will be on patrol. Again, check state, county, and city parks for openings and closures on boat ramps and open recreational areas. Inshore the snook and reds are pretty fired up and slamming baits along with some nice jacks and sharks patrolling the passes and flats. A few big trout up to and over 24” are being caught on the deeper flats too. Offshore the kingfish are on fire already. Some big fish are being caught from the Egmont Channel to Venice. I even saw one report of a fish over 60lbs. As always feel free to contact me with any questions and follow me on Instagram @snookjam and keep sending those reports to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 3/20 - 3/26: Congrats to Katie Weber for catching her very first redfish this week in Sarasota Bay and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Going to be treading in some strange waters over the next week and near future, pardon the pun. Keep a close eye on closures. If you’re looking at putting in at a boat ramp or beach, check the ownership of the beach. As an example: if you’re looking at using the Fort DeSoto boat ramp, check with PInellas County to see if it is open as it’s a PInellas County Park. Honeymoon Island on the other hand, is a state park... so check the state parks website. Has to have been a record week for fishing photos and reports! Thanks to you all for all of the support. Redfish, snook, and gag grouper are coming in on the inshore reports. Most are being caught on the grass flats and/or dock fishing. The offshore fishing is on fire right now! Blackfin Tuna, permit, tripletail, gag grouper, and red grouper are smashing baits along with a fantastic amberjack bite. Thanks everyone and please stay safe. Follow me on Instagram @snookjam with any questions and keep the reports and photos coming to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 3/13 - 3/19: Congrats to Robinsonty24 (holding snook) and Mitch from LiveForToday_official for catching this awesome Tampa Bay snook and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

The wind has shut down, at least for now, creating some awesome fishing conditions. I wouldn’t say the fish were fired up this week, but there were plenty of fish to target this week. Saw a lot of snook, some were more cooperative than others. Many of them would follow the bait and then either nose it, or turn off before eating the bait. The trout seemed a little more fired up, with some fish in the 20-24” range. Live bait under a cork is a great way to target them in areas of potholes or sandy spots on the grass beds. Once you find the fish stay in one spot and they will keep coming. Spanish mackerel have been the most plentiful in our area inshore and offshore. Still a good sheepshead bite but it will probably slow a bit as the water warms this week. Offshore it’s red grouper and blackfin tuna that are on fire, but there’s also lots of hogs, permit, and amberjack too, to keep you busy. Get out there on the water and stay safe with all of the COVID-19 happenings. Follow me on Instagram @snookjam with any questions and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 3/6 - 3/12: Congrats to 9-year old Gavin Cucci for catching his first tripletail this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

This relentless wind is driving us all crazy right now. Regardless of the wind, the sheepshead bite has been very productive with full coolers for anyone targeting them around the Skyway bridge chain and really any rock pike inshore or just offshore. Big sheep’s also being brought in on the Port Manatee Reef. A few snapper and Spanish Mackerel are also chewing and adding to the dinner list. Looking for a few pompano to start to chew on the beaches and passes soon. Probably will be more of them as the water temp begins to rise this week. Quite a few nice trout on the dock lights right now. Some fish pushing 24”. Small baits or flies are the ticket. Offshore theres a strong tripletail bite and the red grouper reports are still streaming in with som nice 10-20lb fish. Thanks for reading and feel free to contact me with any questions on Instagram @snookjam and send your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 2/28 - 3/5 Congrats to Johnathan Henke for getting this 4.5lb stud Peacock Bass on a 3wt fly rod and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

A good looking weather pattern going forward this week for fishing. Looks like a lot of sun in the forecast and hopefully some lighter winds. Inshore this week look for a good trout bite and some great snook action along the deeper flats, docks, and backwater areas. Some nice reports of redfish up in the local rivers and starting to move up on the shallow flats. The sheepshead bite has been fantastic on local bridges with some nice pompano mixed in there. Some flounder are being caught at the passes on jigs bounced on the bottom and also on live baits. Offshore has been solid with red grouper and hogs lining up to be dinner. Starting to think about cleaning up those kingfish reels and tarpon reels for spring. March will be the arrival of some good tarpon action at the Skyway Bridge and to the beach soon after that! Thanks for reading and as always feel free to contact me with any questions on Instagram @snookjam and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 2/21 - 2/27: Congrats to Angela Ownbey for catching this awesome black drum this week in the 10,000 Islands and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Crazy weather continues after a warm past week. Sheepshead, drum, and flounder are dominating the reports this week and putting some meat on people’s tables. Big schools of large drum are showing up at their usual grass bed spots and flounder are being caught at the area passes and near shore reefs. Just about every seawall or bridge is holding sheepshead right now. Some fish are pushing 4-5lbs. Live fiddler crabs or small shrimp on a jig head are producing good results. Offshore the snapper reports have picked back up with a decent showing of permit and a few tripletail. As always feel free to follow me on Instagram @snookjam for any questions and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 2/14 - 2/20: Wes fishing with the legendary “Eagle Eye” Fred Rolle in Bimini.

Much better weather conditions have been occurring but still some heavy wind to contend with. Tides will be a little less dramatic this week as we push towards spring. The water in Tampa Bay has been nice and clear but that’s also making the snook a little more picky. Made some nice presentations to fish this week but finding a lot of fish with lockjaw. The reports of sheepshead have been rolling in from all over Tampa Bay along with several reports of nice specks and some smaller redfish along docks. Tarpon season is creeping up on us, so get the reels right for action. Offshore is still doing well. Amberjack and hogfish continue to steal the show. Follow me on Instagram @snookjam for any questions and out there and send in some pictures to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you could be selected for the Fish Photo of the Week! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 2/7 - 2/13: Congrats to Cory Fong for going back to his old stomping grounds being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week with this nice redfish!

Another crazy windy cold front to start the weekend, unfortunately it’s occurring on an awesome moon phase weekend but hopefully some fish will still be chewing. Might be a good time to seek out some big specks in the deeper canals along Tampa Bay and Boca Ciega Bay or maybe up in the rivers. A live shrimp freelined near the bottom would be my choice bait along docks near the mouth of the canals. This might also stir up some jacks. There’s been some really big jacks reported in the same areas and up on the edges of flats and sandbars. Offshore it’s amberjacks and permit stealing the show on reefs along with some nice hogfish being caught along the edges of the reefs. As always feel free to contact me with any questions by following me on Instagram @snookjam and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 1/31- 2/5: Congrats to Laura Schmidt for catching this nice sheepshead last week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Sheepshead have been one of the few bright spots with the cold and wind upon us. Lots of sheepshead reports are coming in from the Misner Bridge and the other bridges along the Skyway chain. Live shrimp and fiddler crabs are the choice bait as usual. Use small hooks and light leader line to entice the bites. A few bonus pompano are also being added to the cooler too. The nasty weather conditions and slow bite might make it a good time to service and re-spool those reels. Thanks for all of the photos and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com. Also, follow me on Instagram for any questions and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 1/24 - 1/30: Congrats to Jessie Cary for catching this nice Spanish Mack last week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Hey Gulfster’s and welcome to legit Florida winter.... 37 one morning... 73 the next. The changing in weather and temps is a good indicator of when the fish are going to turn on much like barometric changes. Last week week we fished pre-front and found a legit snook and sheepshead bite in south PInellas producing snook to 34” and sheep’s to 18”. Live shrimp drifted back to structures were the key. I always turn to live shrimp in the winter as the fish feed a little slower and more lethargic. Use small hooks that allow the shrimp to carry them more naturally. Offshore it’s hogfish and tripletail continuing to steal the show with some macks and tuna chewing. Expect some Cobia and mahi on the surface if you’re out there and throw a flat line for these bonus fish. As always feel free to contact me on Instagram @snookjam and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 1/17 - 1/23: Right on cue congrats to Josiah Jones for catching this nice 20” Sheepshead last week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Sheepshead was going to be my main topic today and the reports keep rolling in of nice fish being caught locally on bridges and structures in the Tampa Bay region. The best bet is fiddler crabs or small live shrimp fished close to pilings or reefs inside Tampa or Boca Ciega bays. Fish the baits on or just off of the bottom with very little slack so you can feel the bite. I usually recommend a 15lb leader and only enough weigh to be able to feel the fish start to swim off with the bait. A size 1 hook should be sufficient but don’t be afraid to go smaller if the hook is strong enough or sharp enough to hook the toothy sheep’s. Also, there’s been a nice snook bite on the mangrove edges and still a few fish at the local passes. Large artificial or live baits are key. Slow down the retrieval if the water temps dip next week with the cold front. Saturday should be the best day for a strong pre-front bite. Offshore it’s hogfest 2020 for the hogfish. Get just off the reef with as many fresh shrimp as possible for best results. If going deep offshore look for a good amberjack and tuna bite out past 80-feet. Good luck out there and follow me on Instagram to send your reports to @snookjam. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 1/10 - 1/16: Congrats to Coral Calinao for catching a mixed bag including a whiting, mackerel, and ladyfish last week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

What’s up Gulfster’s and hope your New Year is off to a great start! Cooler temps this week and a few windy days but looks to be warming up this weekend and I expect the inshore fish to fire up. A strong year for redfish and big trout being caught in Boca Ciega Bay as well as Tampa Bay. Also some snook in the shallows getting some sun along seawalls and sandbars. The bridges in the area are holding lots of sheepshead along with a few nice pompano reports. Most pompano are being caught as bycatch and aren’t being targeted specifically. Grouper season closed but the fish are still chewing around the Skyway and other structures. Offshore there’s a great amberjack run going on with some beast being caught along with some big shark on reefs and ledges past 100-feet. As always feel free to contact me with any questions on Instagram @snookjam and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 1/3 - 1/9: Congrats to Jason Ownbey for getting this cuda surprise last week on a lure near Fort Myers and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT 12/27 - 1/2: Congrats to Anthony Pipino for getting this awesome tripletail this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

A few nasty rain storms and a front have caused the fishing to slow down just a bit the end of this week but still a few fish around to be found. Inshore a few bluefish and pompano are crushing baits on the canals around St. Pete Beach and Treasure Island along with small schools of jacks. Some redfish are still on the south shore flats of Tampa Bay. Offshore there’s a good grouper bite on the nearshore wrecks and bridges. The tripletail are still all over the beaches and some sharks raiding the wrecks offshore. If you have any questions feel free to contact me on Instagram @snookjam and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 12/20 - 12/26: Congrats to Neal Chastain and his uncle Steven Laneri for catching this nice snook last week on a fly near Weedon Island and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week! 

FISHING REPORT 12/13 - 12/20: Congrats to Johnathan Henke for getting this nice redfish on the fly with his son in tote and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Inshore the warmer air temperatures are keeping some solid fish chewing including the redfish and trout. Some fun jacks and ladyfish are in the canals and bays chasing bait schools along rocks. The sheepshead fishing has been good at Bay Area bridges. Try chumming with oysters and barnacles by scraping some off of the pilings to fire the fish up. Size 1 hook and a fiddler crab should be perfect to get some bites. Offshore the beaches are still loaded with tripletail reports. Also seeing some nice blackfin tuna and kingfish being caught in 80-120 feet. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 12/6 - 12/12: Congrats to Richard Boore for getting one and a half nice gags last week before the sharks took their tax and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Man, the tripletail reports have been streaming in along with some very nice cobia showing up in and around Tampa Bay. Also, the snook and reds are chewing well around the Skyway flats. A few chunky specks have also been caught, I’m wondering if they’re showing up early for this winter or just an anomaly. Offshore it’s been grouper, hogfish, and the kings are thinning out a bit with the cooler water. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site. Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 11/29 - 12/5: Congrats to Greg Agserskov for bagging these awesome tripletail off St. Pete Beach this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week! Right on cue....

I want to write a report on how epic the tripletail bite has been and Greg submits a pic with 2 awesome trips! The fish are loaded off the beach and near the Skyway on buoys and other floating debris all over the Tampa Bay Area! Perhaps some of the fish have been forced north by yet another red tide event occurring to our south. In addition to that, redfish redfish redfish. Some great reports coming in of reds in Boca Ciega and Tampa bay’s. I’ve seen fish caught on live bait as well as spoons and other artificial type baits. Along the beaches we're still looking at piles of good gags and Spanish mackerel as well as the continuing kingfish. Keep your eyes open for a blackfin or Cobia if ya cruise offshore! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 11/15 - 11/21: Check out Rodrigo De Lima’s gag grouper he caught off Sand Key this week!! Congrats to Rodrigo for being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Well I was about to say that the gag grouper have been moving in closer as fall is upon us but a picture says a thousand words. Lots of gags being caught near the entrance to Tampa Bay and on rock plies inside the bay. Trolling deep running plugs or a live pinfish will definitely do the trick. I personally like to chum a bit over some structure to get the fish chewing and then free line a live pinfish with a locked down drag. To me there’s not much more fun than inshore grouper fishing as the fish are strong and very smart. In addition to that, there’s been a good snook and redfish bite on the flats inside the bay. Spanish mackerel are on the attack around Egmont Key right now along with a few bonito and sharks following the schools around. A few tripletail are still on the beaches and other structures like crab traps and swim buoys. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Get out there and send in your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site!

FISHING REPORT 11/8 - 11/14: Congrats to Doug Hamilton for catching this monster west coast snook on top water this week in Sarasota and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Some changing weather patterns have the fish on the chew. The passes are holding lots of jacks and ladyfish for some drag pulling fun along with some Spanish mackerel mixed in. The dock lights near the passes are loaded up with snook and trout with certain lights holding some redfish or juvi tarpon. My go to bait is a live green back for the dock lights. Big baits are great but sometimes a smaller bait can be presented easier without spooking the fish. Offshore there has been some kings still around and a strong gag grouper bite even in the bay. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 11/1 - 11/7: This is awesome, Marty Mogford and his loyal dogs caught this sweet sailfish 10-miles off of Venice this week and have been selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Some red tide to the south but so far not affecting the Bay Area. The redfish bite on the flats has probably been the best it has been all year. Fish are chewing throughout Tampa Bay, the best is to get them fired up where you are with some live chummers and present live baits but plenty of fish are being caught on artificials or dead sticking on the flats. A few nice tripletail continue to show up on any buoys or crab traps in the bay and along the beaches. The focus offshore remains on kingfish and Spanish mackerel. The bite is strong on local reefs and any structure you can find. One more weekend of red snapper so get out there and get after them! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam, also send your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 10/25 - 10/31: Congrats to Scott Coover for catching this awesome jack at the Middle Grounds this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Another tropical disturbance may cause some rougher seas this weekend and into early next week offshore. Look for some hot action out in front of it if we get a good barometric pressure drop this weekend. A hot redfish bite continues inshore along with some fun shark action on the grass beds and at the passes. Snook are still crushing baits during the evening hours at John’s Pass and Clearwater Pass. Fast moving live baits or big live shrimp are your best bet but plenty of fish are being caught on big baits like Z-Man swimbaits and First Light jigs. The kingfish season is starting to peak. Bigger fish are showing up. The grouper have been moving closer to shore and are being caught more consistently at the Skyway Piers. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 10/18 - 10/24: Wahoo!! Check out this awesome looking wahoo caught by Nicholas Wernis with Capt Mike Skinner this week off of Clearwater and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Great reports and fish pics coming in over the past few days, keep them coming! The grass beds are loaded up with redfish inside of Tampa Bay and some real nice snook reports are coming from up in the Safety Harbor Area. The water should start to cool a bit this week and that will probably turn the fish on even more. In addition to that, the snapper and Spanish Mackere l have loaded up at the Skyway and other structures in the area. Offshore there has been a good start to the kingfish season. Lots of smaller fish but the bite is pretty solid plus the Spanish are an added bonus. The snapper bite has also been sick too on spots in 60-80 feet of water! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email at wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, make sure to send your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 10/11 - 10/17: Congrats to Kaydi Archer for catching this nice snook last week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Lots of solid activity inshore this past week. A solid snapper frenzy around Bay Area bridges, reefs, and docks this week! The fish are chewing on everything from live to dead baits. Start with live baits and then transition to dead baits after the fish are fired up if needed. Some real nice redfish action is nice after a bit of a slower spring and early summer. The fish have been following mullet schools on the flats or up on the deeper mangrove edges. Try a dead jumbo shrimp for good results in spots that are know redfish hangouts. Offshore it’s on for kingfish as the tournament season begins this week! A few tarpon are still being found but very spotty and a very nice influx of gag grouper close to shore has begun. Good luck out there, keep the reports and photos coming to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 10/4 - 10/10: Congrats to this trio of Capt Mike Barrett, Claudette Sheets, and Lisa Wells for landing a couple nice redfish off of a school behind Honeymoon Island this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

It’s October and it’s fish variety time! One of my favorite months for getting after fish because there are so many fish options and different types of fishing available. The grass beds are holding a lot of fish but should be better as the water starts to cool a bit. No rain in the forecast might keep the temperatures up but as we get to some cooler nights I expect some big movements of redfish and trout. Some snook are still at the passes and on the beaches along with some tripletail and cobia cruising just offshore. The docks wouldn’t be a bad place to target inside Tampa Bay in the daytime for sheepshead and snapper and for snook and trout on the dock lights at night. Live shrimp or live greenbacks are always great but you could always try a fly or a MirrOlure! Offshore the kings showed a bit more this week along with some bigger mackerel. Good luck and keep the reports and pictures coming in to gulfsterreport@gmail.com And feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 9/27 - 10-3: Congrats to Josiah Jones for catching this really nice snook this week on Bradenton Beach and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Lots of nice snook pictures from all up and down the west coast coming in this week. Definitely a result of the bait fish showing up heavy on the beaches over the past couple weeks. The bridges are heating up with snapper and sheepshead. A few big schools of redfish have been rolling through Weedon Island and the south shore of Tampa Bay with a few smaller schools at the local haunts in Boca Ciega Bay. Offshore it’s definitely starting to heat up with snapper and tripletail coming in to the docks regularly. Kingfish are starting to show in small numbers but the water temperature still needs to dip a few degrees before the big push. I like the 80-82 degree range before specifically targeting them. Good luck and keep the reports and pictures coming in to gulfsterreport@gmail.com or you can also contact me on Instagram @snookjam. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT 9/20 - 9/26: Congrats to Tom Howard for nabbing this awesome mahi in 100+ foot off of Anna Maria Island this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

The beach bait has shown up in solid numbers with lots of jacks, Macks, ladyfish, and snook crashing on baits and corralling the bait along the shoreline. Most of the bait has been small so I suggest matching the hatch with smaller, fast moving baits. The jacks and ladyfish are in large numbers and a little tough to avoid so try sight fishing the snook as they roll through. Hot fishing offshore should only begin to get better! Lots of tripletail on the wrecks and debris so keep a rod ready for them as well as a straggler cobia. Good luck out there and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 9/13 - 9/19: Congrats to Jeremy Nance and Robert Bennett for catching these nice mahi and a fire truck red grouper this week off of Anna Maria Island and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

The warm water has some of the fish off of the shallow flats and into deeper, cooler water. Snook are absolutely piled up in the passes but really haven’t been on the beaches of south PInellas County in their normal numbers for the summer. A few nice speckled trout have been caught lately inside Tampa Bay along with some smoker sized Spanish mackerel. The crevalle jacks have been roaming seawalls and docks corralling and crashing bait fish schools if you’re looking for some drag pulling fun. Offshore it’s more of the same but there seems to be an influx of reports on mahi and blackfin tuna out past the 80-foot range. Thanks for reading and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com. If you have any questions you can follow me on Instagram @snookjam or email me at wtallyn04@gmail.com. Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 9/6 - 9/12: Congrats to Ashley Akerman for catching this 27” redfish in Charlotte Harbor last week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week! Nice fish, Ashley!

