St. Petersburg fishing
January 23rd, 2006 by Fishing admin
St. Petersburg fishing report - For the majority of anglers, the 100-some-mile trip to the Florida Middle Grounds is out of reach. For just over $200, however, the 72-foot double-decker catamaran Florida Fisherman II out of John’s Pass can make it happen.
The 34-hour overnight charter offers two days of fishing the 90- to 200-foot depths of some of the most fertile grouper and snapper grounds on the state’s west coast.
Weekend trips involve 50 passengers, and mid-week trips often have fewer. Dead bait is provided. Live bait can be ordered in advance or supplied by anglers, with private livewells on board. Rods and reels can be rented or anglers can use their own.
Some anglers prefer heavier, but 80-pound tackle is a good match for amberjack and red and black grouper. Forty- to 50-pound tackle is better suited for mangrove snapper and scamp. Mates are there to assist. Rarely are there any guarantees, but you’ll likely come home with a cooler full of fish.
Closer to the beach, silver trout finally are showing up in the numbers we are accustomed to this time of year. You’ll want to give the nearshore waters of the gulf a couple of days to clear after each passing cold front. The silver trout like to gang up from the swim buoys out to 20 feet of water over the hard bottom along Redington Beach. Use light spinning tackle and tandem-rigged jigs.
Snook can be seen sunning in many of the residential canals but are more interested in staying warm than what anglers have to offer. Sheepshead don’t mind the cold and can keep you busy on pieces of shrimp, barnacles, small crabs or mussels.
Jay Mastry charters Jaybird out of St. Petersburg
By JAY MASTRY, Times Correspondent