Captain’s Corner for July 29 Dave Zalewski 397-8815

The Spanish mackerel have finally invaded the waters in the gulf of Mexico in our area. In past years the mackerel have produced daily activity from the shoreline to 20 miles offshore for the entire summer, making for fun filled charter trips combining trolling and bottom fishing. Two weeks ago we started spotting closely compacted bait balls consisting of juvenile Spanish sardines. These pods of bait could be found by observing terns and pelicans gorging themselves on the surface along with Spanish mackerel, bonita, and sharks attacking from underneath the surface. Now that the bait has arrived and established residence the mackerel are here until water temperatures drop to 70 degrees in the fall. Matching lure size for those trolling hardware to the size of the available bait is imperative. 00 spoons, small hard bodied plugs, and streamer flies trolled behind a #1 planer or small trolling lead will produce single and multiple hook ups.
Because of the west winds we have been experiencing that dirtied up the water, we have been targeting the near shore artificial reefs (4 to 7) miles offshore and the mid water reefs (10 to 12) miles offshore along with the edges of the shipping channel all the way out to the Whistler buoy. Anchoring and deploying a chum bag along with cutting small slivers of Spanish sardines will quickly draw these ravenous feeders close to the boat where they can be caught using a long shanked 1/0 gold hook and nose hooking a white bait or shrimp, casting small silver or gold plugs, or even with a fly rod and a small streamer. These methods provide more sport because of the lighter tackle that can be used.

Captain’s Corner for July 13 Dave Zalewski 397-8815

On a recent trip offshore we made several stops and never had a fish in the box or even a bite. Nevertheless both the party we had onboard with their grandchildren and myself were pleased. The first stop netted 2 mylar balloons that were probably released on land at a party, drifted over water , lost their helium and were floating. When the color washes off them and they become translucent, they resemble jellyfish which are food for turtles and other sea creatures. Ingestion of a balloon may result in a turtle death or serious injury. The second stop was to pick up bait boxes that had been discarded by thoughtless fisherman who may or may not have realized that these boxes are plasticized to make them waterproof and are not biodegradable.
Next was a floating foam buoy with about 20 feet of line floating behind it, just waiting to end someone’s day when it became entangled in a propeller. Last stop was to pick up a beach ball which became property of the kids. If everyone took the short time it takes to pick up floating trash the gulf would be in an even healthier state than it is in.
Call it Karma or whatever you choose, when we continued to the 80 foot depths over Swiss cheese bottom the bottom fish cooperated. Grandparents and grandchildren all fell asleep on the way in after catching red grouper, Lane, vermillion, and mangrove snapper, along with white grunts. Gag grouper, which are now open, failed to cooperate. We started the kids on light tackle 2 hook snapper rigs and it did not take grand mom long to ask to be switched from the grouper tackle when she saw how much fun the kids were having

Captain’s Corner for June 29 Dave Zalewski 397-8815

Offshore fishing has been full of surprises so far this summer. Normally the preferred targets of choice have been Spanish mackerel and red grouper at this time of year. Several other species have provided other alternatives. Spanish mackerel fishing has been spotty, but their larger cousins, king mackerel, which should have left the area a month ago, have more than filled the void. The kingfish have been active in all depths with our most consistent catches being near the western end of the shipping channel and on the wrecks in 60 feet of water and deeper. Slow trolling live sardines, hardtails, and small blue runners under the surface with the use of trolling sinkers or downriggers has produced many fish 20 pounds or better.
Red grouper have been biting well on the usual mixture of live and frozen baits in the 70 to 90 foot depths. Bonus catches of Lane, vermillion, and yellowtail snapper along with large white grunts have occurred when we make use of 1/0 two hook snapper rigs or large sabiki rigs cut in half and tipping the hooks with squid strips while targeting the red grouper with conventional tackle. Kingfish, barracuda, and sharks have been striking stinger rigged flatlines deployed when bottom fishing. The activity created when bottom fishing draws in these apex predators. After picking up the anchor, spending 5 to 10 minutes trolling a figure 8 pattern with either live baits caught on site or spoons and plugs have produced quite well lately.