On the west coast we dodged a bullet from hurricane Dorian. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for our friends in the northern Bahamas. Please do what you can to help either monetarily or in item donations. Locally, the fishing has been great despite some windy conditions and an unusual rain pattern. Redfish in the bays and near passes are chewing on live shrimp and green backs. If you sit in one area long enough the water will get “chummed up” and attract in the reds. Other great options include fishing: deep mangrove edges/points or mullet schools on the shallow grass beds in the morning. September is a great month for fishing the dock lights for snook and trout. Small tarpon are also being found on some lights. Offshore we're getting ready for the fall kingfish run so gear up those rods and respool your reels. Thanks for reading and sorry about missing a report last week. If you have any questions email me at wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam! Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you could be featured on the site!
–Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 8/23- 8/29: Congrats to Tanner Biernat for catching this 27” redfish off of a dock in St. Pete this week after starting Kindergarten and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Redfish seem to be more consistent in the reports the past few weeks with some schools invading the canals and milling up the flats in Tampa Bay and Boca Ciega Bay. If you’ve been missing the red action get back out and try it again this week! Look for some good mullet schools and follow them for best success! Big schools of nice jacks are crashing baits along local sea walls. Big, fast moving baits will get the job done or go the complete opposite direction with tiny lures or flies to fire them up. August is always solid for tripletail, so be ready and searching for them on buoys, floating debris, and pilings this time of year both in the bay and offshore. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam! Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you could be featured on the site!
–Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 8/16 - 8/22: Congrats to the 3 Cronin Girls for catching their own limits of lobster down in Islamorada and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

A nasty run of weather here locally with an onshore flow of tropical moisture ongoing. The fish have still been chewing in the Tampa Bay Area. Inshore there’s been some trout, snook, and snapper crashing baits on the edges of channels and grass beds. Offshore there’s some snapper chewing at the Pipeline in the 60-80 foot range. Grouper will begin their inshore march soon, but a few have already been found on private numbers inside of 50-feet. Good luck out there and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 8/9 - 8/15: Congrats to Anthony Pipino for catching this monster yellow jack caught in 85-feet of water this week and for being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week! Definitely of interest in our fish ID community and up for discussion on what exactly it is based on size and that huge pectoral fin! Either way a great catch!

Inshore it seems as if the redfish have woken up inside Tampa Bay with some fish of all different sizes being caught this week on the flats and at night on the dock lights. The redfish are being caught on shrimp, green backs, and artificials throughout the Bay Area. Some nice snook are piled up inside of John’s Pass this week. The snook are averaging about 25-30” typically. A few tarpon are still scattered on the beaches and bringing some bonus grouper, permit, and trippletail as bycatch this time of year. Offshore stays solid with great bags of snapper, grouper, tuna, and some mahi coming into the docks. Good luck out there and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 8/2 - 8/8: Congrats to Chris Whittaker and his boys caught this week. Nice fish guys!

Redfish have showed up some but continue to be a little more spotty than past years. Snook on the south PInellas beach continues to be non-existent except at the passes at night. I’m wondering how much the red tide from last year had an effect, maybe not necessarily on the snook themselves, but if the bait and other food sources are cleaned out from the area they may have moved elsewhere.  Up north the tripletail are loaded up on the beach and are being caught all over the beach. Some really nice snapper are being caught on the Bay Area bridges still. Offshore has continued to be hot. Kingfish season will be here before you know it so get your drags set and get ready! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site.  –Capt. Wes Tallyn 

FISHING REPORT: 7/26 - 8/1: Congrats to William Cunningham for bagging this smoker kingfish this week in about 90-feet of water and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

The weather has been relentless with more tropical moisture rolling in from the gulf but it’s supposed to calm down some this weekend and into next week. The beach has been a little rough for surf fishing but some good reports of snook, tarpon, and a few redfish at John’s Pass, Clearwater Pass, and Pass-a-Grille. Seems to be a slow summer for trout fishing. Wondering if last year’s red tide influenced them or if they’re just spread out and on the beaches this year. A few tripletail are still hanging around. I expect them to be more prevalent in August. Offshore it’s all about the grouper right now with some big mangrove and lane snappers still. Thanks for reading and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 7/19 - 7/25: Congrats to Aiden Power for catching this sailfish off of Marathon this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week! Nice Fish, Aiden!

The water is starting to calm down and is a little cloudy in most spots of the bay after the departure of Hurricane Barry. Look for some clear grass beds and the mangrove edges early in the morning and in the afternoon look for some cooler, deeper water for the snook, redfish, and trout. Still a few juvenile tarpon on the bridges and dock lights at night. Small jigs and flies are a good bet to get them to bite. Offshore there’s a bunch of nice snapper of all sorts coming in and a continuing good year for lane and yellowtail. The kingfishing season is on the horizon so it’s a good time to do maintenance on those reels to get ready for the smokers! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam! Keep submitting those photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 7/12 - 7/18: Congrats to Casey and Bennett Hodge for getting this nice blackfin tuna 30-miles off of Sarasota last week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!  

Nasty weather seems to have slowed the reports this past week, rain seems to be hitting us from all directions lately but there’s still some good fish being caught inside Tampa Bay.  Small tarpon and big black drum are chewing all along the Gandy Bridge. Some big uglies are going up around 50-lbs and being caught on crabs or dead baits on the bottom. A blue crab cut in half will definitely get their attention.  Big snook have invaded the passes with the evening hours producing best. Try a big swim bait or lipped plug. Offshore is still great, especially during the week days when the fishing pressure is lighter. Look for some mahi and tuna around for some bonus meat in the cooler. Remember to continue submitting your fish photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 7/5 - 7/11: Congrats to Brian Fischer for this Wahoo shot in the Gulf last week! and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Tough conditions for fishing right now but if you’re up to the effort with the heat and storms there’s still fish to be found! Hard to say if last year’s red tide is the reason, but again it seems north PInellas and inside Tampa Bay are producing more than the Boca Ciega Bay Area and beaches. Some trout and snapper are laid up on bridges and docks. I expect the redfish will start feeding heavy on dock lights at night this month. Some snapper and sheepshead are chewing on local bridges too. Look for the strong outgoing tide for some good results. Offshore the snapper and grouper take remains strong! Lots of nice cobia, kingfish, and bonus lanes are still coming in on boats too! Remember to continue submitting your fish photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 6/28 - 7/4: Congrats to Hayley for catching this inshore permit off Egmont Key and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

New news from FWC. If you plan on shark fishing from land you will need to get a new permit to do so after July 1st. The new permit/license is free and for educational reasons. It looks like it’s just a free online video. Scorching temperatures in Florida this week bringing water in some parts of Tampa Bay up to 90’s in some areas. The beach may be a decent place to look for some reprieve, where the water temps may be a little lower with the tidal influence. Snook are still piled up there with some jacks and mackerel as well. We will probably notice less tarpon as they move further offshore for their breeding grounds. Offshore the snapper and grouper continue with some amberjacks in good numbers. Lots of shark are around too so be aware of them. A couple whale sharks have also been out there around the 30-40 mile mark so keep an eye out for those and their cobia companions! Thanks for reading and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 6/21 - 6/27: Congrats to Michael Jenks for catching this awesome giant trevally in the Mentawai Islands last month and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Locally, the wind has been blowing pretty steadily all week. Snook, jacks, mackerel, and ladyfish are schooling up and hammering schools of bait at the passes. That was especially true when the current is ripping on those summer moon and new moon tides. Snook are piled up on the north PInellas beaches too. Snapper have piled up on the outgoing tides on bay area bridges. A few black drum and small gags may add to the fun. Offshore the grouper and red snapper reports are still very steady with some bonus stud lane snapper adding to the meat haul. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: Congrats to Jeremy and Carter Nance for catching this sailfish off of Anna Maria Island this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

FISHING REPORT: 6/7 - 6/13:
Congrats to Amy Hahn for getting this awesome snook in Tampa Bay this past week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

The fishing offshore has been the feature with the opening of gag/black grouper season and red snapper this past week. Great reports of the fish piled up on reefs and wrecks from 60-feet and beyond in our area. Inshore the snook are absolutely everywhere and smashing live baits on the beach and in the bays. The tarpon bite has been as advertised on the local beaches with some big fish near 170+ pounds being caught throughout the week. A few tripletail and Cobia still remain in the area. Offshore there’s still a strong permit and amberjack bite on local reefs depending on the depth. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 5/31 - 6/6:
Congrats to Brian Arancio for getting this beast of a 44” snook last week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

The name of the game inshore and close to shore is Spanish mackerel! The Mack’s are everywhere inside the bay and along the local beaches. Look for the schools of fish crashing on bait or skyrocketing out of the water. Also inshore on the flats and at the passes is a legit snook bite. The beaches were a bit slow this week but should get strong as we get into June. Speaking of June, on the 1st gag/black grouper season opens up. So the offshore fishermen should have more meat in the cooler. A few sailfish and tuna being caught out there too still. Live bait is key for the pelagics. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 5/24 - 5/30:
Congrats to Mitchell Krebser for catching this 24” gag last week in Tampa Bay and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Tarpon are in full swing on the beach and passes. Crabs and dead sardines are getting lots of bites in deeper water. Last weekend we saw lots of big sharks out there including some bulls and a hammerhead cruising the shallows. Further up in the bay, the snook and trout have been chewing well. Remember the season is closed for the big three (snook, redfish, trout) through May of next year. Take extra care when releasing those fish. Lots of schools of jacks of all sizes crushing schools of bait in Boca Ciega Bay this week too up along seawalls and bridges. Speaking of bridges, a continued sheepshead bite us still on as well. Offshore, looking forward to next week with gag grouper season opening! Keep an eye out for a bonus Cobia too. Have a big spinning rod rigged and ready with a jig just in case. Thanks for all of the great reports, if you have any questions questions hit me up on Instagram @snookjam, and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 5/17 - 5/23:
Congrats to Mike Schueler last weekend on the back side of Honeymoon Island for catching this beautiful snook and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week! 

A fun mixed bag of some great beach fishing right now. The tarpon are showing up in good numbers already. The snook are also showing up in great numbers, especially near the passes at night. A few bycatches of some nice snapper and grouper at John’s Pass last week. Should be some tarpon there at the bridge as well. Sheepshead are still pretty prevalent at the Bay Area bridges with quite a few black drum to report as well. Offshore the summer bite is picking up. June 1st marks the beginning of openings for gag and black grouper as well so I expect we will see an uptick in grouper reports soon!  Kingfish are still on the reefs, ledges, and springs with plenty of amberjack to go around. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 5/10 - 5/16:
Congrats to Bernadette Taylor for catching this nice gag grouper on the Skyway Bridge Fishing Pier and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

The fish have been chewing all week with some nice snook being caught on the beaches in the area. Sight casting schools and pairs of fish on the beach is my favorite way to target them but they can also be caught with live bait, free lined. Try to match the bait with what’s on the beach when you’re fishing. Sometimes baits like pinfish are not as effective on the beach if they aren’t present there to begin with. Keep an eye out on the beaches for some trout and cobia moving along the shore as well. Offshore the blackfin tuna bite has been solid with some big sharks also showing up on the local artificial reefs. The sharks should start to show up in big numbers this week on the beaches and can make for some fun drag screaming action! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 5/3 - 5/9:
Congrats to Liam Netto and Dorian Curry for their biggest fish in the APG Electric Fishing Tournament Youth Division on Saturday and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

It’s May and that means beach in my book. As I mentioned last week, the snook and tarpon begin their migration off of local beaches to spawn. The FWC announced yesterday that effective May 11,2019 that trout, redfish, and snook will remain closed to harvest on the Gulf coast from the Pasco/Hernando county line south to Naples until May 31, 2020. So careful release those fish. Tarpon will school up and move up and down the beach following the blue crab migration offshore for the same reason! Inshore there’s a ton of snook, mackerel, and gag grouper in the bays around docks and bridges. Redfish and black drum are schooled up on flats and chewing. Offshore it’s about the same: amberjack, kings, gags, and some nice blackfin tuna abound. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, keep sending in your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 4/26 - 5/2:

Congrats to Ben McCann and Cayson Travis for nabbing this 4lb 1oz. Largemouth Bass this past week during the stormy weather and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

This is one of my favorite times of the year to fish as the snook and tarpon start their yearly migration out of the bays and creeks and head out to the beaches to spawn. Having said that, the snook and tarpon are still chewing at the bay bridges and some big fish are mixed in. Also spoiling parties have been some surprise gag grouper around the bridges and docks. I was broken off twice on surprise hits this week of some beefy gags. The Spanish mackerel are absolutely everywhere around the Skyway Bridge and at the other passes. Live bait is always best or throw some spoons. Offshore the kingfish run is still flowing. I’d say some smaller fish this year than previous years but more fish. Lots of blackfin tuna still lurking offshore too. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, keep sending in your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on on the site! Capt. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 4/19 - 4/25
Another young one hooked on snook! Congrats to Mia Boderek for catching this huge snook and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

A steady bite inside Tampa Bay as well as up in St. Joseph Sound this past week. Spanish mackerel have invaded the inshore waters as they normally do this time of year. Fast moving artificial baits or live baits with a long shank hook will do the job. Near the passes if you set up with a chum block you should have all the action you can handle. Beach Tarpon season is fast approaching and the crabs may start moving on this full moon that’s happening now. Plenty of small crabs are on the flats gearing up to head offshore. Great reports of big gag grouper showing up off of Clearwater and the northern areas. Season is still closed right now but could be in for a good summer! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, keep sending in your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on on the site! Capt. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 4/12 - 4/18
Congrats to 9-year old Blake Bryant for catching this nice snook and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

The fish bite has been solid this week inshore with a big invasion of Spanish mackerel inside the bay and Boca Ciega Bay. The Spanish are hitting on any fast moving bait or bigger live shrimp. When eaten fresh they make for excellent table fare! Sunday night we had some baked with a homemade Italian dressing and it was fantastic! Offshore be on the lookout for cobia and tripletail while headed out. The snapper and hogfish continue to chew with a solid permit bite on most artificial reefs. If you don’t have crabs, you’re not doing it right. The Tarpon rum on the beach is about to be in full swing, start rigging those rods up and expect them in the next 2-weeks! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, keep sending in your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on on the site! Capt. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 4/5 - 4/11
Congrats to Keith Davis for catching this awesome kingfish off John’s Pass this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Kingfish season is upon us and the tournament season is heating up. The fish can be found in the bay around the Skyway and shipping channel as well as all of the beaches and artificial reefs. Just make sure you locate the thick bait schools and get the baits down to them. Live Spanish sardines, threadfins, and cigar minnows are always great with blue runners, mullet, and ladyfish also doing the trick! I usually recommend light line (20#-#30) with a wire stinger rig about 18” long for best results. Try to avoid any other materials as much as possible, as kings have excellent eyesight. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, keep sending in your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on on the site! Capt. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 3/29 - 4/4
Congrats to Jeff Lange for getting this stud 38” redfish this week near Sarasota and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

