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

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

Gag and red grouper are closed for us now and red grouper season will open back up Jan 1. Just because the season is closed it does not mean that we cannot fish for them and experience the battle before photo and release. For years we have been using a venting tool which consists of a hollow needle to release the gasses that expand when a fish is brought up from the depths on those that show signs of trauma. Most fish do not need this, especially if caught on light tackle and brought up slowly. Occasionally even when a fish is vented it will fail to swim to the depths and float away. We have added another tool to help with survival of released bottom fish or any other fish that needs assistance. It consists of a lead 3 or 4 pound sounding lead that we use for a marker weight, a 12/0 hook, stainless steel bolt that will fit through the eye of the hook, several zip ties, a plastic hand reel (Cuban Yo-Yo) and enough heavy twine to reach the bottom in the depth we are fishing. Construction is simple, Drill a hole the size of the hook eye through the bottom of the weight, attach the hook, after grinding off the barb, with the nut and bolt, secure the shank of the hook to the weight with several zip ties, attach the twine and the rig is completed.. When releasing a fish, place the hook in the lower jaw, allow the weight to go to the bottom, pull up on the twine and the fish is released in his home environment, with the gasses compressed by the water pressure at depth.

Captain’s Corner for October 13 Dave Zalewski

Spanish mackerel have been in our area all summer, but we have been invaded by much larger ones which have left the Northern gulf and are migrating south in anticipation of dropping water temperatures. They can be targeted by both hardware trollers and those slow trolling live bait. Another fun, popular method is to anchor, deploy a frozen chum bag along with small slivers of white bait and target them with live white bait, shrimp or cast small hard bodied lures once they have been chummed up.
Right now they can be best caught within one mile offshore near any of the passes entering the gulf. Best time is during an outgoing tide which flushes many different types of food for these predators out of the bays.
Those trolling spoons and plugs should employ a 00,0 or #1 spoon depending on the size of bait in the area. Silver works good, but our choice is the gold ones behind a #1 planer or 2 ounce trolling sinker. Wire leader is not usually necessary as more bites will occur using 50 # monofilament leader
Live bait should be freelined using a 1/0 long shanked gold hook. White bait can be hooked through the nostril and shrimp hooked under the horn, taking care not to penetrate the black spot which is the brain.
Conventional or spinning tackle in the 10 to 12 pound class or even lighter provides drag pulling action for both novice and experienced anglers.
Spanish mackerel provide a memorable experience for youngsters because a long, boring boat ride is not necessary and a lot of action is sure to be had.

Captain’s Corner for November29 Dave Zalewski 397-8815

The recent cold fronts with their high winds created unsafe boating conditions and have kept us in port waiting for improved conditions and wondering what effect the dramatic drop in water temperatures will have on fishing. Because water temperatures now are ranging between 60 and 70 degrees all along our coast it will be safe to assume that most of the migratory fish like barracuda, Spanish mackerel and kingfish will have left the area along with the baitfish they feed on for the warmer waters in the Keys and Cuba.
That leaves us with bottom fishing until the return of the migratory fish in late March.
Mangrove snapper and gag grouper will be holding tight to higher profile structure such as artificial reefs, large ledges and wrecks where they traditionally seek some shelter from the surge caused by the cold front high seas. Gag grouper season closes at 12:01 AM on December 3 and will become a catch photo and release species until July 1. Red grouper and white grunts will be found on their usual hard bottom areas and will be feeding heavily betweens fronts. Red grouper are closed in Federal waters, but remain open to recreational anglers only in state waters (inside 9 miles). Water will be murky from the stirred up sediment and frozen sardines and squid along with cut bait should produce better than live bait.

Captain’s Corner for November 13 Dave Zalewski 727 397-8815

Offshore water temperature is hovering around the magical 72 degree mark and fishing for all species both benthic and pelagic is about as good as it gets. Find the bait and you will find the kingfish, Spanish mackerel, bonita, jack crevalle, and barracuda. All of these species are feeding heavily as they prepare to leave our area for warmer water temperatures. For some reason the baitfish have not been concentrated on the artificial reefs, channel markers and shipwrecks, but have been abundant on hard bottom areas within a mile of them. Paying close attention to the fish finder will show these concentrations even though they may not be visible from the surface.
Cobia are still around, but are difficult to target specifically. We have been catching them while bottom fishing, using a flatline, and trolling for kingfish and mackerel. If one is hooked while bottom fishing be prepared to back off the locked down drag employed for grouper so that the fish may run freely without breaking the line.
Catch and release amberjack fishing because of the closed season is rapidly improving on many of the artificial reefs, springs and wrecks. Slow trolling blue runners may produce many different species on these high profile structures. Now is a great time to test light tackle skills because of the closed season.
Gag grouper have been scarce. There is no shortage of red grouper to produce action. Red grouper do not appear to move much and make note of where keepers are released so that when the season opens they may be targeted