Grouper fishing is hot. Capt. Garner Koons and Mike Hubbard were fishing in 50 feet and caught 10 gag grouper, all more than 12 pounds Friday. Their biggest gag was 18 pounds, caught on a dead sardine.

Hubbard said they downsized their tackle to 50-pound leaders with 5/0 hooks. They were fishing cheese-rock hard bottom near the Egmont Channel. Most of their fish were caught on dead sardines.

Grouper have been feeding in 45 to 65 feet of water. Amberjack chewed the bottom out of our boat last week. We caught half a dozen jacks up to 60 pounds in 90-130 feet. The best baits were live blue runners and large pinfish. When fishing for jacks, you should anchor far enough from the wreck to keep the jacks from stripping drag and tying up your lines.

A fighting belt and 50- to 60-pound line are required to land jacks. If you have trouble getting the amberjack to feed, try diamond jigs. Locations holding amberjack last week were the Mexican Pride, Pillsbury, the Box Cars and the south Jack Wreck.

- Larry "Huffy" Hoffman charters the Enterprise out of Kingfish Wharf, Treasure Island. Call (727) 709-9396.

Back to Sports

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright

From the Times sports desk

Under Marshall Law

Haslem, Gators bully Gonzaga

Negotiations stall as Downs opens

Highs and lows

Wright win sets up a title bout

Sports briefs

If baseball isn't broken, it's definitely going broke

Svoboda indefinitely on injured reserve

NHL briefs

Red Wings decline; Scotty Bowman departs?

Slap shots

College basketball this week on TV

Women's college basketball briefs

Finally a complete gift: fish around the world

Captain's corner

State college basketball briefs

Pasco survives upset bid to win Crunch

Terriers win one at Crunch

Tourney to test Brandon, King

Osceola beats Boca Ciega for Southside championship

Local teams to focus on tourneys

Team mattered most to CCC quarterback

Davis commits to N.C. State

Talk of trades doesn't thrill Hernandez

NFL briefs

Buccaneers best and worst: game 15

Bucs chat

King stays cool under pressure

'The Play' was close to never happening

Wunsch grew from adversity

Jackson called on inner strength

Testaverde would like to stay in New York

NFL game day: week 16

From the wire

From the state sports wire Jacksonville's Spicer placed on IR after leg surgery
FIU-Western Kentucky game postponed because of Jeanne
Brown anxious to face old team for first time
Dolphins' desperate defense readies for Roethlisberger
Former Sarasota lineman sheds tough-guy image with Michigan
Rothstein rejoins Heat as assistant
No. 16 Florida has history on its side against Kentucky

FSU and Clemson QBs both off to slow starts