Captain’s Corner: Dave Zalewski

The Tampa Bay Times

Dave Zalewski 460-9893

Finally the weather allowed us to venture back offshore. We had 3 consecutive half day charters and because of the time constraint fished closer to shore than we do on ¾ or full day trips. Non stop action occurred on all 3 days in 42 to 60 feet of water. White grunts, sea bass, porgies and a few keeper hogfish and red grouper made for a colorful, tasty box of fish. Memories were created by catch and release gag grouper, several of which would have been well over the 24 inch minimum size if the season for them was open.
We fished with downsized tackle for these smaller reef fish using 20 pound test spinning and bait casting rigs along with a few guests employing heavier 40 pound class tackle to attempt to capture a keeper grouper. 2 hook 2/0 size dropper rigs with a 3 ounce sinker below the hooks are the ticket to targeting the reef fish because of their smaller mouths. 2 to 3 inch strips of squid hooked in one end or shrimp provide not only smell, but visual enticement for the fish, For the grouper we used frozen Spanish sardines and live pinfish, fished either with a knocker rig where the 3 ounce egg sinker is allowed to slide on the line to the 4/0 hook or the standard 4 ounce swivel sinker, 30 inches of 50 pound leader and the same 4/0 hook. Large hooks and heavy weights are not needed and often spook the fish.