Amberjacks up to 70 pounds can be found 40 miles offshore at 130 feet over a fresh water spring. Our biggest challenge lately has been finding live baits. We are catching large pinfish using small hooks baited with pieces of shrimp and by throwing cast nets around bridges.
To be effective throw nets before sunrise. Another proven method to procure live pilchards and threadfins is to chum them to the transom of your boat. Chum for about 15 minutes on a good tide then throw your net.
Once you have live bait, you'll find amberjack fishing is excellent over shipwrecks and springs. Shipwrecks are holding many jacks as well as barracudas that like to eat them. We have been fishing only springs to get away from the 'cudas. Most springs at 110 feet and deeper also are holding yellowtail and mangrove snapper.
Snapper fishing using live bait has been good at springs. The gags and red grouper have been more than 15 pounds. Most of our success on grouper has been in 100-115 feet. Large live pinfish have produced our biggest fish. The tides offshore are strong with the current moon phase, so you'll need at least 8-ounce sinkers to hold your bait on the bottom.
Blue water fishing has been excellent. The tropical storms in the gulf will produce bigger seas offshore that will break up the weed lines. A week after the storm clears, the gulf should be ready for blue water trips again. Friday we fished 41 miles southwest of John's Pass and observed good weed lines from 24-41 miles. The weed lines were holding bait and flying fish. We did not fish the weed lines, but we saw some dolphin and a sailfish feeding on the surface.
- Larry "Huffy" Hoffman charters out of John's Pass, Treasure Island. Call (727) 709-9396.