Captain’s Corner for June 13 Dave Zalewski 397-8815

According to reports there are plenty of Spanish mackerel in Tampa Bay, but they remain scarce in the gulf. During the summer months when kids are out of school we book many of our most rewarding trips with 3 generations onboard. Trolling for mackerel has been the mainstay when we have young ones on the rods. On light tackle they provide both excitement and fast paced action. We have been forced to switch to bottom fishing for white grunts, grouper, and the smaller reef fish. Light tackle, two hook dropper rigs and fishing in the 40 to 50 foot depths to keep from having to make a long, boring ride have been the key to a successful trip. Terminal tackle can be the conventional swivel sinker with a 2/0 or 3/0 circle hook or the most productive will be to make a dropper rig with a bell sinker on the bottom with 2 2/0 or 3/0 hooks above the sinker. Large #16 sabiki rigs cut down into 2 or 3 hook rigs are very effective when used with a piece of squid. Normally when we have family trips we rig the adults up with conventional grouper tackle, oftentimes when the adults see how much fun it is to fish the smaller rigs they ask to be changed to the same. 6 white grunt filets are the perfect portion size for one person when beer battered or baked to make fish tacos. Red grouper fishing in the 80 to 100 foot depths, always deploy a stinger rigged flatline when bottom fishing no matter what the depth. Kingfish have been an almost daily catch in the deeper depths.

Captain’s Corner for May 29 Dave Zalewski 397-8815

The early onset of summer water temperatures may account for the lack of a consistent Spanish mackerel fishery offshore in the gulf. Last year at this time we were limiting our catches instead of catching our limit. For the past week we have been lucky to return with a dozen. Other species have taken up the slack. Kingfish normally are gone at this time of year, but slow trolling small blue runners, Spanish sardines and hardtails near the channel markers at the west end of the shipping channel has been producing enough fish in the 10 to 20 pound class to make it worth the time. Spoons and plugs, normally more effective because of the ability to cover more territory have not been producing well.
Red grouper and white grunts have been the mainstay for shorter trips in the 40 to 50 foot depths with enough keepers to keep it interesting. Larger and more abundant red grouper. Scamp, vermillion, mangrove and Lane snapper have been biting well in the 80 to 100 foot depths. The algae on the bottom has required us to change our grouper terminal tackle from the traditional 4 ounce swivel sinker, 2 feet of leader to a rig that has the 4 oz sinker on the bottom with a dropper hook attached to a 3 way swivel. This rig has proven very effective and the length of leader material from the swivel can be adjusted to account for the thickness of the algae.

Captain’s Corner for May 13 Dave Zalewski 397-8815

Fishing for Spanish mackerel came to a screeching halt last week. They had been abundant on the artificial reefs and near the entrance to every pass entering the gulf. Conditions are perfect with clear water, bait of all sizes being seen at several different depths. The only thing missing are the fun to catch on light tackle speedsters. This should be a temporary condition and it may take one day or even one week for things to return to normal.
Normally at this time of year we target Spanish mackerel as our first fish of the day. Now we are not stopping near shore except to catch pinfish, squirrelfish, hardtails and Spanish sardines over hard bottom areas about 2 miles from the entrance to the passes. It has been taking only a short time to fill the bait well with choice baits. If there are children onboard, it is difficult to ask them to stop fishing for bait because this is such a fun activity for them.
Red grouper, mangrove snapper, Lane snapper, and white grunts have been very active in the 70 to 80 foot depths, and the bottom fish have been our primary target. We always carry frozen sardines and squid along with the live bait caught on sabikis because the fish seem to bite better on one bait better than another on any given day.
Kingfish are still around in sufficient numbers to warrant deploying a flatline with either a live or frozen sardine during each period of bottom fishing. We have been returning to port with from 2 to 4 kingfish on every recent trip.

