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Daily fishing reportBy DOUG HEMMER© St. Petersburg Times published October 18, 2002 Kings have plenty of company The fall kingfish run is heating up. Schools of kingfish, mackerel, bonita, sharks and cobia are moving along the gulf from Tarpon Springs to Boca Grande. Plenty of bait can be found inside the bay, along the beach and offshore. This should help keep the run in our area until the water temperature drops into the low 60s. Kings in the 8- to 20-pound class have been hanging over the hard bottom in 40 feet of water north of the shipping channel. This is where the ships anchor before heading into Tampa Bay. Slow-troll threadfins or sardines around the ships. The kings are feeding on the bait schools hanging nearby. Some spots will hold kings one day but not the next. You can find fish by trolling spoons on planners and flat lines faster than using live bait. If you catch a king on a spoon, switch to live bait and slow-troll that area. When the spoons don't draw a strike, try another nearby spot. One of the best areas to try after a cold front is the shipping channel. Large schools of mackerel have been hanging close to shore and in Tampa Bay. Most are in the 2- to 4-pound class with a few more than 5 pounds. The best action was over the hard bottom in 20 feet of water off St. Pete Beach. Using white bait on light tackle and a chum block hanging off the boat, we had nonstop action. The best part of the trip was the sharks. There were 4- to 6-footers swimming up the chum slick. A center cut of mackerel on a steel leader was the best way to catch and release a few of these strong fighters. Two of our trips had tarpon rolling in the mud holes. One day, they were off Treasure Island in 23 feet of water and the next had them in 18 off the DonCeSar Beach Resort and Spa. Free-lined threadfins and pinfish produced eight hookups. -- Doug Hemmer charters out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 347-1389.
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From the Times Outdoors page Outdoors
From the AP |