The cool weather has made things a little more difficult inshore but there’s still a good bite up inside Tampa Bay and in the canals. The weather seems much me mild this spring and it’s been keeping the water temps a bit lower. The best bet right ow is on the dock lights inside canals and creeks in the evening/early morning hours. In the day time, the snook, trout, and jacks are piled up in the deeper canals or darker bottom areas. Sheepshead still patrol all structures inshore, especially around downtown St. Pete. Offshore the kings and tuna are popping. Live bait is key with some kings in the 30-40lb class showing up. I expect things will heat up s but after this last cold air burst. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site!Capt Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 3/22 - 3/28
Congrats to Frank Signorini for catching this 38.9” snook near Marco Island and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

I feel like a broken record with saying that the fish reports have been great, but they continue to be strong reports! Sheepshead and black drum continue chewing around any structure at the passes, bridges, and inside Tampa Bay. A good moon tide has the snook chewing and some nice reports of plenty of fish over 30” this week. Jacks and ladyfish are also chewing and providing some fun action. Spanish mackerel are being caught both inshore and offshore and some Kings are showing up around the Skyway Bridge. Offshore the tripletail and permit are the main attraction with some tuna mixed in further offshore. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 3/15 - 3/21
Congrats to Maggie Keefe for catching this 30” snook this week in Clearwater on a shrimp and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Great reports this past week both inshore and offshore. We found tons of sheepshead, some black seabass, grouper, and a mixed bag of different species on a rock pile we stumbled upon in Tampa Bay due to the morning fog on Monday. The sheepshead were stacked up and eating live shrimp and dead shrimp. Offshore is the place to be right now though, with reports of cobia, snapper, tuna, kingfish, and some stud permit being caught on local reefs and hard bottom spots. Take Some crabs and shrimp out for best results. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 3/8 - 3/14
Congrats to William Burrows for catching this nice pompano and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

This is a great time to get out inshore for some pompano and small permit inshore. The fish are in the canals and on the sandbars inside Boca Ciega Bay as well as areas around the Skyway Bridge. Use crabs, Doc’s Jigs, or flies for the best results but sometimes just a live shrimp will result in some awesome bycatch results! The sheepshead are chewing heavy on the local bridges. Offshore has been absolutely fire and it’s only going to get better as we roll into kingfish season. Some decent kings are being caught already inside Egmont Key and on the local piers. Live bait or a trolled spoon will find the fish. Target areas with heavy bait present. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com and keep those fish photos coming. Submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 3/1 - 3/7
Congrats to Jay Engstrom for catching this 39” snook near Emerson Point this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

The snook have been piling up closer to the beaches this week and have been chewing heavy down in the Anna Maria Island area this week. Some mixed reports of some good size redfish schools in the Gandy and Courtney Campbell areas as well on the flats. Most reports are 1-3 fish swimming together with the mullet schools or on potholes. Some black drum are being caught in the local passes. Especially John’s Pass and Pass-a-Grille. Offshore has not disappointed with some mackerel, permit, snapper, and hogs chewing. Also, a steady red grouper bite has a ton of people limiting out. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 2/22 - 2/28
Congrats to Derek Byrne for getting his first tuna last week off of Treasure Island and being selected as the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

Someone turned on the heat and the weather is perfect for some fishing! The snook and redfish are piled up inside Tampa Bay around the mangroves, deep water marinas, and grass beds. Starting to see the spring patterns in these fish and expecting an early year for good numbers of the fish moving out to the beaches to spawn. The Tarpon are already lined up that the Skyway Bridge already and will become more numerous in March before moving out to the beaches as well. Tripletail are still being caught in the 7-12 mile range on an markers or floating debris. Big amberjack are loaded up on the wrecks, hard bottom, and springs. For some fun try a butterfly jig or a fast moving bucktail jig. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam also submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 2/15 - 2/21
Congrats to Dan Sutton and his buddy Jameson for catching this awesome redfish in Upper Tampa Bay this past week!

It’s been an awesome week of fishing, things are definitely on the up swing. Everything from snook, redfish, trout, jacks, pompano, and mackerel are chewing on the flats and sandbars with an excellent sheepshead and snapper bite on the local bridges. Getting the fish chummed up is key this time of year. On a recent trip the fish were non-existent until some “chummers” were thrown out to get them feeding. Offshore there’s been an unbelievable amount of hogfish and tripletail as bonus species on offshore trips or targeted trips. Use light leader line to get the picky fish to eat. 15-lb test if you have to. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 2/8 - 2/14
Congrats to Jonathan Henke for getting this nice redfish on a fly with his son going all Koala on his back!

The fishing has been heating up a bit as of late. Inshore has been a continued sheepshead bite on the bay bridges. Shelled shrimp and fiddler crabs are providing a lot of success. A good number of redfish are being caught along with the expected trout on the flats inside Tampa Bay. If interested the jacks are also showing up in big numbers around the docks and seawalls inside the bay as well. The bigger the jack, the bigger the bait. So tailor your bait to the size of the fish. Offshore has been continuing to fire up. The snapper, hogfish, and tripletail have been chewing nearshore and further offshore the amberjack have been big and hungry. Thanks for reading and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 2/1 - 2/7
What’s happening, Gulfster’s?! Congrats to Aaron Scheetz for bagging this awesome mahi in Costa Rica last week and for being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!  

This week has been great despite the colder water conditions. Tons of reports of Crevalle jack, redfish, sheepshead, and some pompano showing up. The water conditions have cleaned up significantly over the past few days. It’s definitely a nice change from the windy, cloudy waters and the red tide.  Offshore has been a little slow relatively speaking, but there’s still a ton of fish to be found if you spend the time to chum or search out the fish. Pretty soon we will be moving into kingfish and Tarpon season. Time to start servicing those reels and tying rigs in preparation for the season. Good luck out there, and don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and if you have any questions feel free to contact me at wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam!  –Capt. Wes Tallyn 

FISHING REPORT: 1/25 - 1/31
Congrats to Carter Wompey @barrelkook_killer (IG) for nailing this 31” snook this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week! If the wind would cooperate then the fishing would remain steady but nasty cold fronts followed by warm temperatures and then another cold front cause for some nasty winds to stir things up. It seems when the wind calms the water clears up pretty quick but the water is mucked up when it’s windy and cold. The snook, sheepshead, pompano, and snapper bite has been solid inshore this week. Big pompano are being found on sandbars in Tampa Bay with some small permit mixed in. Sight fishing or a 2 hook drop type rig with sandfleas are doing the trick. The sheepshead are chewing heavy at the Misner Bridge and the Bayway Bridge. Offshore there has been a ton of snapper reports along with some hogs and grunt as tasty bycatch. Get out there, and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Also, submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 1/18 - 1/24
Congrats to Dave Scheetz for a catch and release of this nice gag grouper at the Sand Key Bridge this week and for being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week!

The inshore fishing has been picking up some this week with some fantastic snook and speckled trout being caught inside Tampa Bay. Right on time, this is usually the time of year to get some different species is some of the canals and creek system/ river systems. Look this week for some pompano, permit, and bluefish around some of the canals near passes and grass beds. Offshore the amberjack and red grouper are the main targets. Starting to see some nice reports of red grouper in 45-75’ of water and the AJ’s getting bigger the further you head offshore. Good luck and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email at wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram. Also, don’t forget to submit your fish photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com and you too could be featured on the site! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 1/11 - 1/17
Congrats to Andre Lynch for catching this 36” snook in Clearwater this week and being selected for the Gulfster Fish Photo of the Week! The fishing up in the north county area has picked up it seems the past few weeks with some nice reports of tripletail, snook, sheepshead, and some nearshore grouper action (don’t forget season closed for gags on the 1st). Most of the fish are being caught on live bait. Look for the tripletail on crab traps, buoys, or other floating debris. Pitching a live bait up current either freelined or under a bobber will usually trigger a bite if they’re around. Try to spot them first and approach cautiously. Offshore is the same story, some fish have moved closer but that 80’-100’+ area seems to be holding the bigger fish. The week days are always best with less fishing pressure but if you’re out on the weekend just try to get out first or find some areas that haven’t been picked over yet. As always feel free to to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Don’t forget to submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com also to be entered in for the photo of the week! –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 1/4 - 1/10
The grouper season closed on New Years Day so make sure you put back those gags for now! Inshore, the snook have been piling up in canals and creeks as well as some mangrove shorelines inside Tampa Bay. I like to use live shrimp this time of year to coax them to bite when the water is cooler in the winter. The sane can be said for the trout. The deeper canal hold a ton of trout this time of year and some big fish can still be found roaming the grass beds. Offshore, the snapper and amberjack have been the targets with some monster AJ’s being caught this past week. Keep an eye out for some tuna or maybe even a mako shark offshore this week. As always feel free to send in your reports to wtallyn04@gmail.com, follow me on Instagram @snookjam, –Capt. Wes

FISHING REPORT: 12/28 - 1/3
I hope you had a fantastic Christmas and Happy New Year to you all! Thanks for all of the questions and feedback this past week. The weather has been very touch and go the past week with it either being beautiful and flat on the water or nasty and windy. Areas inside Boca Ciega Bay still are a little slow in repopulating the fish stocks, but some sheepshead and drum are starting to move back in. Some real nice black drum we’re caught this week around the Fort DeSoto and Skyway Bridge area. The bigger trout are chewing inside Tampa Bay along with some grouper and redfish. The negative tides this past week were crazy, but there should be some more water to work with this week. Offshore there’s a mix of gags (which season closes for next week) and some red grouper. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 12/21 - 12/27
Hey Gulfsters and Merry Christmas!! It’s time to go fishing! Tampa Bay is teeming with fish but Boca Ciega is still in recovery mode. If you look in Boca Ciega Bay you might find hungry fish, but it’s probably because the area has been decimated as far as the bait, mullet, and pinfish are concerned. However, the good news is the snook and redfish are still chewing inside Tampa Bay and the areas around the passes. The tripletail continue to impress in the area and some mackerel are around. Offshore, the grouper continue their nearshore presence. Gag season ends 12/31 on the Gulf side so get them now! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 12/14 - 12/20
Hey Gulfsters and winter is upon us Floridians!! The water locally has looked great! The bays and gulf are much clearer than we’ve seen over the past several months. With the water temperature dipping into the 60’s and even the 50’s in some spots up in the bays. The grouper have remained on fire inshore locally. Tampa Bay and other nearshore areas in the gulf have been holding bag limits of keeper gag grouper. The fish are being caught on trolling plugs and live/dead baits on the bottom. On the flats, there’s been a ton of redfish and small snook with a few larger snook mixed in. I’m expecting the big trout to fire up on some of these colder, nastier weather days. Check the canals and deep creeks for best results. Offshore the tripletail and Cobia are around in pretty good numbers. Also, there’s a ton of shark on offshore reefs and some amberjack. Good luck out there and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 12/7 - 12/13
Hey Gulfsters and hope the Christmas preparations are going fantastic! The mood has changed around here. The water has cleared in and around Boca Ciega and Tampa Bay this past week. Some clear water has brought some fantastic hope and some great fish as of late, including some very good inshore grouper fishing. Grouper up to 30” are being caught in as little as 8’ of water pretty regularly this past week. In addition to that, the snook and trout are still biting strong in our inshore waters too. If you are a sheepshead fisherman, the fish have already fired up and the reports have been very good. Offshore, the grouper have obviously moved in as expected. The snapper and kingfish are eating well even though most of the kings have moved south. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 11/30-12/6
Hello Gulfsters and hope you are having a great week! The fishing and the water are beginning to clean up this past week. The cooler temps are running off some of the red tide even though some still exists to the south. Inshore it’s time to start thinking about gator trout and some inshore grouper! The big trout will be piled up in the canals and deeper areas of the bay from now through February. As for the grouper, every bit of structure will hold some grouper, big or small from the bay to the nearshore waters. Try big live shrimp or live pinfish for best results. Offshore there’s still some kingfish around as well as a few tripletail and some excellent gag grouper action. Way offshore there’s been a few wahoo and lots of blackfin tuna. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 11/23-11/29
Hey Gulfsters and hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving! The inshore fishing has improved along with the clearing red tide conditions. The snook have been chewing in their normal locations. In addition, the trout, sheepshead, and inshore grouper action has picked up over the last couple of days. The grouper should continue to move inshore are we move into December. A few reports of tripletail and cobia are coming in from the beaches. Offshore we are continuing to see some schoolie kingfish, snapper, and some grouper but the further you go offshore, the bigger they get. Good luck out there as always and feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 11/16-11/22
Yo, Gulfsters! Happy Thanksgiving Week to all of you out there. Time to give thanks for a little bit cooler weather which we need to get rid of or at least thin out this summer of the disgusting red ride we’ve experienced statewide. On the inshore side, the water is starting to clear... the dead fish have been mostly removed by very many awesome captains and crew whom the counties and state have paid to clean up. However, we need to do anything we can to avoid this being a more regular occurrence. Look to Tampa Bay, again for all the decent reports in our area. The fish have been producing, including: snook, mackerel, redfish, black drum, Tarpon, and mangrove snapper. Offshore the kingfish are the main target, but don’t overlook the strong grouper bite that is on right now. It should get better as the water cools and the grouper move closer to shore! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. –Capt. Wes

FISHING REPORT: 11/9-11/15
Hey Gulfsters! Hope this week has been epic. Still pretty warm, which continues to fuel the red tide conditions in the coastal bays. I feel like a broken record, but the fish are around, you just have to find the clean water!  The clean water can be found up in Tampa Bay and in nearshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Reports have been great for some tripletail and sharks along the beaches. The fish are being caught on shrimp and flies. Inside Tampa Bay, the snook and redfish are chewing away... try the south shore for good results.  Remember to care for the fish upon release and that the season is closed for harvest of both species. Offshore, the kingfish have definitely arrived. Finding the schools of bait has been key.  For the bottom fishing, the snapper, grouper, and hogfish have been steady. It should get better as we move into the cooler months. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam.  Capt. Wes Tallyn 

