The Tampa Bay Times
Troubled times on land have lent for calmer conditions out on the water. Many months of rough offshore weather finally gave way to calmer seas and better boating. In recent months fishermen, scuba and freedive spearfishermen have loaded their personal social media sites with massive amounts of fun, boating and fish memories. Hopefully, these times on the water will continue.
For those who can get in the water, cobia fishing and spearing is picking up. Cobia are showing up around structures inside the bay. Other inshore areas around the drop-off edges at the edges of the flats have produced some good numbers of cobia too. Most of the cobia our divers have found in the inshore areas are legal, but on the smaller size. The larger cobia are flirting on the structures that hold large numbers of frolicking bait and underwater action.
Red grouper are being speared in depths exceeding 80 feet of water. On the ledges in the same depths as the red grouper, hogfish are being speared as well. In depths shallower than red grouper areas, jolt-head porgies are being found skirting the sand around the limestone ledges and even though these fish aren’t very big they are as good as hogfish. Porgies tend to hand just on the sand side of the sand and limestone edges. Porgie’s silver white color helps aid in their camouflage as they hover over the white sand. Look carefully and slowly to spot these tasty fish before they spot you!
- Jay Mastry - March 26, 2024
- Captains Corner, Gorta - March 23, 2024
- Dave Zalewski - March 12, 2024
