Outdoors

Daily fishing report

By LARRY HOFFMAN
Published January 16, 2005

Offshore fishing was outstanding before the cold front arrived Thursday night.

Amberjacks and snappers were feeding heavy over shipwrecks and freshwater springs. After the front passes, the feeding should continue.

Large live pinfish have been the bait of choice for AJs. Craig Lahr on Team Gator was having trouble last week with cutoffs from barracudas. It is unusual this time of year to have them hanging around in 60 degree and colder water. The 'cudas were big, more than 50 pounds.

Lahr finally coaxed a big one into biting a piece of dead grouper, and they stopped stealing the AJs. Six-foot fluorocarbon leaders and No.4 hooks have been working best.

Snapper fishing is still good. Small live pinfish and small chunks of dead sardines keep the snapper busy. Thirty-pound-class leaders and light fishing rods work best, with No.2 live bait hooks. Try using a green glow bead in front of your hook to increase your catch ratio.

The key to snapper fishing: Do not lift your rod until you have made contact. Successful anglers set the hook by reeling the rod quickly to take up the slack. Gag grouper fishing still is outstanding in 35 to 180 feet. C.C. Rice and Larry Blue hit their limit in just two hours in 35 feet using frozen sardines and live pinfish. Lahr also fished in 180 feet and boated more than 400 pounds of grouper and 15 red snapper that were thrown back.

This cold front should not hurt the fishing. By giving fish a few days' rest from angler pressure, they should be willing to take most offerings this week.

Larry "Huffy" Hoffman charters out of John's Pass, Treasure Island. Call 727 709-9396 or e-mail him at huffyl@tampabay.rr.com

[Last modified January 16, 2005, 00:34:19]