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Bluefish, Silver Trout Hot Late

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 31, 2008

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

Anglers fishing from the Skyway piers have been tearing up the bluefish at night. Bait is attracted to the lights, and the bluefish follow. A silver Gotcha plug has been the best lure. Silver trout also are under the lights and hitting tandem Love's Lures. Scooter has been catching keeper grouper on the outgoing tide using live pinfish. Bottlenose dolphins have been stealing bait and hooked fish off of anglers' lines. Last week, four out of five hooked fish were eaten by dolphins.

The Anclote Gulf Park at the Anclote Power Plant has been producing sheepshead and trout for wading anglers. Mangrove snapper are taking live shrimp from the pier, and pompano are being caught at the barrels on yellow-and-white pompano jigs.

Captain William Toney reports big schools of sheepshead have moved onto the shallow rocks off Homosassa. Toney anchors away from the rocks and casts live shrimp, on flats tackle, to the convict fish. Small circle hooks have dramatically increased the hook-up ratio. A few keeper grouper were also wrestled away from the rocks.

Trout are biting well over the limestone flat rock off the Chassahowitzka River. Red-head, pearl-body jigs under a clicking cork have been effective.

Captain Bill Miller hosts "Hooked on Fishing" on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-8 p.m. on Bright House Networks Catch 47.

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