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Sails, Cobia And Dolphin Show Up With The Kingfish

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By RANDY ROCHELLE

Published: October 20, 2008

The winds of fall are upon us; four or five windy days, then a small break, and then the winds pick up again. Picking your days this time of year takes on a whole new meaning. Don't head out to the water just because you can.

Kingfish are popping up all over the place; however, I don't think the main school has arrived just yet. Looking at the leaderboard from a kingfish tournament last Saturday I'd have to say there are some big fish to be found for sure.

Congratulations to team Knot Me. Their 44.18-pound kingfish was big enough to take the win in the John's Pass Monster Kingfish Tournament.

Hot spots have been hard bottom areas along the beaches, Egmont Channel around markers 9 and 10 and some areas of hard bottom southwest of John's Pass. Just look for the pods of live bait and you will find the kings.

The mangrove snapper bite has really picked up in the 70- to 90-foot range. Ledges and rock piles are producing some quality fish to 5 pounds. These same areas are holding a lot of grouper, although most are falling just short of keepers.

Bottom fishermen deploying flat lines while grouper digging in 40 to 90 feet are being rewarded with kings, cobia, dolphin and even sailfish.

Captain Randy Rochelle runs the "Gotta Go" out of St. Petersburg and can be reached at (727) 365-3218 or www.islandercharters.net.

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