Outdoors

Daily fishing report

By JAY MASTRY
Published January 17, 2005

Windy conditions and rough seas over the weekend kept all but a determined few from venturing out. Westerly winds muddied the nearshore waters of the gulf. Assorted bait that had gathered at easily accessible locations such as the Pass-a-Grille sea buoy have scattered and will need a few days to regroup.

Passing fronts can, however, work in our favor. Gulf water, particularly south of the ships channel, had become so clear it was difficult getting bites on much heavier than 30-pound tackle. Though winter grouper digging may be more productive with dead bait, I won't go without something frisky to drop down. Over the past few weeks the water temperature climbed into the mid 60s and this front doesn't appear severe enough to cause temperatures to plummet. In these somewhat warmer conditions, many of our larger grouper have run down the live stuff on recent trips. Pinfish, grunts, greenbacks and large whitebait are among the most productive.

Silver trout will return to the 10- to 20-foot depths off Redington and Indian Rocks beaches, but give the water enough time to clear before you go. The rocky edge of the ships channel in the bay has remained consistent with a variety of bottom dwellers. Jeff Mastry caught a couple dozen mangrove snapper on a recent trip using pieces of shrimp. Sheepshead will soon use the channel as their highway to the gulf and can be enticed by shrimp pieces as they fatten up to spawn.

--Jay Mastry charters Jaybird out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 321-2142.

[Last modified January 17, 2005, 01:06:09]