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Deep Water Is Producing

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 18, 2009

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

The Viking Fleet deep-sea fishing boats out of Tarpon Springs have been catching monster grouper and snapper on their 48- and 60-hour trips. Captain Jerry Rathey reports great catches of queen and silk snapper, and snowy, yellow edge and mystic grouper in 500 feet of water on their last 60-hour trip. Big black and Warsaw grouper, along with red and mangrove snapper also were caught. Electric reels are used in the deep water, and squid is the best bait.

Captain Chuck Rodgers was putting his clients onto good catches of redfish and trout around the Gandy Bridge before the last cold fronts. Rodgers also was catching a few snook and a lot of jacks and ladyfish on white bait.

Trout fishing in Clearwater Bay and St. Joseph Sound has been excellent. The winter trout have moved in and are readily biting live shrimp under a cork and soft plastic jigs bounced over the top of the deep grass flats.

Amberjack have been biting well on deep-water wrecks. The biggest live blue runners and pinfish have been the best baits. Vertical jigging with diamond jigs and butterfly jigs also has been successful. The recreational minimum size limit for amberjack is 30 inches, measured to the fork of the tail.

Cobia, pompano and sharks have been the catches of the day for captain Billy Miller at the Big Bend power plant. Miller has been fishing live shrimp on the bottom for sharks, live pinfish on top for cobia and yellow-and-white Doc's and Silly Willy jigs for the pompano.

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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