East winds, an abundance of bait and water temperature getting the way they prefer it has jump started our fall run of kingfish.  Bait has been easy to gather.  The smaller stuff, ideal for anchoring, and chumming for mackerel can be cast netted practically up on the beach.  The bigger baits, full grown greenbacks and whitebait can be either cast netted or jiggled on gold hook rigs in many places just outside the swim buoys.  In spite of the recent windy conditions, winds from the east have kept the inshore waters of the gulf clean and boating conditions relatively calm near shore.  On a trip this week we anchored on a patch of hard bottom in 20 feet off St. Pete Beach and caught all the mackerel we cared to, often 3 and 4 at a time.  Light spinning tackle, some rigged with light wire leader, others with 30 lb. floro and a long shank hook and lots of chummers kept em’ crashing behind our boat.  Thursday, we caught a dozen kingfish and some extra large mackerel while slow trolling the bigger baits over the hard bottom off Blinds Pass and never deeper than 21 feet (less than a mile and a half from shore).  With stone crab season now open, many of the near shore hard bottom areas have been saturated with traps and their buoys.  If your kingfish happens to get wrapped up in one, patiently work your way up to the ball and figure which way to unwrap it.  Cutting someone’s trap is not an option.

Captain Jay Mastry 

CapMel Staff
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