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By LARRY HOFFMAN
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 20, 2001
Grouper and mangrove snapper fishing have been excellent this week, and you can count on a good bite as long as the weather is favorable.
Fishing in 90 feet Tuesday with Capt. Craig Lahrs on Team Gators produced the best catch of mangrove snappers we have experienced. The snapper were feeding aggressively on small pinfish and frozen sardines cut in half. By 9 a.m. we had a limit, all more than 6 pounds with some pushing 10. Forty-pound leaders with 4-ounce slip sinkers and 4-ought hooks were most productive.
We caught fish in 75-85 feet and half a dozen gag grouper in 65 feet on a 4-foot ledge. The gag grouper were more interested in frozen sardines than live bait, but we were railed half a dozen times using large pinfish and butterflied grunts.
This should be a good weekend for fishing. With the new moon you can expect strong tides that will require heavy sinkers in deep water. The best bites will be in the early morning and around the tide changes. Plan any major move during the slack tide.
-- Larry "Huffy" Hoffman charters out of John's Pass, Treasure Island. Call (727) 709-9396.