8NOV07
The passing cool front earlier this week and the accompanying new moon tides have been serving as the catalyst for peak fall fishing. Water temperatures on the flats are hovering in the low 70s and will likely tumble slightly with today’s reinforcing high pressure. A fast warming trend, however, is forecasted so we can expect the excellent fishing to continue.
Grouper, kingfish, Spanish mackerel, cobia, sharks, bonita and incidental encounters with offshore redfish and tarpon continue. Pasco and Hernando’s deep grass flats and areas just west of the 20-foot contour line get the nod.
Snook have finally become consistent catches the past two weeks north of the Anclote River. Juvenile tarpon have been active as well in the river bends and canal junctions. The presence and willingness of these two species to bite has been staple in achieving frequent “Grand Slams” (snook, redfish, trout, tarpon) on several of our latest outings.
How long the bait will hold during the fall is difficult to predict. Right now, the abundance of bait makes it readily available. Many of our game fish are “keyed in” on this migration of baitfish. Savvy anglers will fill their bait wells to capacity and disseminate the bait as live chum throughout their day. Game fish will respond quickly to your chumming techniques right now, so if they don’t, they are likely not there and one should continue hunting.
Capt. Robert McCue can be reached at (800) 833-0489 or through his website www.GiantTarpon.com