Water temperatures have plummeted in response to the cooler nights. Fish have been relocating and adjusting to the change in environment, and the fishing has been dynamic.

Off Clearwater, barracuda, jewfish and red grouper are moving out of the area. Spanish mackerel are increasing in numbers and feeding on very small baits. Three miles offshore seems to hold the majority of mackerel.

Kingfish should be entering the area in good numbers, but as yet have been spotty off Clearwater. There is not a large amount of large baitfish in our area, and that may account for the lack of steady kingfish action. This can change overnight; hopefully this weekend will find a flood of fish into the area.

Gag grouper have been my primary target lately. They are on the move and can be caught in all depths. Fifty feet of water is a good starting point. Some of the larger fish have come on live pinfish offerings. The grouper tend to get spunkier as the water cools and crash a live bait dropped onto the reef.

I am not certain why, but the once abundant schools of scaled sardines that were in Clearwater Harbor have left. This has made trout and redfishing in the harbor difficult.

- Gary Folden charters the Strike Zone out of Clearwater Municipal Marina. Call (727) 585-8544.

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From the Times sports desk

Gary Shelton

Hampton lives his dream

World Series
Subway Series

Yanks face Mets -- and memories

Mets scouting report

Subway Series? Well, sort of

Yankees scouting report

Baseball briefs

Slices of the Big Apple

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Out-of-control Huston salvages second-round 73

Janzen getting in the groove

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Ludzik tells Lightning it has plenty to work on

NHL briefs

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Sooner or later, great teams rise again

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College football games

College football around the nation

Preps
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Tech makes playoffs for first time

PHU's Brown shreds Gulf

Central's defensive stand sparks 25-15 win

Brown sparks Leopards' win

Knights blank Green Devils

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Gators turn back Ridgewood

Osceola's 'D' upends Gibbs

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No. 4 Terriers devour Eagles

Tears and a title for Gaither, Streeter

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Hillsborough crushes East Lake

Jesuit needs only three to beat Robinson

Armwood rally falls short, again

The Ross watch

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Mistake costs Mitchell tourney slot

Jefferson puts Hudson away early in romp

Lakewood 25, Dunedin 14

Jefferson 48, Hudson 7

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Chamberlain 35, Leto 0

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Wesley Chapel 29, Berkeley Prep 26 (2OT)

Keswick Chr. 35, St. John Neumann 8

Durant takes out Plant for conference title

Manatee 19, Brandon 7

CCC 21, Tampa Catholic 3

Blake 28, Pasco 9

River Ridge 10, St. Petersburg 0

Admiral Farragut 49, Aucilla Chr. 0

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NFL briefs

Gibbs a winner in another venue

Auto Racing briefs

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Rothstein rejoins Heat as assistant
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