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Outdoors

Remain inshore to avoid the red tide

By ED WALKER
Published August 13, 2005

Those looking to bend a rod this weekend probably should consider staying inshore.

People who've ventured to deeper water continue to return with reports of disastrous red tide and its associated fish kills. Many anglers and divers are seeing evidence of the dreaded organism from 5 to 30-plus miles offshore.

Big grouper, snapper, Goliath grouper and a myriad of other fish are floating on the surface. The scene on the bottom is even worse. Divers dropping to affected locations are witnessing large areas completely devoid of life.

Big wrecks and reefs normally home to entire ecosystems are empty and covered with dead fish, clams and crabs. Sponges have had a slime trail hanging off of them, a sign they have died. To make matters worse, coral in many areas has been bleached white, meaning it's been killed.

Individuals who've been near the water a long time never have seen an outbreak this bad.

What it means for the future of fishing remains to be seen, but it can't be good. The high water temperature the area now has is not normally conducive for dissipating red tide, so we may be stuck with it for some time.

The good news is that inshore waters were largely spared from the fish kill. There were a few days when fish on the flats died near Tarpon Springs and Gulf Harbors, but it didn't last long.

Flats guides have indicated that the action has increased nicely.

Pete Katsarelis said he struggled to catch bait earlier this week. But when successful, the snook and reds were biting. In just a half day of fishing, his clients landed 20 redfish and six snook.

"The redfish were as good as I've seen them in quite some time," Katsarelis said. "We had the reds chummed up into a frenzy." Farther to the north, the activity is similar. Bayport and Homosassa guides say the redfish bite has been excellent.

Look for the species along the shoreline when the tide is high then dropping back toward the deeper edges of the flats as the water gets lower. Scaled sardines are the bait of choice, but artificial enthusiasts are catching reds on gold, weedless spoons and soft plastic jerk baits.

Speckled trout fishing is hit or miss and probably will remain so until the water temperature begins to drop in the fall.

The best opportunities have been on the deeper grass flats or in areas where schools of small Spanish sardines are present. Quarter-ounce jigs worked low in the water column will produce specks 1-3 pounds, with a bigger fish occasionally mixed in.

Spanish mackerel and ladyfish will spice up the jigging action in these areas.

The best approach is to line up a drift through the dark-bottom spots and shut down the motor. Float along with the wind, and cast as you go. Be sure to cast toward a pothole or aberration in the grass, as these may hold the larger fish.

Ten-pound test line and a short section of 30-pound flourocarbon leader are all you will need. Jig color preferences vary among anglers, but as long as the offering bears some resemblance to shiny baitfish or a shrimp, you can't go wrong.

[Last modified August 13, 2005, 01:21:17]