Captain’s Corner for April 29 Dave Zalewski 397-8815

Even though the water temperature offshore has rapidly risen to 80 degrees, enough kingfish have remained in our area to make them a daily target. They have fins and tails and are constantly on the move northward to their summer home in the upper reaches of the gulf. A few weeks ago they could be found on all of the usual spots such as the artificial reefs, the shipping channel, high profile ledges, and wrecks. As the schools have thinned out it takes some searching to find them, but once a small school is located action is often non-stop.
Just as in any sport a “game plan” is necessary. We normally make one of the near shore artificial reefs such as St Petersburg Beach, Treasure Island or Madeira Beach our first stop and deploy a #1 planer with a small spoon for Spanish Mackerel and a #2 planer with a larger spoon to target kingfish along with a ballyhoo or frozen sardine as a skip bait.. Each of these reefs is 2000 feet long with material scattered all over and require some time and patience to cover all of it. Once a strike is experienced a quick push of the MOB button will allow you to return to the spot where the bite occurred. Once a few fish are landed, switching to live bait caught on site will provide more sport on light tackle.
If action is slow or non-existent on the near shore, the next stop for us is the mid-water artificial reefs such as South County or Indian Shores. These reefs are ¼ mile square with many high profile structures situated on them. Them same tactics are employed on them to find fish.

Captain’s Corner for March 29 Dave Zalewski 397-8815

Offshore water temperatures rose to the magic 72 to 74 degrees, and right on schedule our waters teemed with Spanish sardines, blue runners, threadfins and hardtails. Along with these desirable baitfish, kingfish, Spanish mackerel, and bonita can be seen wrecking havoc on their prey. Most markers from the “Whistler”, which is the single buoy marking the beginning of the shipping channel into markers 11 and 12 are holding concentrations of both bait and predators. Trolling #1,2, or 3 planers with small spoons to target Spanish mackerel and bonita will produce almost non stop action . Switching to large spoons will slow the activity, but produce kingfish and larger Spanish mackerel. Trolling speed should be close to 6 knots. Because of the clear water conditions 30 feet of monofilament leader between the planer and lure is necessary.
Switching to live bait after catching some fish on hardware will produce more sport. The bait can be caught on site with the use of sabiki rigs dropped with a 3 or 4 ounce sinker near any marker. The use of the heavier sinker will help keep the multiple baits from tangling the rig.
Spanish mackerel can now be found close to the beach and will provide a memorable experience and introduction to trolling for youngsters. The next several weeks are an opportune time to take a kid fishing.

Captain’s Corner for January 29 Dave Zalewski 397-8815

On the calm days before this latest series of fronts bottom fishing was exceptional. We returned to port each day with a mixture of red grouper, mangrove snapper, white grunts, trigger fish (which will be closing in Federal waters at 12:01 am local time, February 7, 2015) scamp and Lane snapper. Several gag grouper were caught and released. The scamp and Lane snapper were caught on the days when we ventured into the 90 foot depths of water. Traditional summertime red grouper tactics were employed by starting out with frozen squid and sardines and switching to live bait such as pinfish and freshly butterflied squirrelfish. Targeting the smaller reef fish by some of the anglers onboard with 2 hook snapper rigs at the start will quickly lure in the larger fish. Water temperatures have only dipped below 60 degrees for a few days which causes the metabolism of the reef fish to slow down and requires soaking frozen baits for some time to start the activity.
On our last trip offshore, we stopped 3 miles offshore on a patch of hard bottom to sabiki baits and were surprised to find a mixture of pinfish, squirellfish, silver trout, small Spanish mackerel, hardtails and threadfins. Normally on this spot at this time of year only pinfish and squirellfish are caught. The appearance of the pelagic bait may signify that we can expect an early start to our trolling season for mackerel and kingfish. Even though we will still have cold fronts passing through, the longer days will keep the water warm and increase water temps to the magical 72 degrees.

Captain’s Corner for January 13 Dave Zalewski 727 397-8815
Before this last cold front passed through with its attendant high winds and rough seas bottom fishing for white grunts, porgies, triggerfish and red grouper was very good in waters as shallow as 30 feet deep and extending west to the 90 foot depths. Water temperatures were in the high 60’s and all of the bottom fish were active, striking both live pinfish and frozen squid and sardines. With the cold front and short days water temperatures have plunged to below 60 degrees and this will necessitate a change in tactics. The metabolism of the fish will dramatically slow down making them less eager to strike a bait presented to them until feeding activity of some of the smaller reef fish is established. Start half of the anglers on board with 2 hook snapper rigs, baited with squid strips, with the sinker below to entice the porgies and white grunts to bite. This will cause the larger fish to be attracted to the area and trigger them to also feed.
When waters are warmer, solunar periods do not have a dramatic effect on bottom fishing. At this time of year they do have an impact on fish activity. It does not matter if it is a major or minor period. What matters is that you have a line in the water during these times and not be making a long run to another spot