FISHING REPORT: 11/2 - 11/18
Hello Gulfsters and happy November! Not too much different to report from the last few weeks unfortunately. There are definitely pockets of clean water along the beaches that are holding fish but most of the Boca Ciega Bay Area continues to be hit hard by the red tide. It’s poked it’s way every now and then into southern Tampa Bay, but most of the Bay has avoided the red tide. Another cold front slides through today but not bringing much of a temperature change with it. Inside Tampa Bay there’s been a steady bite of snook, redfish, black drum, and I heard some good snapper reports today with fish up to 14”. Offshore we have kingfish on the mind. Some good reports of kings out on some of the deeper reefs in the north county area. Good fish being caught on the Blackthorn and some fish around the Rube Allen. Good luck out there, and send in your reports/pictures! As always, feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 10/26 - 11/1
Hey Gulfsters and Happy Halloween week!! My runny nose is proof that, unfortunately, the red tide still exists. This week I observed dead fish and/or red tide conditions from Tierra Verde north to Indian Rocks Beach at least. Inside Tampa Bay its a different story. There are still some non-red tide algae blooms but the fish are still chewing. I caught some snook along Coffee Pot Bayou along the docks and up close to the seawalls. Most of the fish are right up against the seawalls so be careful when approaching the fish so as not to spook them. The redfish and mackerel are the main story in the bay. Limits of mackerel are being caught regularly around the Skyway Bridge and along the shipping channel. The Gandy Bridge is also holding some tarpon, snook, and mackerel. Offshore the kingfish have officially arrived and we are easing towards tournament season. The shark bite has also been strong this part week on the local reefs and hard bottom areas with some blacktip, bulls, and a couple dusky sharks that have been reported. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 10/19 - 10/25
Hello Gulfsters and hope all is well in your world! The nasty, green and brown water continues to persist in Boca Ciega Bay and along the beaches. The best advice I can give you if you’re out looking for fish is to explore areas for some good, clear, clean water. The fish are avoiding the nasty areas and piling up in the areas with the best water quality. Thus far the best spots have been up in Tampa Bay where the tide has flushed enough to keep the plankton blooms out. The reports I am seeing are good, with snook, redfish, and mackerel chewing well. Remember to take extra care on the release of redfish and snook as they are closed from harvest at this time. The offshore fishing has been good. Dead, floating fish on the surface can make it a little less pleasant but the action on the bottom has seemed consistent with grouper, mangrove snapper, tripletail, cobia, and a couple very early kingfish. Thanks for reading and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam Capt. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 10/5 - 10/11
What’s happening Gulfster’s! Welcome to October and the (very slight) weather change is upon us! There’s still a presence of red tide along the beaches and a few dead fish floating in the bays but nothing like we dealt with before inshore. The fish do continue to wash up on the beaches and there’s dead fish up to 10-miles offshore in a few areas. The cooling weather will help. Inside Tampa Bay is where the best reports are coming from. The big 3 (snook, redfish, and trout) are all chewing strong. Fish of all sizes are eating but redfish seem to be the most reported. There’s been a good amount of juvi tarpon being caught too in the area rivers and near other freshwater spillways into saltwater. Offshore has been good. I expect the grouper to begin easing closer to shore as the weather begins to change. The grouper will be in Tampa Bay by late October/early November. Also, some reports offshore of mahi, tuna, and cobia on local wrecks and hard bottom areas. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 9/28-10/3
Hey Gulfsters! Rolling into October with a little less optimism than last year. October is up there with May as my favorite fishing months usually. The big news this week is that the harvest closure for snook and redfish has been extended north to include all state waters on the Gulf Coast from the Pasco/Hernando County line, south to near Naples. This is a much needed closure and there has been a push by anglers to try to include speckled seatrout to that list as well. The closure is intended to protect the species that are already under pressure for their surrounding environment. The water has been pretty cloudy this week. Lots of rainfall has caused runoff and some other algae species to bloom so water clarity has not been the greatest but there are still some fish to be found both inshore and offshore. Northern areas are reporting a good tripletail and gag grouper bite nearshore and offshore. The hogfish are also being shot and caught on hook and line on the area reefs, both public and private numbers. The sheepshead have been piled up on area bridges and other structures like docks and jetties. If you can find a chance, get out and find some fish! If you do target or catch a snook or redfish, please take the time to carefully land and revive the fish for a safe release. Thank you for all of the reports and pictures, keep them coming! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 9/21-9/27
Hey Gulfsters and hope you all are having an epic week!  The red tide continues to unimpress.  Instead of shrimp captains and commercial fishermen going out to catch fish for our economy, the County and others are paying them to scoop up dead, decaying fish that continue to harm our local business and environment.  The northern counties remain unaffected by the red tide thus far and it has not reached very far up into the Tampa Bay waters yet. Hopefully that remains the case. Either way, if you’re fishing inshore in our area I stress that you use extreme caution in caring for the catch and release of fish species. It’s probably only a matter of time before Pinellas and Hillsborough County’s are added to the catch and release restrictions for certain species like snook and redfish. The red tide is extending about 10-miles offshore, so if you’re considering some offshore fishing I’d suggest heading out a minimum of 15-miles. Hang in there, and pray for cooler weather to fend off the red tide. If you have any questions feel free to contact me at wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam.  Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 9/14-9/20
Hey Gulfsters, it’s that time again for another Fishing Report! I’m not sure that the red tide has really crept north, but the dead fish have pushed north into PInellas County coastal waters and they bring with them the famous red tide smell on the beaches. It doesn’t seem to have been affecting the inshore fishing which has been very good for snook, redfish, and trout. I would caution you to take extreme care, just in case with any catch and release fish or especially any over sized fish, to ensure the safety of the fish which are already under environmental pressure. Offshore there’s spots of dead fish, but again it’s hard to say after recent weeks if the presence of dead fish is a result of currents or evidence of red tide. Good reports of hogfish and grouper continue to come in. Try a live pinfish for the grouper or fresh shrimp, live or dead for the hogfish, which, are excellent table fare! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 9/7-9/13
Hello Gulfsters and welcome to the height of hurricane season! We ducked another one that hopefully has spread out some of the red tide concentrations. Inshore the fishing inside Tampa Bay and along the beaches has been on fire. Lots of snook and a few redfish were caught at John’s Pass last week on live bait and artificial lures. Big redfish are all over Tampa Bay along the mangrove islands and up on the grass beds in the early morning hours. Along the beaches several Tripletail reports have been coming in. Offshore there haven’t been as many reports flowing in, but there’s been some continuing blackfin tuna reports. Most are being caught on a flat line while bottom fishing. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 8/31-9/6
Hey Gulfsters! Strolling into September with some crazy rain over the past week. Some new news on the fishing regulations front, a new catch and release only zone has been established by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. This zone is over coastal waters from Anna Maria Island south to about Naples. This is definitely something to be aware of if you’re fishing in these areas and it’s critical for protecting these species that have been decimated in the area. The northern Tampa Bay Area has been productive. The snook and redfish have been a little spotty but if you look hard you can find a few schools of fish. The Spanish mackerel have been everywhere in the bays, passes, and beaches. Offshore the snapper are still thick along with a mixed bag of everything from African pompano to blackfin tuna, tripletail, kingfish, permit, cobia, and grouper. Get out there if you can and stay safe with the crazy weather. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 8/24-8/30
Yo Gulfsters! Hope this past week has been epic besides the crazy heat and rain. The fishing has held steady but the strongest bite has been at night or early in the morning. Sunday we found some snook on the dock lights along with a few trout as well. A few snook are up along the mangrove edges in the mornings as well as some spotty redfish reports. Those fish should start to school up soon on the flats throughout Tampa Bay. Some signs of the red tide are showing up in the area. I was at Blind Pass on Wednesday and there was about 20 decomposing fish in we weed lines. This isn’t anything too indicative of the presence of a bloom yet but I imagine some spotty areas exist in the bay and along the coast. The red tide has impacted areas south of the entrance to Tampa Bay and some dead fish have been seen up to 20-miles offshore. That doesn’t seem to be affecting areas to the north yet. My advice would be to run northwest and at least 20-miles off to find the best results. Thanks for reading and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 8/17-8/23
Hello Gulfsters and welcome to the summer doldrums... red tide is still the number one topic of discussion around here. So far, north of the entrance to Tampa Bay and inside of Tampa Bay have been spared. If you are in an area that appears to have impacts from red tide, make sure you are either taking time to carefully release fish, that may already be under stress, or just leave the fish alone for the time being where possible. There’s still a strong bite from snook and mackerel locally as well as an uptick in redfish reports. Cut bait, live shrimp, and artificial soft baits are hot right now. Offshore the fishing has been fantastic. The St. Pete Open is going to be great (as always) this weekend. Look for some big amberjack, black grouper, and gags to be brought to the scales. The kingfish report have also continued to pile up. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 8/10-8/16
Hello Gulfsters and I hope everything is going great! So the big topic of discussion is the red tide to the south of us. We’ve had some small reports of red tide affected birds and fish in Pinellas County but not many dead fish on the surface thus far. The result of this year’s red tide has been a “perfect storm” of conditions. The first is an unusual July weather pattern where an onshore weather flow pushed plankton against the shores from offshore. The winds also caused storms which created runoff, that washed nutrients from lawns and roads into the bays and coastal waters. In addition to all of that, the discharges from Lake O to the south of our area are introducing additional nutrients. The three factors together are allowing the red tide organisms to “bloom.” Some good strong offshore winds or a tropical system in the gulf could help break the blooms up, but otherwise the warm waters will continue to aid the coverage. Aside from that worry, the local fishing had been solid. The snook bite has been strong. They’re on the beaches and along the dock lights at night. The mackerel bite has been awesome this summer. Probably the best it’s been in years inside of Tampa Bay which I believe is why so many sharks have been seen and caught in Tampa Bay and along the beaches. Offshore it’s all about snapper. The red and mangrove snapper have been big and there’s a lot of them to be found. Starting in about 75’ of water and going out to about 100’ has been the best reports. Thanks for reading and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 8/3-8/9
Yo Gulfsters! It’s August and the crazy weather conditions are impossible to predict right now. The red tide has stayed in the southern part of our area but it is creeping north slowly. The snook are loaded up at the passes still as well as deep mangrove areas with some water movement. We saw and caught some smaller snook and some trout on a he flats this week, and we got a bunch of snapper and a permit off of some area bridges. Several schools of jacks were also seen and caught crashing on bait schools in Boca Ciega Bay. Any fast moving lure or live bait should trigger a frenzy! Offshore it’s been just as good as it’s been all year. Lots of big permit, cobia, and grouper being caught as well as the usual snapper species and tons of mackerel and bonito to pull some drag. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam! Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 7/27- 8/2
What’s happening, Gulfsters?! Lots of nasty rain and wind in our area the past week with a strong westerly flow over the area. The inshore Fishing is great if you can find those protected spots to fish. The main targets have been trout on the flats, mackerel in the bays and passes, and snapper at the Bay Area bridges. The snook are still piled up at the passes and feeding heavy during the dusk to dawn hours. The beaches are also still drawing lots of small sharks just about all hours of the day. A chum bag and a dead bait will lead to hours of fun. Offshore the reports have not been as hot and heavy, probably due to the weather. But the grouper and snapper are piled up on structure. Live baits on the bottom are doing the best for grouper, while the snapper are often up further in the water column once you’ve started fishing. Good luck out there and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 7/20- 7/26
Hey Gulfsters! Hope you’ve had a fantastic week. The heat is definitely on. Inshore Fishing has been hit or miss this past week.  The beaches are inundated with floating seagrass but there are some snook in the waves and at the local passes. John’s Pass is loaded with some fish right now. There’s been some mackerel, redfish, snapper, and sharks also being caught there right now. The flats are holding a good number of trout still. Use live shrimp under a bobber, a soft bait, or a topwater lure for best results. Offshore is where it’s at right now!  The fishing has been great in 75-80 feet of water as it has the past month or so.  Red snapper, grouper, kingfish, blackfin tuna, and a few mahi mahi. Thanks for all of the reports and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam.  –Capt Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 7/13 - 7/19
It’s Friday so here’s another edition of the Gulfster Fishing Report!  Hope you all have had a fantastic weekend as we dive in to the heat of the summer!  The fishing remains hot, with lots to do and a ton of different species to target. Snook are piled into the passes. Most of them have their mind on breeding right now with the strong outgoing tides. I saw several fish today spawning eggs on the ebb tide at area passes.  If you do target these fish please take the time to revive the fish as many are exhausted from spawning and the warm water really slows them down. Other than that, there’s a good number of sheepshead, snapper, and I saw some tarpon in John’s Pass tonight. Tarpon along the beaches have slowed a little bit, I think they’re headed offshore to spawning grounds as well. Offshore the gags, hogfish, and snapper reports are rolling in.  Mutton, Lane, Mangrove, and American Red Snapper are all showing up around 80-120’ of water. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam.  Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 7/6 - 7/12
What’s happening, Gulfsters?!  Welcome to the summer heat and afternoon storms!  Red tide has been quite prevalent down south as well as discharged water from Lake Okeechobee.  So far we’ve dodged this in our Tampa Bay areas but do your part to help by reducing or eliminating fertilizers and limiting other pollution. The inshore snook action has been on fire. In addition to that there has been a great bite of mackerel being reported throughout Tampa Bay and along the beaches.  Anchoring up with some chum and live greenbacks will bring all of the action you can handle. I personally like a good outgoing tide if you do target mackerel and anchoring up around one of the area passes. Mixed in with the macks have been tons of small sharks as well. Blacktips, bonnetheads, and others. Offshore there’s still an abundance of action. Most of the reports I’m getting again start at about 75’ and deeper. Good size ARS, gag and red grouper, as well as some big kingfish. Thanks for all of the reports and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam.  –Captain Wes Tallyn 

FISHING REPORT: 6/29 - 7/5
Yo Gulfsters and hope you’re dealing with the heat. Now’s the time of year to start thinking about those evening trips and early morning outings to beat the heat. The dock lights are lit up with some decent snook right now. Live bait is the best way to get them fired up and potentially get a few fish off of one light.  In addition to the snook, there’s also a few trout and snapper on the lights. If the ladyfish are present, move on to the next light.  Snook are also piled up and spawning on the beaches.  Just about any pass or canal near a pass is holding fish as well.  On the grass flats, there’s a large number of trout. They don’t see to be very big but there’s a bunch of them around. This is a perfect time of the year to get out and catch some sharks on the beaches or near the Skyway Bridge.  Offshore the snapper and grouper bite remains hit or miss, but the fish are there to be found with some searching. Thanks for reading and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 6/22 - 6/28
Hey Gulfster fishers and hope you all have had an epic week! Some rain has moved in recently as we see the usual summer pattern of pop up storms taking target on Florida. The rain is much needed and hopefully will begin to help drop some of the super high water temperatures in the inland waters to give the fish a little relief. The one negative is the water, in some areas, is clouded up a bit by all of the runoff. That’s probably one thing to focus on if you’re fishing inshore this weekend... try to find some areas with clear water and fish those areas. The tarpon on the beach are in full swing and even some good action being reported in the creeks and bays. Try live baits on the beach and live or small artificial baits inshore for the best results. The sheepshead and mangrove snapper are loaded up on any structure you can find in Tampa Bay. Get your bait under a dock or bridge close to a piling or bottom structure. Offshore there’s been a broad range of reports. Some frustrating reports are coming in and some great reports. The best reports I’ve seen are coming out of 80-120’ of water and the Middle Grounds. ARS, gag grouper, kingfish, and mangrove snapper have been the most common fish coming back to the docks. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmai.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 6/15 - 6/21
Hey Gulfster fishers! First of all, we’re overwhelmed with all of the reports and photos, so don’t be frustrated if we don’t post yours this week, but keep on sending them because you will get in for sure. A little tip, the horizontal holding of a fish is more widely accepted by us than a vertical hold of a fish, ESPECIALLY bigger fish, their organs need to be supported when they are out of the water and holding them vertically can damage their organs when they are removed from the buoyancy they have in the water. Inshore we have seen a big uptick in reports, everything from snook, redfish, juvenile tarpon, to jacks, snapper, and mackerel. The fish are hammering baits on the outgoing tide and feeding well on the incoming tide too. Fresh, live bait or a fast moving artificial bait will do the trick. Remember, your retrieval of an artificial bait needs to change based on the temperature of the water. In cold water conditions we tend to really slow the baits down, but now in 90-degree (or close to that) water you want to speed up the retrieval. Offshore we are seeing great reports of red snapper, lane snapper, mangrove snapper, grouper, kingfish, and amberjack. I saw another report of whale sharks from our area again, so keep an eye out on the horizon for those guys in these slicked out conditions. Also, watch out for those pop up storms and stay safe. I saw a waterspout off of St. Pete Beach this morning. Good luck and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. –Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 6/8 - 6/14
Hey Gulfster and hope the past week was awesome! The wind has laid down a bit as of late, allowing for more people to get offshore for some snapper and grouper. Some fantastic offshore reports have been streaming in as well as some exciting sightings of whale sharks off of our shore. The local reefs are holding cobia, permit, amberjack, and grouper. The deeper reefs are stacked with red snapper, AJ’s and still some kingfish. Inshore there’s been a good amount of snook and tarpon along the beaches. Now is a fun time to get out there while literally everything is biting and take a kid fishing. Thanks for reading and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. –Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 6/1 - 6/6
Hey Gulfster fishers and welcome to June!  The rain has subsided some, now we just need some nice, calm weather to clear up the water, and let us get out there!  Inshore there has been a lot fewer reports this week, as expected. However, the trout and crevalle jacks have been just about everywhere in the canals and passes. Soft baits and live green backs are the baits of choice. With all of the rain there’s been some small tarpon found in Tampa Bay near any of the creeks and spillways. Small baits are the best, either flies or small artificial baits. Offshore all eyes are on the opening of gag grouper season today (June 1). In addition to that, there’s lots of tarpon schooled up along the beaches and tons of mackerel near Egmont Key as well as on all of the county public reefs. Thanks for reading and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam.  –Captain Wes Tallyn 

FISHING REPORT: 5/25-5/31
We’re looking at some tropical weather patterns already in our area this weekend with a low/depression in our area this weekend. At least we’re all used to it by now, right?  This week we’ve seen a big uptick in tarpon activity on the local beaches along with an influx of big sharks chasing them around. Yesterday alone, I had two friends have major run in’s with big hammerhead sharks that caused a dead tarpon and a dead trolling motor that got in the way!  Keep your head on a swivel while out there. In addition to that the snook and trout have been on fire as well. Start on the flats and work your way to the deeper edges for best results. Offshore it’s all about grouper and permit. Lots of permit being reported on the local, public reefs. Use live crabs if you want some action. Thanks for reading and feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam.  –Captain Wes Tallyn 

FISHING REPORT: 5/18-5/24
Hello Gulfsters and hope the past week was epic!  Some heavy rain and wind the past week but it hasn’t slowed the fishing down much. The tarpon are the headliners this week. The fish are being found in good numbers in the bays and along the beaches. Live bait is key, either crabs or threadfins. Look for the fish rolling on the surface or watch those fish finders around the bridges. The trout bite has also been on fire. All of the flats are loaded with fish. Offshore look for Cobia, snapper, and permit unless you want to make the long runs. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gulfster.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Capt. Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 5/11-5/17
Congrats to John Ambrosio and Levi Webb for hunting down this 40” cobia off of Ruskin last week! You too could be featured on the site, just submit your photos to gulfsterreport@gmail.com.  Hey Gulfster fishers and hope the past week was an awesome one!  The winds have let up some and the warmer weather is setting in for sure. There’s some fantastic fishing going on throughout our area. Inshore we’re seeing lots of trout and snook being caught on the flats, canals, and beaches. Treasure Island is undergoing beach renourishment right now and the water is all stirred up as the sand settles out. It’s not worth chasing snook in that area right now. After T.I., the dredge moves up to Clearwater Pass and then will work back south to John’s Pass. We also found lots of fun sized jacks, ladyfish, and snapper around all of the Bay Area bridges. Try live shrimp or any fast moving artificial bait. Offshore the kingfish are still around, I’m also getting great reports of permit, tripletail, and grouper. There’s still quite a few Cobia around on the local reefs and a few on the beaches so be prepared for battle!  As always, feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam.  Tight lines! Captain Wes Tallyn 

FISHING REPORT: 5/4-5/10
What’s up Gulfsters! Welcome to May, the heat is beginning to start here locally even though we’ve had some lower than normal temperatures for our area the past month or two. The fish are definitely finding their summer homes now. The snook are on the beach and thick at the passes. I’d recommend going either really early before the beach crowds roll out of bed or in the evenings. Live bait, flys, or artificials are all working and producing good sized fish. In the Bay the trout are thick and the redfish are still available but spotty. I think the reds have hunkered down in the mangroves this year more so than previous years creating a false opinion that they’re hard to find. Offshore it’s really happening. There’s a run of spring tarpon finally beginning and the offshore wrecks are holding good numbers of permit, cobia, hogfish, and snapper species. Start in about 45-feet and work west. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 4/27-5/3
Hello Gulfsters and hope you’re enjoying this awesome weather we’re finally getting! The fishing has been hot. Many of the different species are showing up at the passes and on the beaches including pompano, snook, tarpon, and cobia. Get out early in the morning on a calm day and do some sight fishing before the beaches are packed. I like MirrOlure Lil Jon’s, DOA Shrimp, or SPRO bucktails. The tarpon are beginning to school up around Egmont Key and other areas. Live crabs or threadfin are always good bets. Offshore the kingfish are still chewing. Expect some company out there with the Old Salt’s King of the Beach tournament this weekend. Good luck out there and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam.  Captain Wes Tallyn 

