TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Warm Gulf Water Equals Slow Bite

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 4, 2007

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.

Very warm water has been hampering the efforts of most offshore anglers, and that will continue. About the only exception will be those headed out to very deep water.

For grouper, snapper and amberjack among other fish, the Middle Grounds remain one of those exceptions. Anglers making the long run have been rewarded with a cooler filled with a mix of bottom-dwellers as well as a few pelagics. Dolphin, kingfish and an occasional tuna make keeping a flat line or two out worth the effort.

For those looking to bag some mangrove snapper, your best bet may be in the bay. Rock piles, bridge pilings and artificial reefs are holding snapper. The best bet for success has been to head out late in the afternoon, anchor up-current of the spot you intend to fish, and deploy a bag of chum. If the snapper are there, it won't be long before they show up. Let them feed on the chum for a few minutes before dropping your bait. The best baits are small white bait, which can easily be netted on most of the grass flats in the bay, or small to medium shrimp.

Elsewhere in the Gulf, the red grouper bite will remain about the most consistent. Some snapper and gag grouper can be found, but until those first cold fronts blow through look for the bite to remain on the slow side.
Captain Randy Rochelle runs the

'Gotta Go' out of St. Petersburg and

can be reached at (727) 365-3218

or www.islandercharters.net.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT