Outdoors

Daily fishing report

By CHUCK ROGERS
Published March 5, 2006

Rising water temperatures in the lower and middle parts of the bay have boosted snook fishing.

Hungry snook, dormant the past three months, move out of their winter hiding places and begin feeding when the water warms to about 68 degrees. They will be sluggish, so be patient when working your favorite spots. Early spring snook are fragile. They won't fight as hard and will die easily. Gently release small and oversized fish. Scaled sardines are in the deeper channels inside the Skyway. The bait is in 15 to 20 feet so you will need a heavy net. Lead, 18 to 20 pounds, on a three-quarter-inch net will produce the best results. In deeper water use a depth finder. Chumming will work in deep water. Anchor upcurrent and release chum slowly so the bait doesn't follow it to the bottom. Add cornmeal or powdered fish food to your mix. This will help keep the chum closer to the surface and will make the sardines easier to net.

REDFISH NATION SERIES: Jim Ruel of Parrish and Brian Kendzior of Bradenton topped Day 1 at Tampa Bayside Marina with a two-fish limit of 13.76 pounds. The leaders caught their fish while blind-casting to deep troughs in Sarasota Bay. Final weigh-ins are at 3 p.m. today.

Chuck Rogers charters out of Rattlesnake Point Outfitters at Bayside Marina in Tampa. Call 813 835-1919 or e-mail at rspo@tampabay.rr.com

[Last modified March 5, 2006, 19:40:45]