Outdoors

Daily fishing report

By DAVE ZALEWSKI
Published January 23, 2005

It pays to take everything that fits on a hook when targeting grouper right now.

Normally frozen Spanish sardines and squid are sufficient this time of year, but because of the widely fluctuating water temperatures, having a few dozen pinfish in the baitwell greatly increases the chances of getting some keeper gags to the dock.

Larry Simmons took daughter Jennie Ackerman and her husband, Mark, on their first trip into the gulf Friday. A large ground swell, foreshadowing the cold front that should be upon us today, and an opposing wind made it difficult to anchor on the first small ledge targeted in 50 feet west of John's Pass.

The total catch on the first stop was zero. Not even a grunt could be enticed.

The next stop was a mile away, an area of hard bottom with rock piles that we found and dived on last summer. Such a structure left some margin for the swing of the boat caused by the conditions. Numerous gags of 18 to 21 inches came up before Mark Ackerman got bent over by a 14-pounder that bit a small piece of squid. The rest of us, baited up with whole sardines, watched.

After larger gags have moved into the strike zone and started biting, drop a tail-hooked pinfish and hold on. Ackerman did and put a twin to his first grouper in the box. Three more stops were made with the same results.

Dave Zalewski charters the Lucky Too out of Madeira Beach and can be reached at 727 397-8815 or by e-mail at Luckytoo2@aol.com

[Last modified January 23, 2005, 00:15:19]