Big Bend power plant drawing big fish

With night-time temperatures forecast to drop into the 40's and maybe even the 30's this week, it's a sure thing that winter fishing patterns will kick in throughout the Bay area. For inshore coastal anglers, that means looking for the warm-water refuges, and one of the biggest in Florida sits just north of Apollo Beach at the TECO Big Bend Power Station.

The plume of warm water that comes out the south side of the plant hovers around 80 degrees where it's released, and the stream of heated water extends for well over a mile into Tampa Bay. It attracts everything from snook and tarpon to Spanish mackerel, jacks, ladyfish, pompano and cobia, The colder the weather, the more fish swarm into the outfall.

For anglers without boats, the location is particularly attractive because it's easy to drive to the park at the north end of Surfside Boulevard, then hike the 200-yard sand trail up to the beach overseeing some of the best fishing.

Boaters can also access the area, but all are kept well back from the warmest waters, which are the primary winter manatee refuge on Tampa Bay - several hundred manatees stay here as long as water temperatures are below 65 degrees in the open bay.

For anglers on shore, the easy tactic is to bait up with live shrimp suspended about 3 feet under a cork, heave the rig upstream as far as possible, and then let the current sweep it back down. Once the bait drifts close to the beach, reel it in and make another cast upstream - the bait will cover a lot of water and the presentation is natural.

It is also the way to catch mackerel and pompano, as well as the occasional snook and even tarpon or cobia. Live shrimp work best if presented on a small hook, size 2 or smaller, short shank. The hook is either slipped under the horn on the head or put through the last joint of the tail to keep the bait lively longer.

Putting the same bait on the bottom most often results in marine catfish scooping it up before any gamefish can find it, but bottom baits also catch the occasional redfish, sheepshead and black drum.

For those in a boat, there are more options. Chasing cobia around the outflow is a favorite winter activity; the fish are in the outflow at sizes from 5 pounds all the way up to 30 pounds or more. Most often, the cobia are caught by sight fishing - spotting them in the clear water, then casting a bait or lure close enough for them to see.

Cobia often hang around the enormous schools of cownose rays that swarm in the outflow - shoals of hundreds of the bat-like creatures wing their way around the channel, and cobia frequently swim in their midst.

It's also not uncommon to see cobia shadowing the manatees that come and go in the "No Boats" area of the outflow. The back portion of this area is the Big Bend Manatee Preserve, a great spot for families to see the mammals up close. The closed area is clearly marked and buoyed off, so boaters can easily avoid it.

Cobia are usually caught on black eel imitations 8 to 12 inches long. Why they prefer these baits is unknown, since the eels are rarely seen in our area, but these and large buck-tail jigs are the favorite lures. A jumbo shrimp will also do the job, as will a live pinfish. Finger-mullet imitations like the DOA Baitbuster are also effective.

For mackerel and pompano, one tactic guides use is to hang a bag of chopped threadfin and shrimp tails off the transom as chum, and let the fish find them. The flow of the current spreads the scent well out into the bay, luring fish in close.

A small swimbait, Goofy Jig or spoon worked in the slick does the job.

Boaters need to exercise caution while directly in the manatee area, but also on the approach. Most of the waters along the entire southeast side of Tampa Bay are marked slow-speed zones during winter, and both the Sheriff's office and Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers patrol it looking for speeders. So keep a sharp eye out for the signs and obey them.

For those who don't like the crowds at Big Bend, the nearby Little Manatee, Manatee and Alafia rivers also hold winter runs of fish, with less company to probe docks and riprap in these rivers.