Captain’s Corner: Jay Mastry

The Tampa Bay Times

For the next three weekends in a row big money kingfish tournaments are going to dominate much of the angling scene around here.  This weekends’ “Monster Kingfish Tournament” is guaranteeing a fifty thousand dollar first prize.  Next, the “King of the Beach” 29^th Annual Fall tournament boasts more than three hundred thousand in cash and prizes in several divisions.  After that, the 30^th Annual “Suncoast Kingfish Classic” billed as the longest running king mackerel fishing tournament on Florida ’s west coast.  Each event has emphasized leveling the playing field a priority.  Restricted boundaries allow the single engine small boater to compete with the three and four engine gas guzzlin’ go fast boats.  Kingfish have begun showing up where they traditionally do.  There’s been kings caught within three miles off the beach in Clearwater .  There has been scattered reports of catches off Blinds Pass and St. Pete Beach.  The many mile stretch of the Ships Channel leading into Tampa Bay is always a good bet, evidenced by kings being hooked by anglers on the Skyway Fishing Piers.  We are now on a new moon (the 25^th).  The outgoing tides in the morning will be particularly strong.  A study of a tide chart will dial you in to when that is – where you may be fishing.  When mackerel and/or kingfishing, I like anchoring and chumming on these fast moving tides.  It’ll extend your chum slick and keep our offerings up off the bottom and in the “strike zone”.

Captain Jay Mastry