Outdoors

Daily fishing report

By LARRY HOFFMAN
Published March 7, 2005

March marks the transition from winter to spring fishing. Kingfish, Spanish mackerel and large schools of tuna will be off our coast in a few weeks.

The key is the water temperature, with 68 degrees usually prompting the migration of most fish on our coast. The longer days and shorter nights will turn the tide to warmer water.

Expect large schools of baitfish to load up near reefs and structures with smaller kings arriving with them. To catch kings, troll king spoons then change to live bait.

The shrimp fleet will start moving north and bring the "tuna factory." The catch produced by shrimp nets creates chum slicks of 2-3 miles. Kingfish, sharks, tuna and, sometimes, cobia work the slick for easy meals. These slicks also can lure pelagic speedsters such as wahoo and dolphin.

Sailfish will move inshore, and it is common to catch them in as shallow as 50 feet. Last season, we caught three sailfish in less than 60 feet while fishing for kings. The sails devoured live Spanish sardines slow-trolled with 15 pounds of test line.

--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 March 7, 2005, 01:58:12]