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The shrimp boats are back. Sunday we ran across eight in 105-110 feet 30 miles southwest of Pass-a-Grille. With high water temperatures, there should be plenty of blacktip sharks, bonita and cobia.
Wind has broken up the large weed patches we have fished for dolphins. I expect them to reappear if winds stay calm.
Red grouper bites have improved during the past several days at 140-150 feet. We motorfish large cheese bottom areas and set the bottom machine to blow up the last 30 feet of the water column, looking for bait stacks. Once located, we drop 7/0 to 9/0 hooks on 8-foot rods with 4/0 reels loaded with 60-pound mono and 80-pound test leaders. When we start, we like to vary bait, using live bait, dead sardines, squid or a large jig with a bright curly tail. Once we find what works, we move everyone onto it. If the bite starts to fall off, we move back to a variety of bait.
There still are large patches of Red Tide so check your bait wells often. Always file a float plan and watch the weather.
- Mike Whitman charters the Mega Bite out of Gulfport. Call 727 384-5729 or e-mail capt@megabitecharters.com