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Grouper Catches Abound

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By BILL MILLER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 23, 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.

Shallow water grouper fishing is very good if the winds will allow anglers to get out.

Captain Jim Bradley, fishing out of Bayport, reports big keeper grouper in 12-15 feet of water. Larry Mastry has been limiting out on grouper along with some big Key West grunts, fishing the rocky ledges north of the Egmont ship channel. Thirty feet of water is the magic depth off Anna Maria for captain Larry McGuire. McGuire has been fishing rocky bottom and using live pinfish to catch the bigger grouper.

Jerry Ulm and Alan Higbee, with captain Terry Russo, had great wade fishing on the Cockroach Bay flats at extreme low tide. Redfish and trout were easy targets in the deeper holes. Wading the flats in Joe Bay and Bishops Harbor produced fly rod redfish, snook and trout for Reid Zoller and captain Rick Murphy. James Brown and captain Geoff Page, fishing with Zoller and Murphy, also scored with inshore grand slams using soft plastics.

Captain Tim Drummond guided John Cumberland to the Grand Champion Angler trophy in the Mercury Grand Slam Fishing Tournament last weekend. Fishing the St. Pete and Fort DeSoto areas. Cumberland and Drummond beat 43 other boats to win the award. Included in Cumberland's grand slam catch was a 341/2-inch snook.

Black fin tuna were caught by kingfish anglers at markers 3 and 4 in the Egmont ship channel and the Egmont Reef.

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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