Outdoors

Captain's Corner

What's hot: Pompano have remained the easy target. I have noticed that they are starting to move around Tierra Verde and Pinellas Point. I idle around until a fish skips across the water to find the large schools. The bite can be fast and furious, then all of a sudden the fish will move with the tide. August usually means large schools of redfish are on the way. This past weekend, my friend landed several redfish bigger than 36 inches, one of which was 40 inches. Cobia are another target that I like to fish for in the summer.

By ROB GORTA, Times Correspondant
Published August 1, 2007

What's hot: Pompano have remained the easy target. I have noticed that they are starting to move around Tierra Verde and Pinellas Point. I idle around until a fish skips across the water to find the large schools. The bite can be fast and furious, then all of a sudden the fish will move with the tide. August usually means large schools of redfish are on the way. This past weekend, my friend landed several redfish bigger than 36 inches, one of which was 40 inches. Cobia are another target that I like to fish for in the summer.

What to look for: Cobia are fish that have to keep moving so water is constantly flowing through their gills. They swim around any kind of marker in the bay. I start by running from dayboard to dayboard looking for fish on the surface. It does not matter what kind of marker it is; it can be a single piling, a tripod, range marker or buoy. I slow the boat before I get too close to the marker; I do not want to spook the cobia so it dives deeper to where I can not see it.

Bait: Pinfish and threadfin herring are my favorite baits for cobia. I put a float 3 feet from the bait and cast it right along the marker. If a fish is there, it will usually hit right away. I make a few casts then move on to the next marker if I do not get a hit. Heavy tackle is needed to keep the fish from breaking the structure.

[Last modified July 31, 2007, 23:11:15]