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It's Snapper And Grunt Time

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 12, 2008

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.

Only a couple days left to get your grouper fix in. As of Friday, grouper season will close and won't re-open until March 15.

Reports have it that the place to be is west of Tarpon Springs to Hudson in 40 to 80 feet of water. The gags are chewing, making it fairly easy to fill the box. Aside from the gags, you can expect to find some nice red grouper mixed in.

So what to do while the grouper season is closed? You can head out to some of the offshore wrecks and springs and bag a couple of amberjack and hope to find some mangrove snapper holding on the same wreck.

To the south off Sarasota, you can try anchoring up current of a wreck and chum heavily and see if you can draw some mangos and yellowtail snapper up in the chum line. If you do get them up, let them feed for a bit before you start floating baits at them.

Another thought is to lighten your tackle and hit some ledges and bag some grunts, porgies, triggerfish, seabass and maybe a few snapper. Try baiting up some chicken rigs with squid and it shouldn't take long to fill the cooler with a nice mess of fish.

I know these fish don't rank real high for most offshore anglers, but they sure do taste good.
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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