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Captain's corner

By DAVE ZALEWSKI

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 28, 2001

Hot or not describes recent offshore fishing and weather. The weather has been a not, and the fishing has been both.

Recent cold fronts and accompanying high winds have left the traditional winter grouper spots without any fish. Our recent trips to the 65- to 70-foot depths have produced some decent catches of gag grouper, grunts and sea bass. We stopped on ledges in shallow water, where grouper are usually found this time of year, with disappointing results.

Flounder have made an appearance and become targets in the same depths grouper have been caught. We have been anchoring over a ledge or limestone outcropping looking for grouper and have put some nice flounder in the icebox by casting a jig over the sandy areas adjacent to the structure.

Vertical jigging does not work, but slowly dragging the lead jig through the sand does. Small glow-shad tails are producing well, as are jig heads combined with Spanish sardines. A 10-pound spinning outfit works well because the thinner line creates less resistance and allows the jig to sink faster.

If the grouper don't bite on a spot, take a few minutes and try for flounder. You may get a pleasant surprise.

-- Dave Zalewski charters the Lucky Too out of Madeira Beach. Call (727) 397-8815.

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