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Just when I thought we should put our kingfish rigs away on Saturday we caught two 20-pound kingfish and two barracudas while gold hooking for live bait to run offshore. The kingfish devoured a cigar minnow and blue runner flat-lined off our transom. Both fish put up good fights and were a great way to start the day.
Blue water fishing is picking up with good weather forecast this week. Wahoo, dolphin and tuna are just about 44 miles southwest of John's Pass. Look for weed lines and floating debris then troll tuna clones, skirted ballyhoo and jet heads for excellent action. Start trolling around 40 miles out and work your way offshore. Trolling speeds can vary - 71/2 knots to 10 knots has worked well for us over the years.
Grouper and American red snappers have been feeding in 130 to 150 feet of water. Live pilchards and pinfish will get the job done. Dead bait starts the bite, and live bait is the way to keep the fish chewing. Amberjack fishing is strong over shipwrecks and springs from 100 to 130 feet of water. Blue runners are the bait of choice for the jacks. Try netting pilchards early in the morning and using them to chum the jacks, then free-line live blue runners to the jack of your choice. A feeding frenzy of 40- and 50-pound amberjacks can take your breath away.
- Larry "Huffy" Hoffman charters out of John's Pass, Treasure Island. Call (727) 709-9396.