Outdoors

Captain's Corner

By DOUG HEMMER, Times Correspondent
Published January 25, 2008

Inshore: The fluctuating water temperature can tell you where and when to fish. Between fronts when the water temperature is in the upper 60s, you will find most inshore fish eager to feed.

Trout will move out of the deeper holes and hang over the grass flats in 3 to 4 feet of water. Floats rigged with a jig or live shrimp and worked close to the bottom will draw the most strikes.

Redfish can be found tailing during the end of the outgoing tide. Jigs, plugs and free-lined shrimp work best when cast to a school of mullet or a tailing red. The upper parts of Tampa Bay have been the most productive.

Sheepshead are moving through the lower parts of Tampa Bay as they work their way to the beach to spawn. The docks and bridges from Pinellas Point to Fort De Soto are holding good numbers of sheepshead. Use chopped shrimp for chum and a small piece of shrimp for bait. Toss a handful of chum to get the bite going, then cast the chunk of shrimp, free-lined or rigged with a small weight, into that area.

Most of these techniques work best when the water temperature has been stable. After a cold front that drops the water temperature into the upper 50s or lower 60s, look for the fishing to slow. The trout will move to the deeper holes closest to the flats. They will be slow to feed but will respond to a live, tail-hooked shrimp moved slowly across the bottom. Move the shrimp a few feet, then let it sit for a minute before moving again. The reds and sheepshead will be less affected by the cold, but will need more time to feed.

Offshore: The hot bite has been amberjack. Offshore guides report large numbers hanging in 90 to 130 feet of water. The deeper spots have amberjack in the 30- to 50-pound class. Pinfish and heavy jigs are producing best. The larger amberjack put up a strong fight. Rods should be rigged with 50-pound line and a tight drag to prevent the fish from cutting the line in the structure.

The grouper bite starts in 60 feet of water and deeper. The best way to start is with frozen sardines and squid. This covers the bottom with the scent and lures in the larger grouper. After 30 minutes, switch to a large live pinfish and wait for the big ones to hit.

There are a few kingfish hanging in the deeper grouper spots. Free-lining a frozen sardine while grouper fishing will give you a shot at a late-season kingfish.

Just like inshore, the offshore bite will be slow after a sharp drop in water temperature.

Doug Hemmer charters out of St. Petersburg and can be reached at (727) 347-1389.

[Last modified January 24, 2008, 20:35:18]