Fishing for grouper, mangrove snapper, kingfish and Spanish mackerel is outstanding. The kingfish are at their peak fall migration. Spanish mackerel are chewing up bait schools on our coast. Gag grouper are plentiful in 35 to 40 feet. The biggest concern will be weather. One or two days after a cold front should result in east winds, allowing good conditions offshore.
We fished two days this week after our last cold front in 40 feet over small ledges and hard bottom outcrops. Live pinfish produced gags up to 16 pounds. Mangrove snapper preferred frozen sardines cut in half. The biggest challenge was getting the bigger gags off the bottom and preventing grouper from cutting lines on the coral. Fishing grouper in shallow water requires cat-like reflexes to hook and get the fish moving toward the surface. A proven technique is to place the rod tip at the water surface. When you feel the bite, reel four or five times before lifting the rod. Reeling before lifting gets the slack out of the line and sets the hook.
When grouper fishing, use a flat line freelined off the transom of the boat. We had pinfish for live bait and caught kingfish, cobia and barracuda using a flat line. If possible, use Spanish sardines, threadfins or cigar minnows as live bait. Areas that hold kingfish are the Clearwater hard bottom, Rube Allyn, Betty Rose and the Egmont Channel markers 5 and 6 out to the Whistler. For grouper, concentrate efforts in 30 to 45 feet.
Farther offshore, amberjacks can be found over shipwrecks and springs from 80 to 130 feet. The bigger the baits presented, the bigger the jacks. Large blue runners, spadefish and large pinfish are getting the job done. One major problem is barracuda eating your fish. Catch a few barracuda before fishing for jacks; this should make the barracuda less likely to attack your catch. Blackfin tuna can be targeted off shrimp boats or by setting up chum slacks while bottom fishing. Tuna have been caught as shallow as 60 feet. Live bait Spanish sardines freelined off the transom will work. Use 30-pound or smaller tackle.
The Skyway's south pier is producing good catches of grouper, Spanish mackerel and kingfish up to 35 pounds. At the north pier, grouper and mangrove snapper are biting. From the Redington Long Pier, black drum, flounder, Spanish mackerel and a few kingfish are being caught. Night fishermen are catching nice-sized snook.
- Larry "Huffy" Hoffman charters out of John's Pass, Treasure Island. Call (727) 709-9396.
