Big tides influenced by last week's new moon phase ignited a hot tarpon bite with widespread effects. Afternoon and evening outgoing tides had them stacked up in the north and south passes at Egmont, taking advantage of the crab flow. The Skyway bridge is always a good bet during this phase. We sat in a bunch of fish rolling around us in the channel leading to Port Manatee while mangrove snapper fishing. Fishing in a crowd isn't for everyone, but if you're going to tarpon fish the incoming tide at Bean Point, get used to it. Fifty boats packed into a relatively small area, many anchored within a cast of each other, has become the norm. There are times when five boats will be hooked up at a time while chumming and chunking dead baits during this spectacle. We caught three in an hour during the last of the tide on a recent trip. Next week's full moon promises to be among the most productive periods of the month for tarpon. I've done best the three days before, during and the three days after the big moon. I like drifting crabs, greenbacks or big white bait during the smoking tides. Shad fished on the bottom is my preference on the slower periods. Several of our most-spectacular tarpon trips have been after dark during this phase.
Jay Mastry charters Jaybird out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 321-2142.