Springtime Gags of Tampa Bay
Grouper aren’t normally associated with fishing inside Tampa Bay; however, a small group of anglers has been able to master the art of catching legal-size gags and red grouper in shallow water.
Tampa Bay is filled with small wrecks and artificial reefs sponsored by Hillsborough County. Wrecks are marked on Coast Guard charts, while the locations of artificial reefs can be made available through the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County.
On a recent trip with some clients, we targeted a small wreck east of the shipping channel, off of “F” cut in Tampa Bay. Yes, this wreck is shown on the chart! The story goes that it started taking on water sometime in the 50’s, a barrage loaded with cable and pushed off the ship’s channel before it sank. I snorkeled this wreck years ago, and I could see the coils of wire still sitting on its deck were home to schools of sheepshead, mangrove snapper, and grouper. The technique for catching gag grouper and mangrove snapper is simple.
First, find the wreck or reef. I prefer to use a software called Fish Reveal, which is simple and fast to use and works every time. It shows the contour of the bottom, wrecks, and ledges like nothing I have ever used before. You can sit at home and mark your spots so you don’t waste time on your day of fishing.
The best fishing times are about one hour before the change of tide or neap tide days. Second, anchor up tide within casting distance of the wreck or reef. Lastly, chum the gag and snapper away from their home. Over the years, I have tried using different types of chum (frozen and freeze-dried). I found a product that seems to work well and is fairly inexpensive to use: Pro Fish Chum, which comes in its own bag and is ready to use without refrigeration. The idea of chumming is to bring the fish to you and away from the wreck or reef. This technique increases your chances of landing your catch.
The preferred baits for catching grouper are live greenbacks or pinfish, especially during Spring and early Fall. Dead and cut Spanish sardines, tipped with a little bit of squid, are tops in the winter months.
Tackle is about the same as in offshore fishing, except for lighter tackle. A Tampa Bay outfit consists of the following: a medium-action Blackfin seven-foot spinning rod, an Okuma Azores 50 spinning reel, and 30-pound test Fins braided line. I prefer to use a one-ounce egg sinker (two ounces if the tide is strong), a 30-inch-long 40-pound-test mono (fluorocarbon is not needed) leader, and a 4/0 circle hook. Jigs work great, and I prefer to use them, but they can get pricey unless you buy them in bulk.
Modern trolling motors with anchor lock make a big difference. My Power Pole Move trolling motor keeps me on the spot, no more guessing. Just get over the spot, hit your Anchor Lock button, and start fishing. I take my bag of Pro Fish Chum or fill it with fresh, chopped, cut greenback sardines and start my chumming process. It takes several minutes for the chum slick to start doing its magic. As the spadefish started coming to the surface, the mangrove snapper were darting in and out of the chum slick. I grabbed a rod, baited it with a large sardine, made a cast just short of the wreck’s edge, and handed it to my client. Within minutes, both our rods were bent, and we were losing fish! Even though the gag out-fished us that day, we were able to catch several gags, two nice keeper red grouper, and big gags, although the season is closed for gags. The excitement was there. We also landed some nice mangrove snapper and some Spanish mackerel, thanks to our surface lines. Stay on top of regulations regarding size, bag limits, and closed season.
Good Fishing and Tight Lines