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Captain's Corner: Favorable conditions

 
Published Dec. 3, 2014

We finally have a week without a cold front. Scaled sardines are getting more difficult to find. Even the Sunshine Skyway bridge is thinning out. It might be time to put up the cast nets and fish with live shrimp or artificial baits. Snook have moved into deeper holes around the mangrove line and deep water canals. The snook bite seems to be going off a little later in the morning. If you chum with bait, only throw a few pieces at a time. Downsize tackle, as the water is clearer this time of year. The most hookups have been with 10- to 15-pound braid and no more than 20-pound fluorocarbon with a No. 1 hook. For a consistent bite, target trout. The bigger gator trout are starting to move into St. Petersburg and south Tampa Bay. We usually don't see them until January and February. The consistent cold weather has brought them in from the deeper water earlier.

Mike Gore charters out of Tampa Bay. Call him at (813) 390-6600 or visit tampacharters.com.