Last week's warm weather and moderate winds have improved offshore fishing conditions. The water temperature has risen to 68, returning the bite to offshore and nearshore waters.
This time of year, when the water temperature is changing rapidly, bait is just finding its way back to the beach and the fish are moving on every passing front. It can be difficult to fill the fish box with grouper on half-day trips.
To prove that point, on a half-day trip Wednesday we boated more than 40 fish, but there were only two keepers. We will go back and fish those areas in the next four weeks as conditions change, and they should start to hold numerous keeper fish that follow the bait.
The snapper bite has been good in the bay and offshore to 100 feet.
In the bay the snapper have held over artificial reefs and have been biting live shrimp with gusto. Offshore they have held over breaks and wrecks and can be chummed to the surface, where they will eat small jigs or small hooks with cut sardines. We used a combination of chum blocks and cut sardines to bring the fish to the surface.
Blackfin tuna have arrived. In the past week most of the catches came while grouper fishing in 130 feet with a flat line out.
The full moon has the shrimp boats in port, but as the moon gives way the boats should start to appear offshore in good numbers with many fish on their transoms.
- Mike Whitman charters the Mega Bite out of Gulfport. Call 727 384-5729 or e-mail capt@megabitecharters.com
