Outdoors

Daily fishing report

By CHAD CARNEY
Published October 1, 2005

Diving in October is excellent off our coast. Armchair quarterbacks are watching TV on weekends and the snowbirds aren't here yet, leaving the wrecks and reefs to locals. The water rarely gets below the high 70s and visibility is clear enough to rival the Keys.

Dive shops no longer are swamped, so it's a great time to take that advanced course you've been thinking about. New dive equipment also debuts at the industry trade show this month, spurring great deals around the area.

Red Tide has not left and has pushed mostly south for this weekend. An abundance of live bait has been spotted in the bays and near shore north of Tampa Bay and the dead fish seem to have disappeared.

Good catches of gag grouper and mangrove snapper have been reported in 10 to 45 feet with spotty visibility from 5 to 40 feet. Deeper waters are not clear but have produced nice hogfish. Running a mile or two north or south along the 5- or 10-fathom lines often produces a great change in clarity during the fall months.

--Chad Carney teaches diving and spearfishing in the Tampa Bay area. Call 727 423-7775 or e-mail chadcarney@verizon.net

[Last modified October 1, 2005, 01:46:16]