Captain’s Corner for June 28 Dave Zalewski 397-8815
Offshore fishing has become as hot as the weather. Both benthic and pelagic fish have cooperated well for the past few weeks. Red grouper (still legal to keep as long as they meet the 20 inch overall size limit) have been feeding heavily in their usual summertime depths of 80 to 90 feet over flat Swiss-cheese bottom. Numerous short grouper provide nearly non-stop action with the larger fish mixed in. We have observed that the larger red grouper tend to inhabit the transitional area where the bottom turns abruptly from sand to hard rock. This usually has a washed out area slightly deeper than the adjacent rock. Paying close attention to the sonar and marking the edge and anchoring over it will usually result in larger fish. Gag grouper (closed until Sept 16) have been mixed in with the reds in some spots and have provided exciting catch-photo-release action. White grunts, triggerfish, porgies, and some mangrove snapper have fallen victim to the two hook “chicken rig” with the 3 ounce sinker underneath presented to them. We have found it necessary to cover the full gamut of bait including frozen squid and sardines, live pinfish, sardines, squirrelfish, and hardtails caught with sabiki rigs. On some recent trips it has been observed that what worked well the previous day will hardly produce a bite the next.
Spanish mackerel have been quite scarce offshore with only scattered fish being caught whether using live bait or trolling spoons. A welcome surprise has been their larger cousins, kingfish. Using stinger rigged flatlines with live sardines or hardtails caught while bottom fishing or using a frozen sardine which will fall partially in the water column and remain suspended by the current we have encountered kingfish ranging from 10 pounds to the high 20’s.
Tip: School’s out — take a child fishing
Captain’s Corner for October 8 Dave Zalewski 397-8815
Two holidays have significance for offshore fishing in our area. Columbus Day, October 10, and St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. The water temperature and length of days around these two days usually are such that kingfish and cobia either have arrived or will shortly. The strong easterly winds have kept us in port, chomping at the bit, and anxious to try trolling at the usual kingfish spots like the artificial reefs, wrecks and the Egmont shipping channel. The forerunners of the larger migration will arrive in smaller scattered schools and are best located by trolling spoons and plugs behind number 1 through 3 planers at 6 knots to determine at what depth the fish are feeding. Use of a #3 planer and a broken-backed small lipped gold plug will also target gag grouper along with kingfish in the depths around 30 feet. Some of the newer deep diving large lipped plugs in either blue or gold colors have also proven to be effective in these same depths.
Tip:
A good pair of binoculars has proven to be an invaluable safety tool for the past week with the strong winds we have encountered. When the wind is out of the east, the gulf can be deceptively calm near shore and out to a few miles. Looking at the horizon with binoculars allows one to get a perspective as to what conditions really are like.
Reminder: Check drags, guides and line. The season is almost here and tackle shops will be swamped with those seeking last minute repairs.
