Outdoors

Daily fishing report

By DOUG HEMMER
Published August 1, 2005

The Red Tide bloom from John's Pass to the Sunshine Skyway bridge has not weakened. Trips through John's Pass on Friday saw thousands of dead fish that looked as if they had been alive just hours earlier. Blind Pass and the Intracoastal waters around Yacht Club Estates were thick with piles of dead fish.Areas with dead fish are not worth fishing. Look for spots that are free of them and don't have the smell of Red Tide.

For decent inshore action, fish at night. Dock lights and bridges can hold good numbers of fish during a strong tide movement. When fishing the lights, drift and look to see if that spot is holding any fish. If you see dark shadows around the light, drop the anchor. When you don't see any signs of fish, move on to the next light. The best bait is a free-lined shrimp cast up-current of the light. Tail-hook the shrimp and let it flow with the current until the line gets tight. When a fish strikes, the line will straighten, your cue to set the hook. Keep the drag tight and get the fish away from the structure before it can cut you off. Most of the surface action will be trout and snook. If you let your bait drift close to the bottom, redfish and grouper will be the main catch. The best areas to target are north of Clearwater and the upper parts of Tampa Bay. Practice catch-and-release fishing. I do not recommend eating fish from areas stained with Red Tide.

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

[Last modified August 1, 2005, 00:59:12]