http://www.tampabay.com/sports/outdoors/Captain-s-Corner-It-s-the-season-of-unpredictable-dangerous-storms_170413424
Midsummer gulf water temperatures can reach that of a tepid bath. It can be uncomfortable to man and fish. Anglers are heading farther offshore to find cooperative fish because of the temperatures. In hot water, hot fish get somewhat lethargic and don’t want to feed. Most seek deeper, cooler water, usually making for happier, hungrier fish. However, there are some considerations with running a great distance offshore. Weather can be unpredictable during the summer. Thunderstorms often blossom quickly. Many years I’ve found myself trapped from returning home to John’s Pass because of giant thunderheads laced with dangerous lightning. I can recall running nearly 50 miles to escape one particularly nasty storm after being chased north, south, east and west. We finally came in south of Egmont. It wasn’t a good day, but at least we made it home with the help of my onboard radar. There’s plenty of uneasiness when you find yourself running into the teeth of a dangerous storm. Pay attention to wind direction before heading out. East wind usually means afternoon storms; west wind ushers them in early in the day. But they come when they want to, no matter the wind direction or what the weather forecasters tell you.
Larry Blue charters the Niki Joe from Madeira Beach Marina. Call (727) 871-1058 or visit captainlarryblue.com.
- Jay Mastry - March 26, 2024
- Captains Corner, Gorta - March 23, 2024
- Dave Zalewski - March 12, 2024
