Outdoors

Daily fishing report

By JAY MASTRY
Published April 13, 2005

We are beginning to enjoy the many kingfish that appear with the traditional spring run. When the wind subsides allowing the nearshore waters to clear, we will enjoy them even more. Until then, the majority of bait schools will gang up on reefs, wrecks and hard bottom a bit further out.

Over the weekend, the 45-foot depth mark was among the best bets. Kingfish have gathered at the Pinellas South County Reef to ravish the greenbacks and whitebait that have bunched up on it. Jason Gell and Whitney Harper had as many as three kingfish on at once while slow trolling the Betty Rose wreck 1 mile south of the reef. You will likely have to share some of what you catch with other predators that roam these reefs. Barracuda and sharks won't hesitate to bite a kingfish in half, especially hooked ones that have been somewhat slowed.

The "Short Jack" has been another productive area. A large tract of ledges and hard bottom, the area stretches from 37 to 50-feet deep and is approximately 3 to 5 miles south of Egmont Channel. Newer fish and dive charts list coordinates to some of the most popular ledges in that area. Once there, pay attention to your bottom recorder as you troll. It will reveal many areas of structure that are not published. Bait tends to gather in this broad area of hard bottom and consequently so do kingfish.

This area also is known for its grouper, so take a stout rod. Finding a ledge that hasn't been overfished could be an added bonus.

Last week, a 30-pound kingfish was hauled over the rails at Redington Long Pier. Once the muddied water clears off the beaches, look for the action to light up within a mile or two from shore.

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

[Last modified April 13, 2005, 01:30:19]