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By TOM TURKE
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 21, 2001
Gathering bait is a time-honored tradition of fishing. For those going on an offshore trip, gathering bait usually means going to a baithouse and paying for frozen boxes of sardines, squid, and chum. As an extra precaution it usually pays to cast net some pinfish or gold hook a few dozen threadfins on your way out. The logic is: by having a variety of bait, you will have something to interest the most finicky fish.
On recent trips we have fished chub on the surface, free-lined for dolphin, and on the bottom the grouper and mangrove snapper inhaled them. The chubs were outfishing all other baits two to one. The chub is easily caught on most bay area tidal flats on the shallow edges with a cast net. They are hardy and will last all day in your live well. Lip hooking with with a 2/0 hook is an excellent approach.
The recent calm seas and lack of offshore storms has allowed long runs to the deep. Amberjack, gag and red grouper continue to bite well. The deeper waters will have lower water temperature at the bottom than the more closer in spots. If you make a long run be sure to study the weather and bring your smorgasbord of bait.
-- Tom Turke charters The Mixed Bag out of St. Petersburg. Call (813) 854-5779.