Advertisement

Captain's Corner: Cold fronts dictate kingfish strategy

 
Jay Mastry
Jay Mastry
Published Nov. 9, 2014

Each cold front tends to reshuffle the deck on kingfish. The severity of the front dictates the recovery time for the kings. Runoff from the rain and west wind associated with even weak fronts may briefly muddy the near-shore gulf water. Kingfish aren't particularly fond of filtering sand through their gills and will temporarily push out to cleaner conditions. The exception is the rare occasion when bait stays in the mud; then the kings may linger a little longer. Each front is a little different, and there is no clear-cut gauge as to how far you'll need to travel to find clear water. The markers leading out to the Egmont shipping channel are about 11/2 miles apart and can be a barometer in determining how deep to travel. Following a harsh blow, start at markers 9 and 10, and bump out a set until you find what you're looking for. For example, the water at markers 7 and 8 may look like coffee with cream in it but it might be pristine at markers 1 and 2. Almost every time, clear water is where you'll find the bait — and the kingfish.

Jay Mastry charters Jaybird out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 321-2142.