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Offshore anglers waiting on weather for big push

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BY NICK STUBBS

THE SUNCOAST NEWS

Published: October 28, 2009

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Fisherman's World (727) 942-8944: Offshore anglers are still waiting for the big push of kings. It had not happened by the weekend, so the watch is on again for this week, and if weather is as predicted, some will get the chance to get offshore and check it out.

A boat fishing Sunday found the post front conditions rough, and the action on the slow side. A few grouper, some mangrove snapper and a couple of small kings made up the haul.

Hart's One Stop (727) 938-5364: A few snook were taken by anglers working inside the Anclote River. Fish were running in the 30-inch-plus range.
Live shrimp has been tops, with some fish taken on live pinfish.

An angler fishing the first spoil island outside the river reported taking quite a few reds to 40 inches. The fish were around for a few days, and some slot-sized fish 18 to 25 inches were mixed in with them.

Fish were being found around mangroves and oyster bars in the general area of the mouth of the river. A few kings were taken in 35 to 40 feet of water west of Anclote Key. The largest fish was 40 inches, with some down to 30 inches landed. Trolled Squid Spoons behind planers to get the bait deep, did the job.

Some pompano have started showing up at the Anclote power plant outfall.

Fishing at the pier, anglers bagged a few fish to 14 inches throwing Doc's yellow and white Goofy Jigs tipped with frozen shrimp or cut greenbacks. Some permit to 20 inches also was caught. The bite has been short, usually ending after a couple of hours. Fishing on the grass flats west of the power plant, anglers are finding trout in 5 to 7 feet of water. Fish to 22 inches have been taking live shrimp and sardines, free-lined or fished under float.

Salonika's Bait and Tackle (727) 849-6377: The Offshore anglers are reporting grouper have moved shallower, with 30 feet about as deep as anyone needs to go now.

While the big king run remains to be seen, there have been fish in 35 to 50 feet of water, with anglers doing best trolling about mid-depth with planers. Inshore, the trout bite has been hot, with a lot of big fish reported.

Fishing from Green Key to Westport, anglers took limits of fish, with lots of those landed being around 20 inches. Most were taken in no more than 2 feet of water. Reds have been schooling and feeding. Anglers wading at Brasher Park reported catching five or six fish each.

Some snook have made their move well up the Cotee River. Anglers trolling live shiners have scored some big fish well up the river. The sheepshead have been around in big numbers around the U.S. 19 area in the Cotee. Lots were taken from the fishing pier near the U.S. 19 bridge.

Florida Fisherman (727) 868-6405: Anglers have been finding grouper moving ever shallower, with keeper fish coming from 20 feet or even less.

One boat over the last week reported taking kings in 60 feet of water, and Spanish mackerel have been spread out from the grass flats a mile out, to 45 feet of water.

Trout fishing has been good on the grass flats between Hudson and Tarpon Springs, and redfish action has been good for angler who work the mangroves when the tide is up. Snook anglers continue to do best at night.

Sully's Marine and Beach Store (727) 697-3923: Several boats were offshore over the weekend, scoring well on grouper prior to the front moving in.

Fish to 29 inches were brought back, along with mackerel.

Grouper diggers were reporting 15 to 20 miles out was the magic range.

Trout have been on the grass bottom in 4 to 8 feet of water, and redfish anglers are finding plenty of fish working the shallows around oyster bars and mangroves.

An angler reported seeing a keeper grouper and two short fish landed at the Anclote power plant outfall canal, a very rare catch there.

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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