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DAILY FISHING REPORT

 
Published March 11, 2003|Updated Aug. 31, 2005

Warming water coupled with an influx of baitfish have things heating up. For those who like to troll Tampa Bay and the Egmont Shipping Channel, now is the time. As the baitfish schools make their push into Tampa Bay, look for the grouper bite to turn on. Trolling deep-diving hardbody baits or sending down a 4-ounce jig coupled with an 8-inch grub tail on a downrigger will produce some good-sized fish. Troll the beginning or end of the incoming or outgoing tide. Top colors for deep-diving baits are gold and black or silver and blue; for jigs, try pink or chartreuse with a silver flake.

The grouper and snapper bite in 60 to 80 feet is picking up. You still may have to hit a few spots to find keepers, but if you're persistent you'll come home with a nice box of fish. With more bait moving into our area, a host of other fish won't be far behind. Kingfish, tuna, mackerel and sailfish will make their way through our area over the next couple of months. Slow-troll live bait over hard bottom, ledges and wrecks in 40 to 80 feet and you may run into any one of these fish. For kings and mackerel, just look for the crowds of boats along the beach, around wrecks or along the Egmont Channel. For tuna, find the shrimp boats, and sailfish may pop up just about anywhere.

_ Capt. Randy Rochelle runs the Gotta Go out of St. Petersburg and can be reached at (727) 528-1213 or by e-mail at islanderchartersij.net.