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Weather Launching Relentless Attacks On Angling Action

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BY NICK STUBBS

MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE

Published: November 25, 2008

Updated:

Cold fronts have been lining up like soldiers marching south, sending anglers and fish for cover. The past week has been an exercise in hunkering down and waiting to come out and assess the impact on the fish.

With coastal gulf water temperatures dropping below 60, fish are heading into backwaters, creeks and canals, looking for deep-water havens that are preserving a bit of the heat, and shallow mud flats that warm quickly in the sun.

Look for reds to be the only possible exception, the fish sticking close to shore and easy access to backwaters.

Offshore water temperatures are faring better. The weather buoy in 65 feet of water west of Hudson reported 65 degrees this week, which means grouper have yet to get the signal to make a big move to deeper water.

Still, the shallower rock bottom is getting to the uncomfortable point, so grouper diggers may want to start in 25 feet, but be prepared to work out deeper to find the bigger fish.

The Anclote power plant is a star every year at this time. When smoke is leaving the stack there, it is a signal to anglers that the warm water being pumped into the outfall canal on the north side of the plant is calling all fish.

Trout, reds, snook, pompano, cobia, permit and about everything else that swims will be flocking to the warm water and the bait likely to be there for the same reason.

Tackle shop roundup

Tarpon Tom's, 727-938-2379: reports the bass bite on Lake Tarpon has been good in the grass beds, with it being time to break out the live shiners and slow-troll them through pockets in grass bottom. Capt. Lenny Crispino has been doing well on bigger fish using just this technique. While overall the fish are not as active this time of year, it is the best chance to score a trophy fish. The last lake tournament results showed 15 pounds of fish took first place. The cold also has brought out the specks. Crappie fishing has been hot all over the lake, with fish around deep water structures and taking minnows very well.

Hart's One Stop, 727-938-5364: The outfall canal at the Anclote power plant has been the place to be. Water temperatures are plunging, so the warm water exiting the plant's cooling system is drawing in pompano, permit, and trout. Pompano have been running 14 to 16 inches, with some permit to 20 inches taken. Doc's Goofy Jigs tipped with shrimp have been working best. Yellow and white colors have been tops. The trout are taking live shrimp. The larger, select shrimp have been the recipe for the bigger fish. Most have been slot-sized to about 20 inches, with some to 24 inches landed.

Redington Long Pier, 727-391-9398: A few mackerel remained after the last cold blast, but the bite has fallen off considerably. Fish to 17 inches have been taking shrimp and spoons, but anglers are working harder for what they get. The focus has turned to the usual cold-water species. Sheepshead, black drum and silver trout will be the bread and butter at the pier for the duration of winter. The drum have been running to about 19 inches, taking shrimp and cut bait.
Pier 60, 727-462-6466: Silver trout have moved in, providing the winter action anglers expect. Fish have been running to about 13 inches, taking live and dead shrimp well. A few small mackerel have remained, despite the falling water temperature, but catches are becoming more difficult. Clark's silver spoons and shrimp have been best.

Denny B's Bait and Tackle, 813-885-9811: Some anglers have been heading to Tampa Bay to look for fish in the warmer backwaters at the top of the bay. Double Branch Creek has been a top spot for snook, reds and trout, as fish move into the backwaters looking to warm up. There have been no reports of late, but typically when Double Branch is doing well, nearby Rocky Creek also is producing. The number of anglers fishing has been well down, so intelligence on the scene has been lacking.

Nick Stubbs is founder and webmaster of Bitetracker.com, a fishing Web site specializing in daily fishing reports displayed on animated fish tracking charts.

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