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Bullish redfishing
By MIKE SCARANTINO © St. Petersburg Times, published March 3, 2001 They have numerous names. Names such as red drum, redfish, channel bass, spot tail and -- in their juvenile state -- puppy drum. The adjectives that describe them are simple. They are, in their adult form, brutally exciting and fun to catch no matter what size. Even "puppy drum" or "rat reds," as some know them, can be a blast to bring in on light tackle. They range from Massachusetts to Texas and are a staple fishery on the inshore scene from the Chesapeake Bay throughout the Gulf Coast. In many locales, big bull redfish, or channel bass, can be caught by fishing beaches, jetties, channels, inlets and passes. Along the Nature Coast, big bull reds are caught mostly by accident by anglers chasing grouper. Capable of reaching over 90 pounds and five feet in length, big bull reds can change a dull day into one filled with anxious moments. Even the heaviest spinning outfits with heavy line and 80-pound leader are, at times, not enough to sustain the pulling power of a mature drum. I finally found out just how powerful and exciting they can be. After an extended hiatus from the water due to lower temperatures than I care to endure, my good friend and local guide, Tom Post, invited me to do a little shallow-water grouper digging. Everything was going right. We had a few good warm days before our trip, a mid-afternoon high tide, and the forecasted 10-15 mph of wind never materialized. It was perfect. As we left the ramp, thoughts of fresh grouper lingered in my mind. We stopped briefly to talk with Mike Shifflet, another guide known for his shallow grouper digging skills. He hadn't heard of anything exciting happening and wished us luck. Shallow grouper fishing typically is done with heavy spinning equipment -- not conventional gear. The need for casting becomes more important. It helps anglers avoid getting too close to the targeted structure with the boat when fishing shallow. The heavy gear gives the angler enough leverage to horse a big fish while maintaining that ability to cast. Twenty-pound test line on a large spinning reel, 80-pound leader, a one-ounce egg sinker and a 5/0 bait hook work well. Fishing for shallow water grouper requires the angler to crank the drag down tight. Often on small rocky spots, a hooked fish will run right for any small hole or outcropping of rock to hide. Without the ability to horse a big fish away from the structure the angler will be tying on new terminal tackle all too often. After cast-netting a live well full of pinfish, we set up on our first spot for the day in nine feet of water northwest of Aripeka. The water was just clear enough to make out bottom structure using polarized glasses. Being able to see the targeted areas you're fishing can be a huge advantage. There were crab buoys everywhere. When freshly baited, they act like chum bags by drawing fish. We could see an oily slick coming from a few traps that had just been filled for the night. Our own chum was sending out a large slick. We quickly baited our hooks, and over the side they went. Anxious moments passed without a hit. Then, finally, a few small bumps but no takers. I set the hook on one small bump, only to find a small sea bass had hit the bait. Not even the grunts were nibbling. A little while later, a small grouper came over the gunnel, but that was the extent of the morning. We decided to troll the area for a time, but that didn't work either. Post suggested setting back up on the first spot before the tide peaked. As we dropped the baits over the side, the little bumps began again. Finally, out of desperation -- a day this nice never should turn out fishless -- I baited my hook with a frozen sardine. Within minutes there was a long, slow pull, and I set the hook. The rod bent. And the drag, though cranked down hard, gave way. A big grouper I thought, but it didn't fight like one. Then Post saw the fish and yelled, "Big red!" When I saw it, I couldn't believe my eyes. The fish was big, bronze, and beautiful. It dove under the boat, and I lost it. Knowing there was a school of bull reds under the boat, we both quickly dropped sardines over the side. Sure enough, we hit a double-header. We caught six in all. Our day went from boring to wow in less than 45 minutes. All six fish were released back to the shallow depths in good shape. - If you have a question or comment, call Capt. Mike Scarantino at (352) 683-4868.
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