Outdoors

Captain's Corner

By DAVE WALKER, Times Correspondent
Published January 11, 2008

This string of perfect weather, minus last week's chilly anomaly, has made for ideal fishing conditions in Tampa Bay.

Speckled trout catches remain solid after a poor showing this summer. Trout will cooperate throughout the winter season as this species is cold-water tolerant. Deeper holes adjacent to grass flats are a good place to start looking for trout, especially on cold mornings. The mouths of residential canals are also worth checking.

Some cobia are following the large spotted eagle rays in the Apollo Beach outflow area. Although their numbers are not has high as in recent years, there are enough there to target. Calm surface conditions help when looking for cobia. The rays surface periodically and often have the cobia "hitch hiking" on their backs. Cast ahead of the convoy to prevent scaring the pair or group. It is not uncommon to actually have several fish on the same ray. The eel look-alike plastic tails are a consistent lure for the brown bruisers.

With the Tampa Bay water temperature in the low 60s it is important to fish slowly. The shrimp-style artificial baits or live shrimp from local shops are the time-tested bait choices for this time of year. Fish jigs or other artificial lures deep around docks and other structure.

Redfish are still cruising the flats at low tide. Most of the action in the Gandy area has been restricted to the residential canal systems. Shrimp, once again, is the best live bait choice.

Sheepshead and black drum will also feed around docks when it is cold, and they happen to be delicious on the dinner table as well. Small shrimp or fiddler crabs make enticing baits.

This is the best time of year to fix equipment or have it professionally serviced. "Do it yourselfers" should really be confident when making either outboard or reel repairs. Fix-it attempts made by rookies typically end up with the parts going to the repair shop in a bucket or plastic bag. Being frugal is admirable, but the same can be said for admitting one's own limitations. The time to take care of all maintenance issues is soon because it looks like we might have an early spring and the mechanics will be swamped. You don't want to miss the best fishing of the year.

[Last modified January 10, 2008, 20:56:40]