FISHING REPORT: 4/20 - 4/26
Hey Gulfsters and hope everyone is having a fabulous week. The wind has been pretty gnarly but it’s letting up a couple days a week allowing the water to slick out. The fish are everywhere right now in Tampa Bay. Getting some good reports on the south shore from good redfish bites and some epic trout bites. Some people reporting 100 fish days inside Tampa Bay. Also, there’s been a ton of snook being caught along the mangroves around the Skyway bridges.  The tarpon are showing up in small numbers around the bay and beaches. May should be the time that the fishing really heats up. Offshore the kingfish bite continues to rock ‘n roll along. All of the public reefs are holding fish, keep your bait fresh and get a lot of it for lots of drag pulling fun!  Keeping an eye on what could be a decently long red snapper season, more to come on that later but it looks like it will be extended.  Thanks for reading along and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam.  –Captain Wes Tallyn 

FISHING REPORT: 4/13-4/19
Hey Gulfsters and thanks again for all of the questions, pictures, and reports!  The weather has been a little crazy and the wind has definitely been tough to avoid but during the calm periods the fishing has been great. April is a fantastic month to get out if you have an opportunity.  There’s some great nearshore and inshore fishing going on right now.  The reports this week from the Skyway Fishing pier have been awesome!  Lots of grouper, mackerel, and some very active kingfishing. The guys under the Skyway on the boats are hooking multiple tarpon per trip.  I expect the tarpon to really start to show up on the beaches this week.  Looking back in my fishing logs, I’d say everything is about 3 weeks behind “the norm” as far as the beach goes.  If you are along the beaches, I did see some cobia along St. Petersburg Beach this week two years ago, so keep an eye out for those while searching for tarpon, snook, or kingfish. I usually will have a dark, soft bait, jig ready to go in case I see a cobia. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 4/6-4/12
Hello Gulfsters and I hope you had a fantastic week! The fish are continuing to move to the regular summer grounds and along the beaches. This week the snook made their appearance on the beach in some numbers. There’s still a lot of people traffic which is limiting the fishing opportunities but as we move away from the spring break crowds the fish should be more comfortable and feeding. The tarpon are starting to show in small numbers along the beach. This week would be a good time to fish the Skyway for them, anchoring up on an outgoing tide between the pilings. The fish usually move along the bridge shadow lines and along the side of the pilings ambushing baits. I saw a few very small pompano still along the beaches this week, try around Pass-a-Grille jetty or Buncess Pass. Offshore the kingfish are on fire and eating everything alive. The public reefs are a good place to start but anywhere where the bait is thick will attract the migrating fish. Thanks for all of the reports and fish pictures, keep them coming. As always feel free to contact me via email with any questions or follow along on Instagram @snookjam. Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 3/30 - 4/5
Hey Gulfsters and welcome to spring!  We are looking at an awesome warming trend taking place finally but with it comes some heavy winds. The fish are on fire if you can catch a nice weather opening.  The big four (snook, redfish, trout, and tarpon) are chewing strong. Some early tarpon are on the local beaches. Try crabs or dead sardines for some good action but the fish are a little spread out. For the snook, check out the docks around Tierra Verde. You might even find some good grouper and sheepshead action around the docks while snook fishing. Offshore everything is biting: sheepshead, every kind of snapper, grunts, kingfish, permit, hogfish, and grouper. Get out there when you can. Things are on fire!! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. –Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 3/23- 3/29
Hello Gulfsters and hope you’ve had an epic week!  The wind has churned up our local, inland waters once again but the fish remain chewing for those brave enough to venture out. The big trout and redfish are chewing on the flats on live greenbacks and soft baits on a jig head. The trout are loaded up on the deeper edge drop offs. Give some spots a little extra time as the trout work their areas of the flats. The pompano are still on the beaches and area bridges. Also, plenty of big sheepshead are still being caught throughout the Bay Area on any kind of structure. Offshore, the bite has been very strong on the days where the weather cooperates. Some early kingfish continue to arrive as well as some big grouper, hogfish, and grunt.  As always if you have any questions, feel free to contact me via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam.
–Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 3/9 - 3/15
Hey Gulfsters! Nasty fishing conditions due to the wind have stirred up a nice swell on both coasts this week and a bit of cooler weather. No doubt the fish should be as confused as we are with this sudden weather change. Snook already working their way out to the beaches are probably regretting their early season move and possibly retreating back into the bays. Speaking of snook, the bite is on fire on the flats and canals. Most fish are under slot but there’s been some real nice fish pushing 40” again this past week. Some gator trout are being caught all over the Bay Area flats as well. The water will probably be a little stirred up and may make for some less than ideal conditions for artificial baits. Now would be a good time to use or experiment with scented baits or bait gels. The bridges are holding sheepshead and black drum with the occasional redfish or pompano as a welcomed bycatch. Offshore was producing grouper, amberjack, and kingfish but it’s going to be awfully rough until mid or late next week. Thanks for reading and as always feel free to contact with any questions on email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 3/2 - 3/8
Hey Gulfsters!  Spring is here, the pollen is thick, the butterflies are showing up, and.... the kingfish are already here?  Yep, great reports throughout the area of kingfish. I even saw a 53lb fish caught at the Skyway Pier last week. You can expect everything to be a little early this year I think. The snook are already making their way close to the passes.  The beaches are loaded up with small sharks right now, bonnetheads, sand sharks, and blacktips are on the prowl. There’s also some permit, pompano, and bluefish being caught at the passes and along the beaches. Hopefully the water doesn’t warm up too fast and we can get a nice transition of fish rather than some of the species blowing right past us and heading north right away. Snook season is now officially open on the west coast of Florida until May.  The population is healthy but make sure you watch out for our future generations and just take them occasionally. I read recently it takes them about 7-years to reach that slot limit size and all of those fish are females.  Watch out for black drum, cobia, and an increase in Spanish Mackerel numbers this week. Tarpon season is just around the corner too so service those reels and start scouting your crab spots!  Thanks for all of the great reports and photos!  Keep them coming... and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. –Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 2/16-2/22
Hey Gulfsters and welcome to continued warmth!!  I for one couldn’t be happier. The reports are streaming in this week so I know a lot more of you are getting out fishing than the past couple months. The inshore bite is strong. The redfish and trout are chewing heavy on the flats. Start looking for those schools of big black drum as they will be moving onto the flats as well. The snook and juvi tarpon are in the marinas and canals, anywhere where there’s a little deeper water or structure. In addition to that, now’s the time to start looking for the cobia chasing rays around on the flats eating everything that the rays stir up. Offshore there’s been some tripletail and grouper reports steady streaming in. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 2/9-2/15
What’s up Gulfsters?! Already through almost half of February and still going strong. Trout and sheepshead are the ticket right now as the water temperatures finally creep back into the 60’s. I expect the water to start warming pretty substantially the next week or so. Look for the bite to pick back up on redfish and snook this week. We can also expect some other fish to be chewing including: pompano, permit, bluefish, and some early Spanish Mackerel. Target the passes and canals near the passes for best results. For the pompano try small jigs or live shrimp. For the bluefish try any fast moving jigs or spoons. Offshore we are either waiting for seasons to open or fish to arrive. Soon enough the kings will be here so start prepping your reels with new line and tying new rigs to prepare for tournament season! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 2/2-2/8
Hey Gulfsters! Welcome to some beautiful February warmth! I for one, am very happy for the warming trend and hopefully this will bring a warming trend to the local waters! On the east coast our friends are already chasing slot snook and finding some good keeper fish for the cooler. Locally we’re getting some nice trout and snook. The trout bite has been solid but not as many of the big gators we’re used too in the winter months. The sheepshead bite on the other hand has been great. Big fish are still biting on local bridges and the jetties. A few sheepshead are being found offshore fighting with the flounder for baits. Offshore the bite remains. Big grouper this past week have hammering baits inside of the 50-foot mark as well as in Tampa Bay. Good luck out there Gulfsters! As always feel free to contact me with any questions wtallyn@04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 1/26-2/1
Howdy Gulfsters and welcome to the end of winter... well, hopefully. I for one am tired of the chilly and windy conditions but it seems like a warming trend is on its way!  The inshore fishing has been fairly good this week with a very solid trout and sheepshead bite in the Tampa Bay Area. The canals and bridges are holding the big fish right now. Live shrimp and fiddler crabs are the ticket to a cooler full of fish. The snook are piled up in the winter canals and creeks in Tampa Bay and Boca Ciega Bay. A little patience and some live bait chumming will go a long way this time of year for turning on the bite. Offshore the amberjack are under siege with the short open season. In addition to that, the hogfish and grouper are still in close. Get out there and send in your reports and pictures!  Feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 1/19 - 1/25
Yo Gulfsters, hope you have survived the brutal cold over the past couple weeks!  The water temp has dipped into the upper 50’s for most of the Tampa Bay Area, which mean a slower bite and less fish per trip for most species.  The fish will be pushing into the shallow, dark bottom areas in search for warmer water. Even a couple of degrees can bring a lot of relief to the fish. If you are looking to get out, the trout are biting well in the deeper canals and deep edges of the grass flats. Use live shrimp that are easier for the trout to chase down or really slow down the retrieval of an artificial bait, bouncing along the bottom. It’s a great time to hunt down some sheepshead too!  The fish are loaded up on the Gandy Bridge and the Misner Bridge right now!  Offshore things are still going strong!  The grouper, amberjack, snapper, and hogfish are showing no signs of slowing down. The pipeline and private numbers are providing the best results but don’t be afraid to check the public reefs and ledges during the weekdays. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam.
Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 1/12 - 1/18
Hey Gulfsters and hope all is going well with you in the New Year!  Another rain event and cold front pushing through right now. There’s another cold snap waiting to follow with temperatures dipping down into the 30’s and 40’s again for our area.  Hopefully that won’t affect too bad the strong bite we’ve seen in the last week. Some great reports of redfish and snook this week of over 30” fish being caught on live baits. The other species that is eating everything in sight is sheepshead. Try the Skyway bridges, docks in the Tierra Verde area, or the pass jetties for good results this time of year. Live shrimp, dead shrimp, or fiddler crabs are the best baits. Offshore has been good for mackerel, Snapper, and Grouper. Almost any structure is holding fish. Look for the schools of bait on the depth finder!  As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 1/12 - 1/18
Woooooo!  Happy winter Gulfsters!!!  Nasty cold out there this week but it’s not stopping the die hard fishermen from getting after the fish!  Some great reports of inshore Grouper, redfish, snook, and trout continue to come in. A lot of over slot fish in the big three and some Grouper pushing 30” again. Big live shrimp is the best bait to use regardless of the species you’re searching for with the water temps pushing down in the 50’s.  However you have to take time to care for and acclimate those shrimp. If you go to the bait shop and buy shrimp that is in 70 degree water, take time to transition those baits to the colder water by slowly adding the colder water to them rather than taking them out of the 70 degree bucket and tossing them into 55 degree water. It will add some life to your baits!  Offshore the kingfish, permit, and grouper were chewing last week. We will see if the fish push south with some recent weather changes.  Thanks and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam.
Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 12/29 - 1/4
Hey Gulfsters and hope you’ve had a great 2017!  We are looking forward to an awesome 2018!  Get out there and get some fishing in because it is probably on fire right now.  Everything Inshore is biting including some big trout as expected for this time of the year. Also, the snook and redfish are still chewing on the flats in Tampa Bay and in the creeks and canals in our area. The inshore grouper bite has been strong as in previous weeks. Try using big live shrimp, live white bait, or even trolling big lip plugs in Tampa Bay for the fish. Offshore I’m getting great reports of tripletail, hogfish, kingfish, tuna, and grouper. I’ve even seen a couple reports of Cobia and permit streaming in. Get out there and enjoy this great weather we are experiencing, and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 12/22 - 12/28
Howdy Gulfsters and happy holidays to all of you out there! Thanks for another great year of Gulfster and to Ryan Clapper for all of the hard work! Some amazing reports, pictures, and videos coming in from all of you! Keep up the good work. From an inshore perspective we have a great bite continuing of snook, redfish, trout, grouper, and sheepshead. The warmer than average water is keeping the fish biting, along with some light to variable wind conditions. Shrimp and live greenbacks/whitebait are the choice baits to really get the fish feeding. There’s no reason to not try the fly fishing or artificial lures though. Lots of fish are still being caught chasing artificial lures around, especially MirrOlure, ZMan, and Live Target Lures. I like a 1/4 Mission Fishin’ jighead to go along with them. Offshore has been on fire probably more so than inshore. Tons of cobia, snapper, and grouper to go around. Congrats to Jason Stock @jmsnooky for being selected by Sport Fishing Magazine as the 2017 Charter Captain of the Year!!! That’s an awesome honor! As always feel free to contact me with any questions at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 12/15 - 12/21
Hey Gulfsters!  Looking like a great weekend ahead weather-wise. Water temps are probably still a little bit warmer than usual for this time of year but still cool enough to hold a good mix of hungry fish species in our area. The gag grouper bite inshore and near shore has been awesome this year. Get out there quick though because the gag season closes on December 31st. In addition to the Grouper I’m seeing some awesome snook and redfish being caught in our area. Offshore has been awesome as well. The yellowtail, mangrove, and lane snapper reports and pictures have been streaming in this week.  Anchoring up and chumming to get the fish up off of the bottom is the best way to get them fired up. Use small hooks and light fluorocarbon leaders, probably 15lb-30lb for best results.  Thanks again and as always feel free to contact me with any questions at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. – Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 12/8 - 12/14
Hello Gulfsters and thanks for all of the great reports and photos!  Keep them coming!  A big cold front is going to change everything for us this week. The air temps will be dipping down into the low to mid 40’s for our area. This cold snap will probably bring the water temps down to the mid 60’s in most areas. This will only make the grouper Fishing that we’ve seen in the area get better!  The fish are pushed into any areas with structure, almost regardless of depth. You can also expect to find some trout moving into some of the canals and deeper channels near grass beds. Try a live shrimp for the trout. I’d expect a couple down days of snook fishing and probably the same for the redfish.  If you do catch these guys, take the time to revive the fish before releasing them. Stay safe out there and throw an extra blanket or jacket on the boat just in case you need it for an emergency situation!  As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 12/1 - 12/7
Happy December Gulfsters!  This year has flown by. Just as a heads up, snook season is now closed so take caution there and spend a little extra time reviving the fish you are releasing. The snook bite has been very steady with some really big fish being caught regularly in our area. The fish are moving further inland as the weather continues to cool during the night hours. Some really nice reports of big trout as well. Live shrimp is certainly the easiest way to get the trout if you don’t mind weeding through some smaller fish to get to the bigger ones. Gag Grouper are everywhere in the bay and around all of the bridges and rock piles. I’ve seen some awesome reports of fish pushing 30” in less than 10-feet of water. Offshore the gags are stealing the show as well. The public numbers are pretty picked over but if you can find a ledge that hasn’t been picked over, you should be able to find some keepers. The bonus fish species has continued to be tripletail. Look for the fish on crab trap buoys or any type of floating debris. Thanks and as always feel free to contact me with any questions at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. – Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 11/24- 11/30
Hey Gulfsters and thanks for all of the great reports and photos! Golden opportunity to get out and catch some fish right now! Inshore has continued to produce snook and redfish. I’ve seen a huge influx of big trout reports this week. Several fish over 22” were caught this week on lures and live shrimp throughout our area. You can also try a DOA shrimp under a Cajun Thunder bobber this time of year. Offshore has been awesome. We found gag Grouper at about 35’ off of Clearwater this past weekend as well as a bunch of grunt, gray triggerfish, and some mackerel. Live pinfish were the ticket to the biggest fish. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 11/17 - 11/23
Yo Gulfsters!  Happy Thanksgiving to you all and hope you have a great week!  The fishing has been rolling along. We’ve had some awesome weather the past week minus some windy conditions off and on. Inshore has stayed pretty decent with some snook and other species crashing bait fish on the local bridges. Last Saturday I got snook, jacks, mackerel, ladyfish, and snapper all off of the same bridge. Lots of ladyfish crashing on small, fry baitfish schools along the beaches if you’re looking for some fly fishing practice!  Great reports coming in of trippletail continuing in our area. Try a DOA shrimp, live shrimp, or even a fly rod for best results. Offshore there’s still a great gag Grouper influx which should only get better throughout the winter!  I’ve heard reports of fish up to 35” on the inshore reefs inside of Tampa Bay. Good luck out there and as always feel free to contact me via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. – Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 11/10 - 11/16
Hey Gulfsters and hope you’re having a fantastic November!  Good inshore fishing continues for the West Coast with a strong trout and redfish bite in the Tampa Bay Area!  Look for the fish in about 2-5 feet of water on grass beds and along oyster beds. The snook have spread out some. They start their move into their normal winter haunts in the deeper, warmer canals and creeks. I’ve already seen some snook in places they were not at all summer. Also keep an eye out for some schools of big crevalle jack and a good showing of trippletail. Offshore there’s some decent bottom fishing for gag Grouper in shallow spots along the beaches. The kingfish should continue to move through as well. Now’s a good time to have a jig ready for Cobia cruising by as well. Keep sending in your photos! We need some for next week. Thanks and feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com. Also on Instagram @snookjam. Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 11/3 - 11/9
Hey Gulfsters and welcome to some solid fall weather conditions! A beautiful past week and some great weather to enjoy the outdoors!  We are taking full advantage by participating in the King of the Beach tournament being put on by The Old Salt Foundation. If you’re out there stop by and say hi, we are rocking some new Gulfshore Pest Control Fishing Team shirts!  If you’ve never been to this event before, it’s worth checking out for sure. It’s a full on carnival of fishing!  As far as the fishing, the water temp has dipped down into the mid 70’s and the fish are on fire.  Last Sunday before the cold front the fish were chewing heavy, then it tricked off a bit but the fish have fired back up inshore. We’ve found a good bite of snook, grouper, and sheepshead with a few redfish and trout mixed in. Start looking for those snook to be moving up into the warmer canal waters as the month continues. Offshore has had a steady Spanish Mackerel bite to go along with the kingfish really just starting to get ready to peak. Bottom fishing has continued to produce some really nice gag grouper in shallow water and a stray tripletail here and there. Good luck this weekend and hope to see you out there!
Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 10/27 - 11/2
Hey Gulfsters, hope you’ve had an awesome week!  Lots of changes in the air and the days are getting shorter. The inshore action has been going strong in the past week. Windy conditions making sight fishing difficult but still lots of snook and redfish chewing!  Artificial baits and live greenbacks are the bait of choice until those water temps dip into the low 70’s. Offshore things are getting serious. It’s the best time of the year to get out there. Our focus is on kingfish right now with the King of the Beach tournament next weekend. Kingfish are feeding all over our area along the beaches and offshore. Try a live mullet, blue runner, or ladyfish for best early season results!  Good luck and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. – Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 10/20 - 10/26
Hey Gulfsters and hope you’re enjoying the great change in weather conditions that we’ve had this past week. Two things are going on, the fish are on fire and the wind is blowing! Inshore it’s more of the same... lots of bait and lots of fish chewing this week especially on the grass flats of Tampa Bay and Bock Ciega Bay. Offshore is where it’s really going on though. Lots of kingfish, snapper, cobia, permit, and some grouper and redfish are being caught. The fish seem to already be moving closer to shore and the kingfish have begun migrating into our area, joining the kings and Spanish that stayed here all summer. Schools of big, bull redfish are cruising around off of the beach and I’ve seen a couple early reports of sheepshead and flounder showing up on the shallow reefs offshore and Port Manatee Reef in Tampa Bay. Good luck and get out offshore if you can while the fishing is on fire! Thanks for all of the good reports and photos, and as always feel free to contact with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com and follow me on Instagram @snookjam. Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 10/13 - 10/19
Hello Gulfsters! Hope all is well and welcome to a warm October. The water continues to stay warm with air temperatures continuing into the 90's everyday. The fishing has stayed good for the summer pattern fish. The snook, redfish, and trout are busy on the flats. Not quite the bite yet that is expected this time of year. The water is starting to clear in the Bay after the hurricane but high winds aren't letting it completely settle out just yet. Lots of Spanish Mackerel still crashing on baits around the Skyway Bridge and along the shipping channel. Offshore the Grouper and Snapper bite continues to be strong in 80-120 feet of water. Expect the fish to move in as it gets a little bit cooler and that water temp starts to drop. Thanks for all of the photos and reports! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam.
–Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 10/6 - 10/12
Hey Gulfster fishers!  Hope you all are having a good week.  Can you smell the menhaden oil?!  It’s that time, time to re-line the TLDs and make up those stinger rigs. Kingfish season is officially here and I’ve already received and seen reports of the fish showing up in better numbers than the past few weeks. The problem is the wind is whipping up some big seas offshore and it’s about to get even worse with Nate sliding up the coast this weekend. Please take caution and check the conditions before heading out this weekend or wait until next weekend!  Lots of bait between Egmont Island and The Gandy Bridge and tons of Spanish Mackerel crashing on them. Might be worth trying for kings in the Bay this week. As far as the inshore bite, the snook and redfish are on fire from the 10,000 Islands north to Crystal River. Tons of fish being caught on the flats and along the mangroves this week. Also ramping up this week was a pretty good sheepshead bite on the Bay Area bridges including the Gandy Bridge and the Misner Bridge. Anchoring up close to the piling is you’re best bet. When the conditions are rough try to fish more of a slack tide so you don’t need to use too much weight. Sheepshead are bait thieves and will steal the bait before you even knew they were there if too much weight is used. Thanks for reading and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. – Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 9/29 - 10/4
Hey there Gulfsters and welcome to October!  Hopefully the air temperatures will be falling followed by the water temperature change we've all been waiting on!  October is an awesome month for fishing so now a good time to get out there on them!  The reports this week have been filled with redfish, snook, and even a few big trout mixed in as well. Snook have been eating live baits and lures right before high tide and right after low tide. Look for some moving, deep water with a little bit of cover from a jetty, mangrove, or dock. The redfish are stacking up under the mangroves as well as just laying on a pot hole on a shallow grass flat. Shrimp is an excellent bait of choice right now if you can find some decent size ones at the bait shop or at night on the flats. I have seen some scattered reports of some kingfish that may have stayed the summer offshore as well as some good mahi in deeper areas on some of the floating hurricane debris that is around. Thanks for all of the great photos and reports! Don't be afraid to ask any questions at wtallyn04@gmail.com and go follow me on Instagram. Hopefully I can put this hurricane stuff behind me and get out some this week as well! – Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 9/22 - 9/28
Hey Gulfsters and hope everyone is fully back from the hurricane! Getting closer to October, my favorite month on the fishing calendar!  The night lights are on fire due to he warm water. The inshore fish seem to be a lot more active a night when things are cooling down some. This time of year I'd look for dock lights around Tierra Verde or inside Tampa Bay that are immediately adjacent to big grass beds. If you can cast net some bait on the flats before sundown you can do some live chumming on the lights to fire them up. It's worth watching the light before stopping to fish it. Usually the fish swim around through the lights and are very active with the warmer water. Offshore teams are gearing up for kingfish season. I'd expect the first fish to start to arrive sometime around mid October which believe it or not is only a couple of weeks away! Thanks for reading and keep those reports and photos coming in! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. – Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 9/15 - 9/21
Hey Gulfsters and hope you all have faired ok in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma!  If you're in Pinellas County and need an extra hand with anything this weekend let me know. No power yet at the SnookJam headquarters but holding out hope it comes soon!  Obviously there haven't been a lot of reports with not a lot of people on the water but I have seen and received reports of a hot morning redfish bite inside of Tampa Bay!  The fish are upper slot to over slot and being caught on everything from cut ladyfish to soft baits. If you can't find the schools of fish try under some mangroves or follow around the schools of mullet. Offshore the Grouper bite seems better this year than a few recent years. Look for ledges with at least 2 feet of relief or check out those public reefs early in the mornings!  Stay safe during the cleanup efforts and our thoughts and prayers are with the people who have lost their lives, homes and businesses from the storm! –Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 9/1 - 9/6
Happy September and football season Gulfsters!  Some nice west coast surf this past week for once, combined with some great west coast fishing options as we ease into the fall weather change!  Now is the best time of year to fish the dock lights at night. Redfish, snook, tarpon, and trout all are attracted to the lights at night chasing the baitfish. The dock lights are pretty amazing, they are an entire food chain on display. The light attracts the plankton which in turn draw the baitfish to feed on them and the larger predator fish stalk the baitfish from the shadows. If you decide to target the lights try some smaller baits for the tarpon and trout or some larger baits for redfish and snook. Creep up as quietly as possible and present your baits as close as possible to the dock or other structures. Also, the flats and mangroves have been on fire.  Get as much bait as you can to do some live chumming to get those lethargic, summer fish fired up!  Offshore has been as awesome as ever. Good luck out there and don't forget to send in your awesome reports and photos. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com and on Instagram @snookjam.
Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 8/25-8/31
Hey Gulfsters! Hope you're having a fantastic week. More awesome reports coming in this week from around our area. Some really good tarpon reports from our area bridges inside Tampa Bay. The tarpon are being caught on live bait, artificials, and on the fly. Lots of great redfish reports as well from throughout the Bay, including several fish over 40"! The Snapper have picked up a bit inshore around the Skyway Bridge and Gandy Bridge. Get a live bait close to some structure for best results. Lots of mackerel and jacks have invaded the Skyway bridges and are crushing schools of bait in the area. Offshore the gag grouper and hogfish reports are streaming in like crazy. Set up on the pipeline or on ledges for the best results! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. – Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 8/18-8/24
Yo Gulfsters, what's happening this week?!  A great summer bite is what's happening on the fishing front. As soon as I said the redfish fishing was hit or miss they all fired up and started chewing heavy. Tons of fish along the mangroves and schooled up early in the morning on the flats. Also hearing about fish on the dock lights at night too along with some tarpon and trout.  The snook are also chewing throughout the Bay. Try some daytime fishing on the docks for a good snook challenge! Tripletail are hot right now, many of them move close to shore during this time of year. Make sure you present the bait as close as possible to the pilings or structures for the best results. Offshore we are getting some awesome red grouper reports. Some mixed in yellowtail snapper and cobia reports are coming in for some bonus fish. As an off topic subject, I received my captain's license this week, so hopefully some charters in future in the not so distant future!! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. –Captain Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 8/11-8/17
What's happening Gulfsters?!  A great month of August for fishing just getting primed up for my favorite two months for fishing: September and October!  Seems like everyone but me is down in the Keys stocking up on lobster season and mahi. Locally it's been more of the same. Great snook fishing, big trout, and hit or miss redfish action. Seems like the reports show tons of redfish or no redfish. Now is prime time for some tripletail but not a whole lot of reports from what I've seen. Offshore is a Snapper frenzy with some fire trucks and hogfish sprinkled in. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or via Instagram @snookjam. Thanks to everyone for all of reports and pictures. Keep sending them in!! –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 8/4-8/10
Hey Gulfsters, and happy August to you!! Starting to ease through the summer months on the downhill towards "fall." The fishing has been great all summer, especially on the flats and docks of Tampa Bay. It continues through this week, with some awesome reports coming in from all around our area of big snook, redfish, trout, and jacks. The flounder reports have been pretty steady up in the northern part of Pinellas county and a few scattered reports of them being caught on the reefs. This week would be a good time to scout out some early tripletail and cobia spots in Tampa Bay if you're looking for a challenge! Offshore is a lot of the usual. Really good reports coming in from offshore last week but very few this week with the nasty weather and stirred up water. Sneaking up on kingfish season so start lining those reels and making up stinger rigs because we're just about 6 weeks away! An old story I heard was "when the butterflies show up, so do the kingfish!" As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam.

