SPORTS: Daily fishing report

Daily fishing report

By LARRY HOFFMAN, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 26, 2003

Blackfin tuna action is awesome and should remain that way through May. Working our way offshore, we spotted a few shrimp boats in 95 feet of water and decided to investigate. The second shrimp boat was "haired" over with blackfin tuna. Spanish sardines free-lined off the transom were inhaled as soon as they hit the water. The blackfins were about 25-30 pounds each and provided some of the most intense fishing action this spring. Fighting belts, 30- to 40-pound class tackle and 4/0 hooks tied directly to your fishing line are all that is required to hook, fight and catch these gifts of the gulf. Bleeding the tuna makes its meat lighter in flavor, so bleed the fish by either cutting the gills or the tail, and then ice the fish immediately.

Amberjack fishing continues to be exceptional over shipwrecks and springs. The key is to have enough live bait to throw them out as chum. We will use more than 100 Spanish sardines and pilchards to get the jacks to the surface. Then we free-line a big blue runner hooked in the back of the head. A special note to fly-fishermen: This is the time to get an amberjack or tuna on a fly.

- Larry "Huffy" Hoffman charters out of John's Pass, Treasure Island. Call (727) 709-9396.

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