The Tampa Bay Times
Spearfishermen and women are starting to really get excited in anticipation of the northerly migration of bait, kingfish, cobia and more. The bottom water temperatures should start to rise as we recently had over a week of warmer spring conditions. Currently, the bottom temperature in most dive depths is still under the magic temperature of 70 degrees. Kingfish have already started moving into our offshore areas and once the temperatures move up a couple more degrees the main thrust of kingfish will be pounding the migrating bait pods with wild reckless abandon. This past week many of our breath-hold spearfishermen did very well with kingfish and cobia. Both the kings and cobias are on the smaller side, but the bigger kings and cobias will soon be here. Sheepsheads are still holding strong on the shallow ledges and rockpiles. A small crew of our freedivers did well with sheepshead this past week and they even landed an 11.3 pound one in 30 feet of water just west of Tarpon Springs. Sheepsheads will soon start heading back into the dark and shallow waters of our bays and canals and make it harder to find the larger sheeps. Hogfish are still on every divers “hit list”. Hogfish are easier to spear than to convince the fish to bite a hook, so this is why even beginner spearfishermen usually do well with hogfish. It’s ironic that, hogfish, one of the best tasting fish in the water is one of easiest to hunt, spot and spear.
- Jay Mastry - March 26, 2024
- Captains Corner, Gorta - March 23, 2024
- Dave Zalewski - March 12, 2024
