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Inshore Grouper Are Hot

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 9, 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.

Inshore grouper fishing is very good now, and it is driven by the dropping water temperature. Grouper that were in 80 feet and deeper have migrated in to 30 and 40 feet and are reachable on half-day fishing trips.

It is also nice to the pocketbook, because you burn less gas. Captain Sam Maisano took Dave Netzler, Randy Jones and the "Hooked on Fishing" film crew this week to a spot off John's Pass, well within sight of land, and we caught a lot of grouper, grunts and mangrove snapper. We anchored on a rocky ledge and put out a chum bag.

Within minutes, the mangrove snapper were up in the chum right behind the boat, and we caught them by free-floating a piece of cut Spanish sardine on a No. 1 hook in the chum line. Grunts were the first to bite sardines dropped to the bottom.

After catching a dozen or so big grunts, the grouper moved in and we limited using live pinfish. The Times Square area has been red hot for grouper the past week. Captain Justin Mastry has been filling his bag limit on grouper using live whitebait and pinfish.

Mastry has also caught a few kingfish free-lining whitebait while bottom fishing. The party boats Miss Pass a Grille and The Friendly Fisherman also report good catches of keeper grouper, mangrove snapper, kingfish and grunts on their half-day trips.

Redfish and snook are the catch of the day on the Port Tampa flats. Waders throwing gold spoons and soft plastics are scoring well on the higher tides. Snook to 30 pounds and over-slot redfish were caught this week.
Captain Billy Miller and Jason Beyer caught a 30-pound kingfish slow-trolling a ladyfish at the Sunshine Skyway.

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

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