Kayak Fishing In Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay, actually the entire Tampa Bay area, is always a hot bed for fishing. Presently along the edges of the mangroves & oyster bars there are a ton of red fish lurking. They are spooky but catchable. Use live shrimp with no sinker and allow them to float with the tidal flow past the mangroves & oyster bars. Use live fiddler crabs the same way to catch these tasty fish.

On the grass flats the speckled trout a.k.a. weakfish are lining up to get at the live shrimp as well as greenback minnows. Using a kayak is the best way to slide in among these fish without spooking them.  Along the Weedon Island mangroves, the Power plant grass flats & the north Gandy grass flats the fishing is not hing short of great..! Good action, lots of paddling and the weather has been phenomenal…! Dow by the Sky Way bridge the same holds true and my buddies over the bay in the Tierra Ceia area tell me the same thing as do the guys & gals off the mouth of the Alafia River & Cockroach Bay. Kayak fisherman from all over the area are just reeling in the fish…!

At this time of year the temperatures are usually a bit cooler than they have been. This usually drives the fish into deeper waters but with the warm weather this mild winter we are seeing many more catches...! Along the Gulf shores we are seeing a lot of whiting caught with shrimp & sand fleas. Along the edges of the grass flats we are also finding & catching nice sized flounder as well. They like the floating shrimp baits just like the red fish.

Copyright © 2012 Donald R Houston, PhD. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the author's consent.

Bonnie's Biscuits & Chicken Stew
Categories: Poultry, Bread, Dixie, Southern, 1-dish, Main dish
Yield:  4 Servings  
 
Stew:
1 c  Carrots julienned
1 c  Onion thinly sliced
2 ea Garlic cloves minced
2 ts Olive oil
1 lb Chicken boneless & skinless cubed 1/2"
1 tb All-purpose flour
1/4 c  Water
2 tb White wine
1 tb Chicken broth
1 c  Plain yogurt
1 c  Peas
1/4 tS Curry powder
1/2 ts Cumin ground
1/4 ts Ginger ground
salt & pepper to taste
 
Biscuits:
1 c  All-purpose flour
1 tS Baking powder
1/4 tS Baking soda
1/4 tS Salt
4 1/2 ts Cold butter
1/2 c  Plain yogurt
1 ts Dried onion flakes
 
Grease a 1 1/2 qt. casserole dish the set aside.
Saute your carrots, onion & garlic in olive oil until tender.
Add chicken then cook while you stir for 5 mins.
Combine flour, water, wine & broth until smooth.
Add to your skillet then bring to a boil.
Cook while you stir for 2 mins. until thickened.
Reduce heat then stir in yogurt, peas & seasonings.
Transfer to your greased casserole dish then keep warm.

Biscuits:
Pre-heat oven to 350 deg-F.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt in a bowl.
Cut in butter until crumbly.
Stir in yogurt & onion flakes.
Roll out dough then cut out 8 rounds.
Put rounds over your warm chicken mixture.
Bake uncoveredbfor 25-35 mins. until biscuits are golden brown.

ORIGIN: Bonnie Partain, Houma-LA, circa 2000

Cheddar-Cheese Grits
Categories: Grain, Cheese, Dixie, Southern, USA, Side dish
Yield: 4 servings

2 1/2 c  Water
1 c  Milk or Half-&-Half
2 tb Butter
1 1/4 ts Salt
3/4 c  Grits
1 c  Cheddar cheese extra-sharp grated

Combine water, milk, 1 tb butter & 1 ts salt.
Bring to a boil over med-high heat.
Add grits in a slow stream while you are whisking.
Reduce heat, cover then simmer while stirring often with a wooden spoon until grits are very thick.
Remove pan from heat then stir in Cheddar cheese.
Cover to keep warm.
Serve warm.

ORIGIN: Helen McKenna, Biloxi-MS, circa 1992

Doc's Egmont Key Pickled Shrimp
Categories: Appetizer, Seafood, Florida, USA, Dixie, Southern
Yield: 1 batch
 
1/3 c  Crab boil tied in cheese cloth
3 lb Shrimp peeled & deveined
1 c  White vinegar
6 ts Celery seeds
Salt & pepper to taste
1 1/2 c  Olive oil
1 ea Onion thinly sliced
6 ea Bay leaves
6 tb Fresh dill minced
 
Bring 6 cups water with your crab boil to a boil.
Simmer for 6 mins. then add shrimp.
Boil for 5 mins. then drain.
Whisk together your vinegar, celery seeds, salt, & pepper.
Add olive oil in a stream while you whisk continuously until well emulsified.
Arrange 1/2 of your shrimp in 1 layer in a deep glass or ceramic casserole dish.
Arrange 1/2 of your onion slices on top of shrimp.
Top with bay leaves & dill.
Repeat [rocess with remaining shrimp, onion, bay leaves & dill.
Pour the dressing over top.
Cover then allow to marinate in refrigerator for 12-24 hrs.
Serve shrimp with any dip and toothpicks.

ORIGIN: Dr. Donald Houston, Tampa-FL, circa 1989