Dave Zalewski

The Tampa Bay Times

 Dave Zalewski 460-9893

Everything seems to be right on schedule this year for the beginning of the spring trolling season. We are encountering large schools of bait from within a mile of shore all the way out to the 90 foot depths. Once these schools of bait take up residence the Spanish mackerel, kingfish, bonita and cobia will not be far behind. We have caught Spanish mackerel recently on several trips by trolling with #1 planers and small spoons around the bait stacks about 2 miles offshore. The schools of bait in the deeper water did not provide any action at all. The markers towards the western end of the shipping channel are all holding baitfish. We started using 3 ounce sinkers on our sabiki rigs because they were getting tangled up because of so many baits being hooked at once. The heavier sinker tends to keep the sabiki straighter resulting in fewer tangles.
Bottom fishing has really turned on in the 60 to 70 foot depths. Lane snapper, porgies, white grunts, red grouper, with an occasional keeper, have provided almost non stop action. For us squid has continued to produce the most bites. We are catching some fish on the other baits commonly used such as Spanish sardines and shrimp.
With the rapidly warming water temperatures and the imminent arrival of mackerel and kings, it will be worthwhile to deploy a flatline with either a live or frozen sardine rigged on a stinger rig to catch the fish that will be attracted to the natural chum line produced while bottom fishing.