FISHING REPORT: 7/28-8/3
Hey Gulfsters and welcome to the summer of record heat!  The inshore fishing in Tampa Bay has been just as hot. The snook bite on the flats, rivers, and up along the mangroves has been on fire!  Upper slot and over-slot fish are being caught with ease in the bay. Some spots on the beaches are good but from my experience they are in full-on breeding mode. If you see a big female being escorted by 3-5 smaller males then don't even try it because they aren't interested. The redfish and trout have been caught in good numbers also. Look for the schools of mullet on the flats to help locate the redfish. Cut bait and sight casting jigs is the best way right now. Offshore is continuing to impress. Red Snapper, grouper, amberjack, permit, and cobia are everywhere with some schools of mahi mahi also showing up for the dinner table. Take time to enjoy our awesome fishery and respect our resources!  The video of the guys dragging the shark behind the boat was heartbreaking to see and absolutely maddening!!  Respect every single fish out there whether it's coming home for dinner or released back into our amazing ecosystem. Spread the word of conservation and keep our waters and lands protected for our future! Feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 7/21-7/27
Hey Gulfsters! Hope your summer is going fantastic!  Found several trout, mackerel, snook, and Snapper in the bay this week. Your best bet is around the bridges, docks, and inshore reefs this week with the warm water temperatures. Lots of jacks, redfish, and some end of season tarpon also showing up in the bay. The dock lights should be targeted too this time of year for good results. Offshore everything is eating. I've seen some great reports of gags, red snapper, reds, and hogfish. Good luck out there and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. And if you need a 16-foot boat gimme a call!!! –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 7/14-/7/20
Happy Friday Gulfster's!  Hope you have had an awesome week!  There's been some awesome reports coming in and please keep them coming. The inshore reports have been very steady. Lots of trout and snook on the lights at night with some lights holding slot redfish. The beach is still holding snook early in the morning and in the evening hours. The passes are hot late at night and lots of over slot snook are being caught on Flarehawk and First Light lures. Try along Blind Pass and around the John's Pass bridge. There have been some more black drum reports, as well as one crazy report of someone actually targeting and catching bonefish inside Tampa Bay!  Offshore the reports have been awesome.  Lots of hogfish, grouper, and even some big flounder being caught in the deep water. I heard two reports of flounder being caught in over 80-feet of water this week!  Thanks for all of the great reports! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam.

FISHING REPORT: 7/7-7/13
Hi Gulfsters!!  An awesome Friday to you all! Great fishing reports from our area once again both inshore and offshore. The red snapper, red grouper, and an assortment of other offshore fish are on fire right now.  Now is the time to get offshore and catch a variety of different fish in the same day. Everything from Grouper, snapper, Cobia, permit, sheepshead, flounder, tuna, kingfish, and amberjack are all being reported right now!  Inshore, the snook and trout are really populous. Target the beaches this week around Fort Desoto for best results!  Thanks and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam! –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 6/30- 7/6
Hey Gulfsters, hope you're having a great start to the summer!  Great fishing to report both in and offshore. The red snapper season extension has rewarded lots of anglers with big filets for dinner along with the bycatch of some nice grouper, mangrove snapper, and some reports of mutton snapper off our Gulf coast!  Inshore I'm seeing lots of snook, redfish, and black drum reports with the usual trout reports. The black drum are being found on the flats and around the Bay Area bridges.  If you don't follow him already, check out my buddy Captain Court Douthit (@recreationspecialist) on Facebook and Instagram!  The man is hammering the tarpon and black drum right now in the north Pinellas County area!  Some snook are being caught on the beach too, for best success try to find some beaches with as few people as possible or look for the schools of bait along the shoreline.  Try the beaches of Manatee and Sarasota Counties right now for lots of fish. Thanks for all of the great reports! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 6/23 - 6/29
Yo Gulfsters!  Hope you had a fantastic week of surf and fishing!  Lots of waves sent our way this past week making conditions a little rough for the fishing guys on the beach. Having said that, still lots of good tarpon and snook reports from those brave enough to fight the waves along the beach and work through the swells. Most tarpon are being caught on pass crabs and most of the snook are eating big live baits like threadfin or shrimp. The trout reports have been streaming in.  Usually the big fish reports are more of a winter thing but lots of over-slot sized fish being caught in Tampa Bay and St. Joseph Sound on artificial lures including top water and fly.  I've seen some awesome snapper, grouper, and hogfish reports coming in from offshore, probably the best reports I've seen in over a year. This seems to be the year of the mangrove snapper! Big fish being targeted on the public reefs, pipeline, and private numbers, both on hook and line and in the spearfishing clan!  Get out there if you can, lots of good table fare to be had!  As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 6/16 - 6/22
Yo Gulfsters! Hope you all had a fantastic week out there, finally some much needed rain!   As expected things really got stirred up with all of the weather...  noticing some really cool differences between this year and last year. The tarpon and snook started extremely early on the beaches, winded down a lot but have now fired back up like they should be. The other thing I've noticed is the snook are not on the beaches in the morning unless you are around a pass or jetty. They typically are found throughout the day on the beaches May through August. We will see what July brings but I've noticed that afternoon and evening is much better right now for finding the fish. The tarpon bite was really good this week, I even saw one boat with 3 fish on at once!  Crabs are the key but we got one to eat a threadfin. Offshore the fishing has been just on fire. There's going to be an extension on red snapper season for weekends throughout the summer so check up on that on the FWC site!  Good luck out there and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 6/9 - 6/15
Hey Gulfsters! Hope your having a great end of spring and staying dry, lots of great photos coming in this week, I really appreciate all of the support. A lot of attention shifted to offshore in the reports I'm getting with grouper and red snapper leading the charge!  Great red snapper and gags being caught offshore locally for those braving the storms and seas. I have also seen some mixed in kingfish, red grouper, cobia, and some really nice mahi mahi coming into the docks!  Some spotty reports of big yellowtail snapper and lane snapper and TONS of hogfish.  Inshore the tarpon bite has finally been full go on the beaches. You can find fish all up and down our coast schooled up. I'd use a 50-80lb leader about the length of the fish you are targeting or slightly longer. The fish are eating crabs and sardines both live and dead. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 6/2 - 6/8
Hello Gulfsters!!!! Thanks for the great feedback and questions this past week!  We've had some awesome conditions the past few days, looks like a little weather ahead but then back to the summer norm. The snook are piling up on the beaches, typically this time of year it's one big female with a few smaller males courting her. Snook are all born male, they switch to females as needed according to their environment. That said, if you see a snook over 26" it's almost assuredly a female snook. Other than those the trout and redfish are eating everything on the flats. Try a MirrOlure Li Jon or live threadfin for best results with the warm weather and water setting in for the summer!  Offshore I'm seeing a good number of red grouper, red snapper (short season) and mahi mahi in 50-80' of water. As always feel free to contact me with any questions on email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 5/26 - 6/1
Hey Gulfster's and Happy Memorial Day to all of our Veterans both then and now!  Stay safe out there this weekend with all of the busy beaches and waterways.  As far as the fishing goes, I'm expecting it to really pick up as the weather cleans its act up around here. The passes is the place to be for big fish along the beaches still. Finally getting a few tarpon to school up and start eating baits on the beaches.  They have been hit and miss this year on the beach and spread out but fairly consistent at the local bridges. The snook reports are flowing in pretty heavy.  Big fish being caught all over the area on live and artificial baits. Also saw some nice trout and pompano reports this week from the Anna Maria Island and Sarasota area. Now is the time to get after them!  Offshore is pretty good if you can find a flat day to get out there.  Permit, grouper, snapper, and mahi are being caught all over the place. Get out there, as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 5/19 - 5/25
Yo Gulfsters! Hope all is well and you had a fantastic week. The snook are fire on the flats still but I'm finding them hit and miss on the beaches. Some spots near passes are holding resident fish but the other areas are barren. Redfish have been spread out but are ready to eat if you can find them. Great numbers of speckled seatrout are piled up on grass beds up and down our Gulf coast. The tarpon have remained a good target around the Skyway Bridge. The beach fish are there to be found but not yet schooled up like they have been the past few seasons. They should start to congregate in bigger numbers in June. Thanks for all of the good reports and photos, keep them coming!  Feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 5/12 - 5/18
Hello Gulfsters and hope you had a phenomenal week! That wind that has kept blowing for the last month plus has calmed a bit, making for some more manageable weather conditions. Should be great this weekend to get out along the beach and do some sight fishing for snook and tarpon. The water is still a little mixed up and cloudy on the beaches but hopefully with the wind subsiding some the water will get a chance to clear. The last cold front we had last week spread the fish out but I'm expecting them to come together in larger concentrations this week. I'd be targeting areas around Fort Desoto and area passes this week on incoming tides. Offshore is picking up. Great reports of cobia, red grouper, snapper, and permit coming in off of area public reefs and rock piles. Good fish can be found anywhere from 3-miles to 100-miles offshore. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam.

