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It's A Bluefish Bonanza

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 21, 2008

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

Anglers fishing the south Sunshine Skyway fishing pier before daylight have been finding a bluefish bonanza. Bluefish are crashing baits under the lights and are easy targets for lead-head pompano jigs or silver spoons ripped through the feeding frenzy. Cut greenbacks under a float have also been scoring well.

Captains Ky and Zack Lewis put the "Hooked on Fishing" crew on some awesome trout and redfish action at Yankeetown this week. Using an airboat, Lewis fishes the shallow creeks and holes north of the Withlacoochee River toward Wacasassa and Cedar Key. We bounced new penny Gulp shrimp on a 1/4-ounce jig head along the bottom of the creeks and potholes and caught trout and reds on just about every cast from two hours before low tide until the first hour of the incoming.

Sheepshead have been biting at the Dick Misener Bridge in St. Petersburg. Rock crabs, green mussels and pieces of shrimp fished around the pilings have been fooling the tricky "convict fish." The minimum size is 12 inches, with a 15-fish bag limit.

Jim Endicott, fishing with captain Alan Engle off Anna Maria, limited out on big grouper to 18 pounds in 58 feet of water. Cut bonita bellies were the top bait, topping live pinfish and sardines. A few big mangrove snapper were also caught.

Captain Bill Miller hosts "Hooked on Fishing" on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-8 p.m. on Bright House Sports Network, Channel 47.

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