Outdoors

Daily fishing report

By DOUG HEMMER
Published June 23, 2005

Red Tide has ruined fishing from Johns Pass to Egmont Key. Tarpon have moved offshore and snook that have remained are slow to feed.

There still are schools of bait around the markers and towers. The problem is keeping them alive after netting. If you don't flush the live well with water after dumping in the bait,most - if not all - will die.

One trick is to place a 2-foot piece of copper tubing in the live well. The tube should be 1 to 2 inches in diameter with many cuts halfway through the pipe. The copper helps dilute toxins. After filling the well with bait, pour 6 to 8 five-gallon buckets of water in it. This will put extra oxygen in the well. Once the bait has settled, turn off the pump and run through the well before turning the pump back on.

Our best fishing has been inside the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The deep flats in 6 feet are holding trout, mackerel, sharks and jacks. Some trout have reached 5 pounds and the mackerel have been 14 to 20 inches. Look for dark spots about a half mile inside the bridge. Anchor on areas in 6 to 8 feet. Work the up-current side and chum heavily with live white bait. Use small, long shank hooks to keep the mackerel from cutting off the rigs. The best action is during a strong tide.

Doug Hemmer charters out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 347-1389.

[Last modified June 23, 2005, 00:45:20]