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Expect Hot Grouper Bite If You Can Get Out

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By RANDY ROCHELLE

Published: December 8, 2008

The cold fronts just keep on rolling through, one about every three days. The good news is if you can get out on that one calm day during the week, you should find some hungry fish.

Glen Taylor and crew say that this has been one of the hottest fall grouper bites they can recall. The gag bite in 35 to 60 feet of water has been red hot, and you can just about count on there being some decent red grouper mixed in.

Live bait, dead bait, it just doesn't matter. On most days, they will inhale just about anything you drop in front of them.

The mangrove snapper has slowed a bit from what it was just a couple of weeks ago. Not too many reports coming in, although I did hear of a decent mango bite in 80 to 100 feet off Sarasota. It seems even those pesky red snapper have taken a break from tormenting anglers.

Gulf wrecks from 100 feet on out are still producing decent numbers of keeper-sized amberjack, as are the deeper mitigation sites along the pipe. Jigs and live bait have been the ticket to a sore back.

With each passing cold front, anglers will have to push just a tad deeper as Gulf waters continue to cool. Gulf waters temps are holding in the upper 60s, but when they drop below 65 degrees expect the bite in 30 to 40 feet to slow.

Captain Randy Rochelle runs the "Gotta Go" out of St. Petersburg and can be reached at (727) 365-3218 or go to islandercharters.net

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