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Change Just Around The Corner

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 18, 2007

Updated: 12/17/2007 11:14 pm

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

The first real cold front of the season blew through over the weekend and brought with it some very cool air and high winds. We have enjoyed a very mild winter, but a couple more fronts like this and Gulf water temperatures will fall off quickly.

A recent trip offshore with Eric Wise and crew produced another mixed box of grouper and snapper with a couple of surprises. The first surprise was yellowtail. We ended up with about 15 nice-size yellowtail snapper that we found on a small rock pile in 68 feet of water due west of the South County Reef.

The second surprise came in the way of kingfish. One spot produced more than a dozen decent size kings to 23 pounds. We fished four spots all within a mile of each other and the bite was just about non-stop.

Got a couple of reports from some folks fishing off of Hudson and both said the gag bite is still on. Keep in mind that not every spot will produce keepers, but if you keep making drops you will be rewarded with a nice box of gags.

Water temperatures will start to fall, and as they do some fish will start to push out deeper. As for the fish that stay in close, you'll have to slow down and work a bit harder to get them to chew.
Captain Randy Rochelle runs the Gotta Go out of St. Pete

and can be reached at

(727) 365-3218 or go to

93islandercharters.net.

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