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Letter to the editor

Inshore

Season change brings out baitfish

By DAVE WALKER
Published June 10, 2005

Large schools of baitfish are dimpling the surface of Tampa Bay as far as the eye can see. Threadfin herring are the dominant species around range markers and in open water. Scaled sardines can be found on almost any grass flat in the entire area. This is a sign that winter is thankfully over, and with the occasional crack of lightning, it also is a reminder that summer is almost here.

When there is a plethora of forage fish to be had, the apex predators naturally seize their opportunity to gorge themselves. Spanish mackerel are abundant in Tampa Bay right now. Usually a light to medium spinning reel coupled with a limber rod will handle most mackerel situations. The secret to catching these seasonal creatures is to plan ahead for their stiletto-style teeth. A hook with a long shank is more practical than using steel leader material. The metal is much more cumbersome to deal with and also seems to perform with a mono leader. Set drags very loose to maximize results. Like their larger cousins the kingfish, many fish are foul hooked in the skin. It tends to tear easily and therefore justifies a very loose drag if fish are intended to make it to the boat.

Cobia have continued to thicken, as we are quickly approaching prime time for the brown bombers.

The tenacity of cobia is unmatched by any other member of the phylum osteichthyes, (bony fish). They will stress test almost any caliber of tackle. On calm days, anything making a disturbance on the surface should be taken seriously. Often they can be spotted from far away just cruising the surface. In this situation, position yourself in front of the oncoming fish and cast about four or five feet in front of it. Reel in so your bait comes right in front of the target.

Let him hold onto it for an extra moment before setting the hook. Once the fight is on, time the battle. Sometimes it can stretch into hours.

When a cobia is landed, stand clear. They have a tendency of going ballistic once onboard. Another good technique for finding cobia this time of year is to look for the large southern stingrays cruising the flats. It is quite common to see sometimes up to three fish on the same ray. The rays flush crabs and other food out of the grass and are an easy target for a hungry fish.

Triple tail are holding to the range markers in the Apollo Beach area. From there, to Port Manatee, these treats can be found milling around floating objects and can buoys. The will inhale a live shrimp or greenback.

Captain Dave Walker charters out of Tampa and can be reached at 813 310-6531 or at www.snookfish.com

[Last modified June 10, 2005, 01:11:19]