Captains corner fishing report
By DOUG HEMMER, Times Correspondent
Published August 3, 2007
Summer snapper
There are plenty of snapper around during the summer. There are good numbers of mangrove snapper inside Tampa Bay. Most are running in the 1- to 3-pound range. They can be found over rock piles that line the edges of Tampa Bay, around the Skyway Bridge and next to most of the towers inside the bay. Offshore, you can get into schools of gray snapper at depths of 50 to 60 feet. They hang over patches of hard bottom. A little farther out, look for large mangrove snapper holding near small ledges. The best depth has been 90 to 120 feet. The red snapper are even farther out. Look for them in 120 feet and work your way out. They hang over the breaks and potholes.
Beat the heat
August heat can make fishing uncomfortable and dangerous. Drink plenty of water the night before the trip, a tip I learned from some professional football players. That's what they do before a game. It gives the water time to enter your system. Of course, you should still drink water during the day. If you start feeling the effects of the heat, dip a small white towel in the cooler and place it on your neck until the coolness of the towel is gone. Repeat until you feel better.
Working a pass
August is the last summer month in which the large numbers of snook, redfish and trout hang in a pass. Most of the passes from Honeymoon Island to Naples will be productive. Work the sides of the pass for redfish and snook. They won't be far from the shoreline. Let your baits drift with the current no more than 10 to 15 feet from shore. Around the bridges keep the baits close to the fenders and pilings. The best baits are large threadfins, pinfish, grunts and croakers.
Mac attack
Summer is the best time for mackerel. You will find them close to most of the structure in Tampa Bay and under birds working the surface. The birds feed on the remnants of spawn left by a school of feeding mackerel. The mackerel will follow the spawn. Chase the surface activity and use artificial lures. Small jigs and quarter-ounce spoons rigged with a piece of wire work best. Just cast into the action and retrieve at a steady pace.
Deep offshore
Large gag grouper can be found in 120 feet depths out to the Middle Grounds. A recent trip produced gags of more than 25 pounds in 140 feet of water. Large pinfish were the bait of choice. When going this far offshore, be prepared for trouble. It's best to have two boats heading to the same area in case one breaks down. When going alone, let someone know where you're going, and take a satellite phone and a life raft.
Doug Hemmer charters out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 347-1389.