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© St. Petersburg Times, published May 20, 2002
Finding a day calm enough to run offshore last week was tough. On the couple of days we got out the fishing was pretty good. If heading offshore, keep an eye open for anchored shrimp boats as the tuna bite is still hot. Cut up frozen sardines to draw the tuna. Then drift a couple of live baits back in the chum line.
Flag-size yellowtail and 4- to 8-pound mangrove snapper have been holding on wrecks and can, like tuna, be chummed right to the back of your boat.
Anchor just upcurrent of a wreck in 90 feet of water or more and hang a block of chum from the back. Use a large mesh chum bag. Give the bag a good shake now and then to create a cloud of chum. Cut sardines into half-inch chunks and throw out a handful every minute or so.
Now that you have them chummed up, tie a 1/0 live bait hook to the main line of a 20- to 25-pound class spinning outfit. Use smoke blue or any color line that's hard to see in the water. Hide the hook in a piece of cut sardine and drift it back in the chum slick. Keep feeding out line until you see a noticeable change in the speed at which the line is going out, then quickly reel until the line comes tight. This method on two recent trips has produce yellowtail to 5 pounds and mangrove snapper to 8 pounds.
-- Randy Rochelle runs Islander Charters in St. Petersburg and can be reached at (727) 528-1213 or by e-mail at Islandercharters@ij.net.