Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
Fishing for exotic species near the edge of the continental shelf is tempting, but a strong wind and high seas make getting there a challenge.
By MIKE SCARANTINO
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 17, 2002
For a number of weeks, some friends and I have been attempting to visit the deep, cobalt blue water 100-plus miles west of the coast.
Wind topping 15 knots and violent rain squalls have kept us from our destination. The biggest problem, though, has been bottom-fishing in seas over 5-7 feet. It just doesn't make sense to spend more than $250 on fuel, add in bait and tackle costs and all the planning needed to go deep, then not enjoy the experience. So we continued to watch and wait for a good window of opportunity.
During summer, there is an abundance of exotic species that can be caught in the deeper water near the edge of the continental shelf.
Dolphin fish or Mahi-Mahi, blackfin tuna and large grouper -- including scamp, true black grouper, red and gags -- can be had. There are American red snapper, large mangrove snapper, king mackerel and more Key West grunts than one might care to catch.
In the scheme of things, we wanted to fish deep, to go where we don't often go. As a flats angler, I don't see the deep blue often on this coast.
Good friend and local guide Greg Thomas recently acquired a 35-foot center console sport-fishing boat -- perfect for a trip to the edge. A few shorter journeys confirmed the vessel's integrity. The last one was supposed to be our day to go deep, but the weather changed the plan shortly after we left the dock.
We met before sunrise. The breeze was freshening and had blown through the night. The sea undoubtedly was higher than we hoped. There we were, stuck in near-shore water 25-40 feet deep fishing for boiled grouper. They actually are lethargic fish living in shallow water too high in temperature.
As summer heat and water temperatures rise to peak levels, near-shore grouper diggers experience a decided downturn in keeper fish being caught. Short grouper seem to be the norm, and not many of them either.
These conditions lend themselves to a common misconception that grouper head for deeper water when the heat gets too intense. Not so. In fact, snorkelers regularly see large grouper, including a few Goliath, residing on shallow-water structures throughout the summer.
Those who spearfish can take legal limits of grouper in water 20 feet and less, but hook-and-line anglers experience a drop in production. People with the proper equipment, skill level and experience typically find the fishing to be quite good on the edge.
So there we sat this particular day, not wanting to waste our precious fuel and bait. We unanimously agreed to hit two spots, then if nothing happened we would head for home.
The first position we anchored over was a good-sized pile of rocks in 30 feet of water. To the side went our baits -- dead pinfish topped with frozen squid and tasty tidbits for a grouper.
Immediately, a fish hit Jeff Janoski's line. He tussled with the short red, then released it to fight another day. It was fun but not a keeper.Gaylan Norfleet also was aboard Thomas' boat. We called ourselves the "A Team" but didn't live up to the title considering our dismal results that sultry morning.
We didn't have much in the way of expectations given that the water temperature had been hovering in the 80s. The one thing in our favor was a strong incoming tide. We hoped it would bring cooler, more oxygenated water closer to shore and maybe turn the fish on for at least a short time.
We tried every combination of baits we had onboard. In the live well were large pinfish. In the fish boxes, we carried frozen Spanish sardines and squid. We had leftover frozen whitebait thawing in the bait box. Short of cast-netting live whitebaits, which we attempted at first light, the four of us thought we had every bait that appeals to large grouper. I hit the next big fish. It was 23 inches -- nothing to brag about but a keeper nonetheless.
It was then we noticed large thunderstorm cells converging on the area. We decided to hit our second spot and avoid the oncoming melee. We ran northwest to 45 feet of water and anchored. There, we discovered a few more short grouper, two nurse sharks and a couple of small grunts.
It was time to go home. The angling was canceled due to a lack of interest -- from the fish and the men onboard.
-If you have a question or comment, call Capt. Mike Scarantino, (352) 683-4868.