Outdoors Column | ‘There’s been no real issues.’ Piney Point spill has not hurt the fishing in Tampa Bay

It’s been almost two months since Piney Point wastewater leaked into Tampa Bay. Many feared it would lead to immediate disaster in the surrounding area, but fortunately it’s been business as usual for anglers who fish the southern shore of Tampa Bay.

“When it first happened the water was funky, but it wasn’t bad and no fish kills,” explained Capt. Jason Prieto, who specializes fishing the southern shore and middle of Tampa Bay. “There’s been no real issues. I’ve been catching fish all the way through it even when it started. I’ve caught plenty of snook and redfish around that area and now it looks like nothing ever happened.”

Heading into summer months Prieto has started to change tactics. He’s begun to fish deeper waters of Tampa Bay for grouper and snapper, in addition to snook and redfish on the flats. This past week he caught a variety of fish including tarpon and cobia, but noted the tarpon fishing slowed as the full moon approached.

“It was pretty good, with fish between 30 and 90 pounds. But later in the week I went from the Skyway all the way to Egmont and didn’t see much happening,” Prieto said. “But when the tarpon fishing has slowed there’s a lot of other options. The cobia run has been real good this year and you never know what you’ll get fishing in the bay for grouper or snapper.”

The biggest Tampa Bay surprises for Prieto this year have both come in the past few weeks. One was a redfish at 30 pounds while snapper fishing. The other was a rarely seen middle of Tampa Bay mutton snapper caught while fishing in only seven feet of water.

“We were chumming a spot for grouper, free-lining baits on a 5/0 hook with no weight. I saw a big grouper come out of the water and other grouper were blowing up like we were snook fishing. One of the clients hooked up to what I thought was a big mangrove snapper but when it got in the boat I wasn’t quite sure what it was but looked like it was a mutton,” Prieto said, a bit bewildered a mutton snapper would be there in the bay. “I sent a picture to have it confirmed and it was a mutton. They said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ when I said I was only in seven feet of water.”

On June 1 gag grouper season will be opening and on June 4 red snapper will be starting its short season. While most anglers travel to deep waters west for red snapper, Prieto says he’s also stumbled into them within Tampa Bay as well.

“We got a 17-inch red snapper last year on the channel edge. It was a surprise but you never really know what you’ll catch out there.”

This story was originally published May 28, 2021 at 8:31 AM.