Outdoors

Captain's Corner

By STEVE PAPEN, Times Correspondent
Published November 29, 2007

What's hot: Gag grouper fishing in 40-60 feet is starting to heat up. When water temperatures fall into the low 70s to upper 60s, these fish start their migration to our nearshore waters. With each passing front comes a new wave of fish. When the water reaches its coldest point, these same fish will make their way back offshore to areas such as the Middle Grounds to spawn (usually February and March).

Tackle: When fishing for gag grouper in shallower water, most of the bottom in these areas consists of sharp ledges and dropoffs that are good ambush points. The use of 60- to 80-pound gear will aid in getting fish off the bottom before the leader hits the ledge and the fish are lost. It might seem like overkill because of the large number of smaller gags that will accompany the larger fish, but it is not uncommon to have a few fish in the 15- to 20-pound range in these areas.

Areas: There are many different areas in which to find ledges in our nearshore waters. Studying charts and searching with your bottom machine are keys in finding new spots. Trolling large deep-diving plugs also will help in covering large areas. If a grouper is caught while trolling, mark the spot and circle back around because chances are it was sitting on a ledge.

Steve Papen charters out of Indian Shores and can be reached at fintasticinc.com or (727) 642-3411.

[Last modified November 28, 2007, 19:08:13]