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Variety Is Adding A Little Spice

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 5, 2007

GO FISHING is a daily look at the area fishing scene through the eyes of local charter boat captains and fishing guides. Today: Ray Markham.

Negative-tide days pushed fish into deeper holes in Tampa and Terra Ceia bays. The slower and higher low tides of this week have made for somewhat slower fishing, yet the variety has been nothing short of amazing.

There have been few days that we didn't catch at least seven species of fish. The best days have chalked up 20 different species. Among them are snook, spotted sea trout, whiting, silver trout, redfish, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, kingfish, gag grouper, black sea bass, cobia, flounder, ladyfish, jack crevalle, lizardfish, puffers, pinfish, hardhead catfish, gafftopsail cats and Key West grunts.

Granted, the last eight species are not fish we would normally target, with the exception of ladyfish on a flyrod for fun, but the variety points to one very important thing. Our habitat and our fishery are in pretty good shape.

With speckled trout and snook season closed, we will target flounder, redfish, grouper and some of the others. Redfish are the new prestige fish, and because there is no closed season, anglers likely will opt to keep a redfish if they want fish for dinner. Terra Ceia Bay has been holding good numbers of slot-sized reds.

Flounder add spice to our catch list. "Flatties" are excellent table fare and are easily caught when using the proper technique. Jigs are my go-to baits.

I'm using either Love's Lures or CAL Jigs with quarter-ounce jig heads. The jigs must maintain contact with the bottom to be effective.

Sandy, crunchy bottoms with sparse grass, good water flow and potholes, depressions or a drop in depth (such as a channel) are the preferred habitat of these fish, and that's where we have been finding them.

Ray Markham co-hosts "Florida Sportsman Magazine Radio Live," Saturdays from 8-9 a.m. on WWBA, 1040 AM, and may be reached for charter at (941) 723-2655.

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