FISHING REPORT: 5/5 - 5/11
Hey Gulfsters, hope you had a great week!  Great inshore fishing this week with tons of snook, redfish, and juvenile tarpon action all week!  The snook bite in Tampa Bay and along the beach has been early and strong this past week despite the nasty winds we've seen all week!  The redfish have been piled up on the flats with more than a few making it out to the local passes. Trout have eased off of the beaches and are piled up on the edges of the flats and in the pot holes around Tierra Verde. The kingfish bite has slowed with warm water and the windy conditions offshore. Still a good Snapper and Grouper bite offshore. Good luck and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam.
– Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 4/28-5/5
Hey Gulfster's and happy May this week! Windy, rough seas offshore have spread the fish out some. The King of the Beach is this Saturday so if you go offshore don't expect to be alone out there!  Inshore the snook have been loading up on the beaches and passes. Redfish and trout are all over the flats, on the deep edges and the potholes. Another fish to watch out for on the flats this week, especially in north Pinellas are cobia. Look for them on the rays or swimming along the beach. As always feel free to contact me with any questions you have via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam! – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 4/21-4/27
Lots of great spring time fishing across the entire Tampa Bay Area!  All of the grand slam species (tarpon, snook, redfish, trout) are biting right now. All four can be targeted either by sight fishing on the shallows and flats or by chumming them with live bait to get them fired up. Offshore is all about the kingfish tournament season right now. Big fish of up to 50-pounds are being caught anywhere between the Skyway Bridge and The Middle Grounds. Feel free to contact me with any questions on email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 4/14- 4/20
Hello Gulfster's!  Hope you had a great week, what an awesome time of year for fishing!!! Despite some windy afternoon conditions the fishing has been absolutely on fire. The redfish and trout bites have been insane this past week. The most reports I've ever seen. That in addition with some good snook and crevalle jack bites almost guarantee some drag pulling action!  On the beach, there's no better time than now.  The snook are on the beach early, Cobia and pompano have moved our way, and the trout and Spanish mackerel have remained consistent. I recommend finding a spot that you see fish and then anchoring in the path and waiting for the waves of fish to come to you. Offshore the kingfish season is upon us and in full swing. Big fish being caught on the beach and in Tampa Bay. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 4/7 - 4/13
Hello Gulfsters hope you had a great week!  Windy conditions this past week but the fish are here if you can brave the elements. Snook are beginning to ease their way to their summer haunts along the beaches. Redfish have been piled up on the flats and have really begun to school up. People are catching them by sight fishing single fish and targeting the big school. Look for the mullet and you will find the reds. Offshore has continued to heat up as well. Kingfish have been early and abundant this season with already some big fish over 50-pounds being caught and close to shore.  Bottom fishing should begin to heat up as well. Some good reports of amberjack, cobia, and red grouper are coming in. Good luck out there and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 3/31-4/6
Hello Gulfster fishers!  Great fishing this past week. The wind has dictated what I've done all week. When the wind is down the beach has been on fire!!  Trout have lead the charge with several fish over 20" including one I got 3/30 that was 23". In addition to that some snook have showed up, even a couple over 40". Lots of species on the jetties too including pompano, sheepshead, Snapper, bluefish, and ladyfish. Live baits are best right now but artificials will work as the water warms. A few tarpon seen this week. I only expect it to get better as we roll further into spring. Lots of kingfish reports offshore. Again, live bait is best for this week. Good luck out there and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 3/24- 3/30
Hey Gulfsters hope you've had a nice week! Great fishing around the Bay Area this past week. Tons of redfish and trout reports. The fish are all over the flats and being caught in 2-6 feet of water. Also a ton of trout on the dock lights at night. We went out Wednesday night and caught about 20 trout on the lights in Boca Ciega Bay on shrimp and greenbacks. The snook are moving their way out of the canals and towards the beaches this week. Look for them on the flats with some big live baits or MirrOlure artificial baits. Offshore the kingfish have shown up in force along the beaches. It's been on fire very early this year due to the mild winter. The snapper and red grouper bite is good. Some fish in shallows but there's been a steady bite of big fish in 60-75'+. Good luck and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 3/17 - 3/23
Hey guys and gals, Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of you! Windy and cold the last few days, lots of incidents on the water this week so remember to stay safe and leave a float plan or let someone know before venturing out. As far as the fishing goes, things have seemingly slowed down some but it could just be a fewer number of reports due to the weather constrictions.  Still some trout and redfish being caught locally on the flats and in the canals.  Seeing some great reports of sheepshead and pompano on the local beaches and jetties!  Try some dead shrimp or pompano jigs for the best results. I also got plenty of inshore gag grouper reports this week so that's worth a try for some challenging catch and release fishing. Not much to report from offshore. The kingfish bite has been solid just off of the beaches though for some brave souls! This Saturday looks like the best weather day we have seen in a while so I'm expecting lots of reports to come streaming in late Saturday into Sunday. Feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 3/10 - 3/16
Hey Gulfsters, hope you had a great week and got outdoors some. A little windy this past week but hopefully it will taper off some this week. The trout bite has really ramped up this week. I guess the warmer weather has turned them on. The fish are in the canals and the deeper edges of the flats. I caught some on MirrOlure and ZMan baits with the fish charging from the muddy bottom to grab the gigs in about 6-feet of water. Still a massive number of snook reports from our area. Fish are averaging 22" to 26" but there are some slot and over slot fish to be found. Redfish have been hit or miss this spring, some guys are hammering them while others are having problems finding the fish. Try searching for the single and pairs of fish in about 2-3 feet of water. Offshore has been on fire all of the sudden. The kingfish have really begun to show up. Going to be a good spring I bet for kings. Good snapper and hogfish reports too. As always, feel free to contact me via email at wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 3/3 - 3/9
Happy March Gulfster fishers!  Fish are absolutely on fire right now.  We tried some dock lights this week and found extraordinary amounts of speckled seatrout on the chew. They ate almost everything we threw in the water. Almost every fish was in the legal slot range. Also got surprised when my wife Sam pulled a 24" gag off a dock light in the bay on a 3000 size Shimano reel. The snook and redfish played hard to get at night, but by day they are on fire. Lots of reports of people getting slot fish during opening week of the snook season and he redfish reports continue to pour in. Offshore lots of snapper and amberjack are chewing with some really nice gag and red grouper reports as well. I'm still thinking that 55-70 foot range is the ticket for those of you who can't get way offshore. Feel free to contact me with any questions on email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 2/24-3/23
Hello fishing friends of Gulfster!!  Hope you had a great week. Snook season opens on Wednesday and the fish remain on fire!  Remember that snook tag if you're heading out to hunt them. The redfish and trout continue to start to turn on. The trout have been on the smaller side this winter but still some good fish out there on the edges of the flats. Try a big shrimp under a popping cork to lure them out of the grass. Expecting a good run of cobia to start to heat up the flats. Always a good idea to put a pinfish out in the rod holder while fishing the flats for the other species. Another option is sight fishing them on the beaches and sandbars or around pilings in the bay. Offshore has been a little slow except for a few kings and some amberjack. I'm still hearing good reports of red snapper as close as 50-feet of water. FWC is meeting in April and discussing a 59-day season, not sure how that will play out but I'm expecting it to be a state waters regulation only and probably only benefit the northern gulf and east coast. As always, feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 2/17-2/23
Hello Gulfster fishers. Another beautiful week for us Floridians in store. I only got out once this week but between two of us we caught over 20 snook and 6 redfish. All of the fish were on the flats so worth a look for these fish that apparently stayed there all winter. We had luck on live bait and artificial baits, the live bait was thick in Tampa Bay. Expecting more of the same this week. Snook and trout on the dock lights during the evening and redfish and snook warming up in the shallows during the daylight hours. Snook season opens March 1st. Remember you must have a snook stamp from the state, the fish needs to be between 28-32 inches, and there's a limit of one per person (with a snook stamp). Or you can follow my lead and let all of those awesome fish swim back for another day! Any questions feel free to contact me at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 2/10/-2/16
Hello Gulfster fishers!  Hope you had an awesome week. A lot of wind lately but supposed to lay down by Saturday night and definitely by Sunday.  Good reports this week of the black drum (big uglies) in Tampa Bay the last couple of days. The fish are loaded up around the bridges and in schools on the edges of some of the flats. The best way to find them is to look for their big tails waving at you as they nose around in the mud looking for crabs and other crustaceans.  You can catch them on dead or live bait very easily. Another option is using a scented artificial bait like a Gulp! or a MirrOlure Marsh Minnow with a bait scent put on it. There's still a ton of snook, redfish, and trout to be found. Look around docks near the entrances of canals and you can't miss them. Big jacks and Cobia are starting to show up and I expect an influx of Spanish mackerel this week and next adding to the fish that wintered here. Good luck, don't forget to send your fish photos to us, and as always feel free to contact me with any questions at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. 
Wes Tallyn 

FISHING REPORT: 2/3-2/9
Hello and happy February to all of you Gulfster's out there! Fantastic winter fishing on the good days and tough but rewarding fish on the nasty days. The snook bite this winter continues to impress. Some big over slot snook on the dock lights at night and under the docks and mangroves during the day. I caught a 34" snook just before sunrise on a dock light last week while fishing for redfish. Live shrimp works best this time of year but really any big bait chucked around some structure should produce bites. The trout are still on the grass flats too. Big, over slot fish are being caught from north of Clearwater all of the way down to the Everglades. The edges of the flats are holding the big fish on the colder days but they're venturing up in the shallows in the morning and late afternoon. A live shrimp under a cork produced a 22" fatty on Saturday last week along with a couple other legal sized fish. Get out there and try your luck, the next week or so will hopefully bring in some more fish and start moving some of those migratory species! As always feel free to contact me with any questions at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam! – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 1/27- 2/2
Hey Gulfster Fishers! A fast moving January is coming to an end this week. Some great winter fishing for the area, better than years in the past for me. The redfish, trout, and snook bites are insane. The warmer than usual water temperature is to blame for that! Like I said last week, some spots are better than others but the fish are there to be found. This time of year I recommend live shrimp as the bait of choice but cut bait also can turn in good results. This weekend is the Old Salt Johnny Keller tournament. If you're fishing it, good luck and see you out there! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or via Instagram @snookjam. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 1/20 - 1/26
Hello Gulfsters! Some nasty wind coming through this weekend and into next week going to make things interesting. I noticed this week a lot of the crab traps that previously dotted the beaches have been pulled. The commercial fishing guys were having a bad time with octopi eating all of their stone crabs in their traps. The fishing has definitely been hit or miss, lots of fish biting but some spots are much better than others. We found some nice snook piled up in a canal but not as many on the flats as previous weeks. Still lots of redfish and sheepshead reports from everywhere!  Big sheepshead being caught around docks and oyster beds on the higher tides. I will be fishing the Old Salts Fishing Club, Johnny Keller tournament next weekend out of Gators. If you see us, stop by and say hi and good luck to those fishing. If you have any questions feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or give me a follow on Instagram @snookjam. Tight lines! – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 1/13 - 1/19
Hello fishermen and fisherwomen! Happy Friday the 13th to you all. Hope you're enjoying this awesome weather! Great fishing has been the story all winter long, fish staying in their normal spots both inshore and offshore. The snook action has absolutely been on fire this week on both coasts. Some fish at the passes but most are being found around the mangrove islands and bridges. As I reported last week there's lots of tripletail being caught in the Tampa Bay Area waters. Make sure you look on those buoys and pilings as you roll by. Sometimes they are there even if you don't see them on the surface. Everything else is on fire too if you can avoid the pinfish and jacks, which are everywhere right now. Offshore is the same pretty much, lots of snapper, grouper, and mackerel. I did see a few nice blackfin tuna reports in this week. Thanks for all of the photo submissions and keep them coming! As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @snookjam. – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 1/6 - 1/12
Hey Gulfster's! Hope you survived the holiday season and are settling into the new year! Above average air and water temperatures are keeping the fishing hot throughout the "winter" months. Great snook and trout reports are continuing to pour in from Tampa Bay and Boca Ciega Bays. Fish are continuing to hit live baits such as green backs and shrimp. The bait has been pretty easy to find on the flats and around the Bay Area bridges. Lots of small grouper and snapper around as well making it easier than ever to get out and catch fish right now. Some mackerel and kingfish remain in the area and probably will all winter if the temperatures continue to follow this trend. Also offshore, lots of tripletail, cobia, hogfish, and grouper to report. Get out there when you can! Chilly weekend ahead but then back to above normal temperatures after that! As always feel free to contact me via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or contact me on Instagram @snookjam. – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 12/30 - 1/5
Happy New Years Gulfster fishers!  A beautiful week of weather this past week, a couple cooler days ahead but then we can expect another warm stretch after that again. Snook is still the name of the game. They're definitely in their usual winter haunt canals but there's plenty of them on the flats warming up in the shallows. We saw lots this week in shallow pot holes and sandbars. Use live baits in the canals and artificials sight casted on the flats. Also tried for tripletail, lots of great reports this week but we didn't find any, lots and lots of crab trap buoys out there, more than I've seen lately. If you do see one get up current and float a live shrimp back to them as natural looking as possible on the presentation. Offshore there's been tons of snapper and hogfish. Lots of meat to be had if you get on the right structure. Good luck and as always, feel free to contact me with any questions at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 12/23 - 12/29
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Gulfster fishers! Warmer than usual weather keeping the fishing pretty solid for our area. The snook remain fired up with the higher than normal water temperatures, still feeding on white bait and threadfins. Try the flats and sandbars along the Skyway, Gandy, and Howard Franklin bridges this time of year. I saw an increased number of big trout reports on the flats from our area, especially from Dunedin to Crystal River. Use live shrimp under a cork or a slower moving artificial bait as the water eventually cools. Keep the reports and questions coming and don't forget to send your fish photos! Feel free to contact me on email at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam.

