Outdoors

Daily fishing report

By DOUG HEMMER
Published August 29, 2005

Schools of spawned minnows can be found from Pinellas Point to the Gandy Bridge. Some are being attacked by large numbers of mackerel and jacks. Hovering birds mean fish are feeding. If you have a livewell full of white bait, anchor in the area and throw out a chum block. Nose hook the bait with a small, long shank hook and cast it into the chum slick. Birds in the area should indicate nonstop action.

Target the schools with a small, white shad tail jig. Rig at least 10 inches of wire in front of the jig to keep the mackerel from cutting it off. Determine which direction the birds are working, stop the boat in front of the flock and wait for the fish to come. Cast where the fish are busting on the surface and use a medium-fast retrieve to get them to strike. Bring extra tails to replace the ones the mackerel rip up. Be patient, sometimes the schools of jacks are so thick the mackerel have a hard time beating them to your lure. When surface action disappears, look for the birds. More often then not, that's where the fish went.

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

[Last modified August 29, 2005, 03:00:19]