Captain’s Corner: Brent Gaskill

The Tampa Bay Times

Capt. Brent Gaskill
 
 
 

        I’ll be honest; I haven’t been on the water recently.  With fishing charters shut down as non-essential business I’ve had my mind on more important things while navigating through our current crisis situation.   The good news however, is that fishing is not closed for recreational anglers.  In fact, getting outside to fish with your immediate household family is encouraged.   Even better is the fact that fishing is really good right now.  Air temperatures are pleasant, water temperatures are perfect, and there is a wide variety of species to choose from.  One of my favorite choices is to target Spanish mackerel and kingfish along our beaches.  Depths of 18-to 30-feet have been productive with plenty of action for the entire family.  My preference is to anchor while using live bait, but trolling spoons and plugs can also be highly effective.  My anchoring technique involves chumming, which brings the fish right to the boat and sparks a competitive feeding behavior.  This method also allows additional catches of snapper, flounder, sea bass, and more while light duty bottom fishing.  In all, it’s a perfect way for families to distance themselves while enjoying our great outdoors and providing a fresh fish dinner for the table that evening.