FISHING REPORT: 12/16 - 12/23
Hey Gulfsters! Should be some great fishing weather this weekend and into the beginning of next week with some high temperatures up around 80. Great reports of big trout and grouper this past week. The fish are being caught on artificials all around Tampa Bay and around the Skyway Bridge. I saw some good reports of redfish around Weedon Island. Also in Tampa Bay keep an eye out for tripletail on all of the structures and buoys. Offshore there's plenty going on with the grouper closure fast approaching. The weekends are pretty packed on the gulf public wrecks. Try to get out on the week days or try scouting some of the pipeline spots. As always feel free to contact me with any questions on email at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 12/9 - 12/15
Hey Gulfster fishers, hope you had a great week! A big weather change this week as temperatures plummet towards the 40's and 50's. Don't let a little cool weather spoil the fun because the fishing has remained pretty hot. Lots of snook and redfish reports around our area. But the big topic of he week has been the big and abundant gag grouper in the bays and nearshore waters. Just about anywhere you can find some solid bottom structure you will find a couple big gags. It's a little more tricky with the new 24" size limit, but if you weeks through some smaller fish the big girls are there. They will eat about anything you have to offer. I like jumbo live shrimp and live grunts/pinfish. Gear up though, I recommend at least a 60lb leader. I go as big as 80lb in a couple of my more "dangerous" spots. You want a small enough hook that the bait can swim freely but still big enough for a big gag mouth. If you're on the Atlantic side make sure you note that snook season harvest ends on December 15th!! Offshore has been the same as past weeks. Lots of hogfish, kingfish, and snapper. Good reports of white (key west) grunts are coming in as well. They are a very tasty fish so if you don't ever eat them or don't want to just call me and I'll dispose of them for you! As always feel free to contact me with any questions or comments via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 12/2 - 12/8
Hey Gulfsters, hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving!! Hot fishing remains as the weather continues to change.  Lots of snook being caught still, really fired up, and fattening up for the winter. Redfish are being caught all over the place, including on the beach where they're returning to their wintertime haunts. The trout bite has been good in Tampa Bay. Try the MirrOlure and Paul Brown lures for the best artificial action you can get!  Tons and tons of cobia in our area right now following around rays and manatees looking for an easy meal. You can sight fish for them and they will eat almost anything you throw at them with the proper presentation. I like bucktail lures and anything that looks like an eel best. Sheepshead reports are coming in left and right with a few pompano and permit being caught. Look for the pomps and permit to move into the canals during the coldest winter months!  Offshore is great right now.  Grouper have moved in closer, I got some good reports within 5 miles of the beach. Get out and get them now because Gag season is over December 31st. If you have any questions or comments feel free to contact me at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam.
–Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 11/25 - 12/1
Hey Gulfsters, hope you had a great Thanksgiving!! Great fishing reports keep coming in from the Tampa Bay Area. Redfish and speckled trout are on fire right now. The best reports I've seen have come on live baits. As the water starts to cool try transitioning to live shrimp or cut ladyfish for good results on the redfish. The pompano are biting well at Bay Area bridges if you use jigs or can weed through the sheepshead with crabs/shrimp. Inshore and offshore I'm seeing lots of cobia still being caught. Look for them along the beach or on the flats inshore, but offshore have a jig ready to cast if you see them while bottom fishing. Other than that offshore is on fire. Hogfish, snapper, grouper, amberjack, and kingfish are being caught everywhere. Get out there and send us some reports. If you have any questions feel free to contact me via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or send me a message on Instagram @snookjam. – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 11/18 - 11/24
Hello Gulfster fishers! Hope you're getting chances to get out and catch some fish. Definitely some cooler weather on tap for us this upcoming week, starting with a cool weekend with temperatures down in the 40's. The inshore reports have stayed pretty steady. Lots of trout, redfish, and cobia reports for sure. Fish are being caught on live baits as well as soft plastic lures and feathered bucktail jigs. Tampa Bay and areas south like Anna Maria Island have provided the most action from what I've seen. I only got out once this week and things were a little slow at John's Pass. What I did see was an extraordinary amount of sheepshead lining the piling of the bridge and a couple flounder being caught. The sheepshead bite should be strong all winter, try small live shrimp or fiddler crabs for the best results. Offshore there has been great reports of kingfish and some gag grouper moving closer to shore. I saw one gag that must have been 12 pounds caught inside Tampa Bay. The hogfish bite has been really good for a while too. I did see in an email from FWC that changes are coming soon for hogfish limits for size and bag limit. For more information check out this link here:  http://m.myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/hogfish/. As always hit me up with any questions on email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam.  

FISHING REPORT: 11/11 - 11/18
Happy Veterans Day week to all of the Veterans and thank you for your service! Windy conditions remain for boaters the past several weeks, if you put in the effort though you will likely be rewarded. Lots of trout and redfish reports this week from all over the area. Great bites on the flats of Tampa Bay, Anna Maria Island, and the Honeymoon Island areas. Still some snook being found on the beaches which is a little bit out of the norm for our area. Most snook leave the beach for the upper bays or canals this time of year in search of warm water. Still tons of school of jacks marauding bait in the bays along the seawalls. Look for them corralling bait and crashing on the surface. Offshore lots of bait has made the fishing a little more difficult than usual. That combined with clear water offshore are making things tough but still good reports of grouper, kingfish, and Spanish mackerel. Get out there after them and if you have any questions hit me up on email: wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 11/4 - 11/10
Hello Gulfsters and welcome to the November winds this weekend!  Some pockets of nice weather here and there producing lots of different species including redfish, snook, mackerel, and cobia. The flats have been productive for all of the above including some big cobia following around stingrays. The grouper are also moving in finally with some good reports of legal sized fish being caught in the bays, try working areas around the Skyway fishing piers for good results. Offshore the name of the game is kingfish right now with the King of the Beach tournament this weekend. If you haven't been to one of these weigh-ins before stop by on Saturday and check it out, always a good time even if you are not fishing in it!  Email me with any questions at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. Tight lines!! –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 10/28 - 11/3
Hey Gulfsters! Lots of wind right in time for a typical, windy, and rough kingfish season!  The 15+ knot winds have made fishing very difficult inshore as well. If you get out early the wind isn't too bad. Lots of jack crevalle in the bays still, cornering bait schools in the shallows. This week saw some mackerel in the bay as well. More mackerel will continue to move here from the north this week as the water temps start to drop some. We also caught some small grouper in the bay. Lots of bigger fish should start moving closer to shore and inshore in the next few weeks. As always email me any questions at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam.

FISHING REPORT: 10/21 - 10/27
Hello Gulfsters! Definitely a strong change in the weather this week, we will see some lows in the 50's. This is an awesome time of year to get out, lots of fish on the move. Looking for the snook to start moving more up in the bays and canals and off of the beach soon. Lots of big fish are still being caught in the passes. Creeks are holding lots of redfish and a few juvenile tarpon, I managed 2 small tarpon to 30" on last Thursday. Try a fly rod for best results and a lot of fun. Lots of schools of crevalle jacks around the docks right now schooled up and crashing on baitfish they've corralled. Any fast moving bait will get you an immediate hookup! Kingfish season is kicking off with lots of tournaments the next few weeks. Will be fishing the King of the Beach tournament so if you see me in the Snook Jam shirt say hi. As always hit me up on email at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam with any questions! –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 10/14 - 10/20
Hello Gulfster fishers!! We had a rough week in Tampa Bay with dead fish everywhere, but I'm not so sure there's a ton of red tide in our area. I think most of the fish are being wind blown here from more affected areas. Lots of good redfish reports still. The flounder at the Bay Area passes have been fired up if you can weed through the smaller fish the 12"-18" flounder are there. Try a live shrimp, small threadfin, or pull a soft bait along the bottom for best results. Lots of small grouper showing up in the inland waters around structure, look for the size to increase as we move into the colder months. I expect the kingfish action to pick up offshore this week with a noticeable drop in evening low temperatures. Try a spoon or slow trolled live bait for best results. As always feel free to contact me with any questions via email at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 10/7 - 10/13
Hello Gulfsters, hope everyone is doing ok and safe with the continued impact of Hurricane Matthew! Fishing has been staying consistent with the fish biting on the barometric pressure change firing up the fish. Redfish has continued to be the most consistent inshore fish but lots of other reports including Spanish Mackerel, legal sized gag grouper, big mangrove snapper to 18" and of course the summer snook continue at the passes. Offshore some monster Spanish Mackerel and kingfish with a mixed bag of bottom species. Didn't hear any more sailfish reports, but in a couple weeks when the kingfish tournaments fire up I expect multiple hookups. Get out there when the wind dies down but stay safe! If you have any questions email me at wtallyn04@gmail.com or contact me on Instagram @snookjam. –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 9/30/16-10/7/16
Thanks Gulfsters for all of the submitted photos and positive feedback. October is upon us and the action has remained steady the past two month. Great redfish and trout reports all throughout Boca Ciega and Tampa Bays. The snook reports have slowed down some but still plenty of fish on the beach if you can avoid the red tide areas. The red tide has affected Sarasota and the Anna Maria area but there are areas where you can move a short distance to avoid it. Hopefully some cool weather is not too far away so the water can cool some to slow down the blooms! Offshore I'm hearing good reports of good sized Spanish Mackerel on the bait schools. As we move into October I expect the grouper bite to get better as they move in from their summer breeding grounds. Multiple reports of the few and far between Gulf Coast sailfish came in this week including this week's photo of the week! Thanks to those of you who came out for the kickoff party on Tuesday, we had a great time and hope to do it again soon! As always feel free to contact me with any questions at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam.–Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 9/23/2016-9/29/2016
Hello Gulfsters!  It's been a good past couple of weeks on the water with the bite turning on and off like flipping the switch every once in a while. The redfish bite has been super strong. We caught 8 of them in less than one hour on the same dock light one morning just before sunrise. They were eating anything you could throw in the light and were beating the trout to our baits. All fish have been within the slot range from what I've seen. The snook bite on the east coast has been on fire with the ongoing mullet run. It's well worth the trip over. Look for the schools of mullet and put your bait in the mix. Great reports of mackerel at the Skyway Bridge and the entrance to Tampa Bay near Egmont Key. Look for the birds and fish crashing on baits. Spoons or live green backs with a long shank gold hook are the choice baits but they eat most everything when they're in a frenzy.  Offshore reports are slow but I have seen good snapper reports from people fishing overnight. Both mangrove snappers and yellowtail snappers are showing up in 100-feet of water. DON'T FORGET the Fishing Page Kickoff Party/Social at Mastry's Brewing on St. Pete Beach Tuesday 6:30pm to 8:30pm. We will have some prizes to raffle off and $1 off beers! Contact me with any questions at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. Tight lines! –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT: 9/16/16-9/22/16
Hello Gulfsters. Fantastic fishing this last week and I think it will continue to stay hot! We fished the Old Salts Ladies Tournament and caught 6 of 9 species. The redfish and snook were all over the lights at night. Try a live shrimp or a small threadfin with a light leader (30lb or smaller) for best results. In addition to that there were some good numbers of trout on the lights near Blind Pass. A few lights were holding literally hundreds of trout. A fly rod would have been fun to play around with and target the larger fish of the group. I've seen great reports of big grouper and kingfish offshore. The calm seas this weekend and upcoming week will be active and probably some of the best weather we've seen lately. We have a date for the Gulfster Fishing Page Kickoff Party, it will be at Mastry's Brewing Company on St. Petersburg Beach on Tuesday September 27. We will make the official announcement soon but go ahead and pencil in that date! Don't forget to send us your fish pics for photo of the week too. Contact me with any questions via email at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. Good luck and get out there! – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT:
9/9/2016-9/15/2016
Hello Gulfsters and thanks for all of the good feedback! This week things are calming down after the deluge we called Hermine. The fishing has remained decent even with the introduction of tons of freshwater runoff. Moving around some you can find some clearer water for sight fishing. Try places close to the coast where the tide is flushing well. Right now, slot size snook and redfish are being found at the Bay Area passes and around Gandy Bridge. The trout bite has been great with most fish in the lower slot range. A little persistence can pay off with an overslot fish if you search them out. The mangrove snapper bite has been great at the passes. Live shrimp or small live greenbacks will get them fired up. Lots of mackerel at Blind Pass in St. Petersburg right now. The best bait is a fast moving artificial either trolled or cast out from shore. Feel free to contact me at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam with any questions! Tight lines. – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT:
9/2/2016-9/8/2016
Hello Gulfster fishers! Hope you stayed dry this week. Some decent fish reports from this past week but the weather sure put most of us on land. Before the rain I scouted some sheepshead and flounder for a tournament we are doing next week. I found some smaller fish just barely legal in the Treasure Island area and on the St. Pete beach side of Blind Pass. The redfish have started biting more heavily in Tampa Bay. I looked in my journal and during this week in 2014 my wife and I found some overslot redfish on the grassbeds near Weedon Island. Good numbers of mackerel and pompano along the bridges and passes. The snook season is now officially open and the bite is hot with some big tides to open the season, get out there and chase them around but remember you need a separate snook permit in addition to your fishing license. The cost of the snook permit is $10.00 and can be purchased at: www.gooutdoorsflorida.com. The slot limit is 28" to 32" and only a limit of one per person. Haven't seen many reports from offshore with the weather and rough seas out there. Hopefully the gulf water will cool down a bit with the passing of Hermine. Storms like this will sometimes push fish normally much further offshore, a little closer to shore so I would be on the lookout for some blackfin tuna or mahi mahi closer than usual. Good luck out there and as always feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. – Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT:
8/26/16 - 9/1/16
Hello Gulfster Fishers! Another beautiful summer week, scorching hot weather and lots of wind this past week. This weekend is definitely going to depend on what happens with Tropical Wave 99L. If it does look like it's coming this way you can expect a strong fish bite before the storm! The redfish bite has really picked up in the past few weeks. Seeing tons of reports from Upper Tampa Bay to Fort Desoto. The fish are schooled up on the flats and happy during the morning. As the sun gets up and the pressure gets on them try sight fishing for them or using dead cut bait on the bottom. Also heard some reports of cobia and tripletail in the bay. The snook are in full summer, spawn mode, see video below I shot Thursday morning of the fish cruising around looking for a mate! Sometimes the snook won't eat much when their mind is elsewhere. The trout bite has continued. Plenty of slot sized fish on the flats near the Skyway Bridge. We caught them on MirrOlure Marsh Minnows and Lil John's. Offshore the mackerel and kingfish are close to the beach. Use live threadfins or troll spoons with a skirt. Getting the bait down in the water column to increase your odds of a hook up. Thanks, and feel free to contact me with any questions via email wtallyn04@gmail.com or via Instagram @snookjam As an early heads up, keep an eye out, we are hopefully going to be doing a Fishing social/meet and greet soon!!
–Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT:
8/19/16 - 8/25/16
Hey fishers! Some better weather this week producing more fishing opportunities. I took a trip to Captiva and found windy conditions down there. We fished Redfish Pass and Captiva Pass, only caught 4 small snook. Locally the flats around the Skyway Bridge have been productive. A few more reports of trout and redfish starting to show up. The beaches of north Pinellas are producing trout and decent sized snook. This upcoming week I'd be targeting snook near Sand Key or snapper on the local bridges. There's lots of ways to get the snapper biting. Cutting up some dead bait in small chunks helps, just don't over do the chum.
Same old song offshore. Snapper and red grouper in 80 to 100 feet of water. The gag grouper are just a bit deeper. Definitely put a flat line out for kingfish and tuna. Good luck out there and feel free to contact me on email at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. Tight lines! –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT:
8/12/16-8/18/16
Hello Gulf Fishers, was a better week for the surf board than the fishing pole this past week with that tropical low spinning north of us for the past several days!  Didn't put the skiff in the water this week but still found some snook on the beach along with some land based fishing that resulted in sheepshead and snapper. I've seen some awesome reports though between the rain drops of trout and redfish during the day and snook at night. The rain has dirtied up the water so if you're using artificials you may want to look at some red or brown colored jigs to help with that more natural presentation. Try a MirrOlure soft bait out, the fish are jumping all over those for me right now. Offshore I hear if you can get out there the snapper, red grouper, and kingfish are on fire right now.  Try 80 to 100 feet of water for best results, it may continue to be a little rough out there so be safe and leave a float plan with someone. Feel free to contact me on email at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. Tight lines! –Wes Tallyn

FISHING REPORT:
8/5/2016-8/11/2016:
Dodging afternoon storms in the evenings but there's still plenty of fish to go around if you can handle the sweltering summer temperatures.  This summer has been smoking hot for speckled seatrout. The fish are everywhere and there's no sign of the bite slowing. Live shrimp is a guaranteed hookup but also catching many on soft plastics and DOA shrimp. Snook are of course still all over the beaches and passes. I found a few on MirrOlure soft baits with 1/4 head up to about 24" on the sandbars. If you're looking for the bigger ones get closer to the jetties at the passes. I've received several reports of Tripletail but haven't seen any in my scouting. Black drum are picking up, sight fishing for them is good along Pass-a-Grille Beach and St. Pete Beach.  Try a Gulp! bait or a different type of scented bait or you can put a dead bait on the bottom and wait for the schools to stream by. Offshore I'm hearing the magic number of 100-ft for grouper and snapper with lots of kingfish and even some keeper yellowtail snapper. Sounds like the pipeline area is the best place to start!  Thanks and make sure to submit you pictures for photo of the week, they don't all have to be snook but you all seem to know where my heart is!  Feel free to contact me on email at wtallyn04@gmail.com or on Instagram @snookjam. 
Wes Tallyn

In addition to the Tackle Corner here we will be discussing how-to tips in this all new Fish 'N Tips segment. Today's discussion will be on sight fishing for sheepshead! All of us see these toothy critters chewing on pilings, cruising the seawalls, or hanging out on the grass flats and try to tempt them to eat. I've observed these fish on thousands of occasions and I have a few tips to make them take the bait. One of the best tips I can give you is to present the bait in a manner that makes the sheepshead think it was responsible for causing the bait to spook away from it. For example if you are using a free lined live shrimp and the sheepshead is feeding along a piling or set of pilings, see if you can present the shrimp so that the sheepshead thinks the shrimp was sitting on the piling and jumped off of the piling when the fish approached. That's the natural response of a shrimp and it really makes the best case presentation scenario in that particular situation. Sometimes I see the sheepshead chasing the shrimp along the surface and then it disappears retreating to the depths and out of sight. That is rarely the end of the story and usually for me, when that shrimp swims back down it gets eaten. I can't emphasize enough the importance of a sharp hook that is light enough that the shrimp can swim freely without the weight of the hook hindering it. With dead shrimp or crabs I like to present them on the bottom where I see the sheepshead milling about. Again, in this situation I want a naturally occurring situation with my presentation. Instead of dragging my bait right to the sheepshead I instead put the bait in a place where they can find themselves. You can literally watch them eat the bait and then set the hook. Again I want to state this is when I'm sight fishing for them, usually along a seawall or oyster bed. Hope this helps you land more sheepies and feel free to email me with any questions or hit me up on Instagram @snookjam. –Wes Tallyn

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