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A Real Nice Cobia - Click photo to see enlarged! | A couple real nice Trout! |
Fishing has been a little slow mainly because of the weather. Seems that the heat is hindering not only the fish but the fisherman as well. Redfish are still being caught around oyster bars using a live shrimp on a 4/O hook. The flats around Marker 18 is producing some nice size Spotted Seatrout as well as the cut near Bow Legs Point. To catch the trout, I recommend using a 3/4 ounce ready rig with a weighted popping cork. For bait, use live shrimp, frozen shrimp or some of the local baitfish, like a small pinfish or green backs. For artificial rigs try a red 1/4 ounce jighead with the C-Twins or C-Tails in the hot pink or chartreuse coloring. Other grub tails that are working great are Riptides Gold-n-Glows with and without the firetail.
Offshore the grouper fishing has been fair as long as the weather is cooperating. Many nice grouper have been caught in as close as 8 miles although most fishermen are catching them in the 18 mile range.
This Week's Steinhatchee Fishing Report 6/3/00
Plenty of large trout in the 24' range are being caught by the limit daily. The flats north of the river mouth and east of the Steinhatchee Reef will be producing most of the trout, the large being caught in 6 to 8 feet of water. Another excellent area is the channel just south of Bowlegs Point. To find this area turn south after marker 9 in the Steinhatchee Channel and travel for approximately 7.5 miles. You will pass over a sand bottom, which will turn to a grassy gray color. It is in this grassy color that you want to fish. Also try the shallows around Pepperfish Key. Try a red 1/4 ounce jighead with the Saltwater Assassin grub tails in the colors of electric chicken, chartreuse diamond, and opening night. Other grub tails that are working great are Riptides Gold-n-Glows with and without the firetail, Greedy Gutt's white with red shrimp tail, Mann's Sting Ray grub white with pink tails, and C-Tails, C-Twins, and C-Shrimp in the pink glitter and chartreuse glitter. Seems all the hot pinks are doing well. If you like to toss a lure, try the 5M Mirrolures, Top Dog Lures Sr.'s and Jr.'s, and the milky white with a red head Long "A" Bomber Lures. Also try using live shrimp on a 2/O long shank hook with a 3/4 ounce sliding sinker leader under an Equalizer float.
Along with the trout the Redfish have been hot! To catch one, be sure to fish in and around the oyster bars during high tide. Be sure to throw a Johnson gold spoon in the 1/4 ounce to 3/4 ounce range. Also working well for the Redfish is large live shrimp using a 3/O hook.
Large Cobia are being landed almost daily. Look for Cobia to hide near structures such as channel markers and pilings. Expect them to approach the boat as well. If you see this fish, try casting a live pinfish in his direction. Some folks use a large bobber to keep the bait near the surface. You may also use a balloon. Cobia are finicky eaters so if the live bait does not work try throwing everything in your tackle box at them. You may be pleasantly surprised. If you are trout fishing, rig a larger pole with a free-floating pinfish (or with a float) and stick it in a rod holder just in case a stray fish happens by while you drift. The Cobia must be 33' in length to keep. Measure from the nose to the fork. They are also excellent to eat!
On the reef folks are still catching Spanish Mackerel although the catches have been smaller. For artificials try using Floreo Lures, Johnson Silver Spoons, or tinsel Spanish mackerel rigs. Troll the just beyond the white water of your wake. You can also anchor up, put out a chum bag and fish with live shrimp. This will also attract Pampano, Jacks, Bluefish, Ladyfish, and many other fun striking fish.
Offshore the grouper fishing has been fantastic as long as the weather is cooperating. Many nice grouper have been caught in as close as 12 miles although most fishermen are catching them in the 18 mile range. The top baits for Grouper are thread herring, Spanish sardines, cigar minnows, and squid. Trolling the Stretch 30+ lures is still producing larger fish than bottom rigs. Troll Stretch 30+'s at 3 to 4 knots using a 25lb. or 30lb. Test. Any heavier and the line tends to pull the lures towards the surface. The new Mylar Stretch 30+ are really selling in the pink and gold/black colors. While trolling, many folks have been hooking up some really nice sized Kingfish. Kingfish tend to hit the shiner color Stretch 30+ such as the black/chrome or the blue/chrome. These two colors also come in the Mylar style now. Some unique catches off shore this year have been a black fin tuna and some dolphin.
Fishing Reports 5/6/00 thru 5/22/00
Fishing Reports 4/26/00 thru 4/29/00
Fishing Reports 3/27/00
Fishing Reports 3/3/00 thru 3/10/00
Fishing Reports 1/21/00 thru 3/3/00
Fishing Reports 1/10/00 thru 1/1/00
Fishing Reports 12/31/99 thru 9/18/99
Fishing Reports 8/25/99 thru 4/3/99