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Going sailing! Wanting to do some fishing.

2K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  landmineop 
#1 ·
Im going to be chartering out of Tampa Bay, FL. for new years. Im wanting to do some fishing while Im down there. I dont know anything about salt water fishing. My question is: What kind of bait would you recommend for trolling in 15 to 40 ft of water and what kind of bait would you use for fishing off the side of the boat anchored in 7 to 10 ft. Im not fishing for any particular fish and Im not going to keep any of them. I just want to sail, fish and drink.

eddie
 
#8 ·
tampa, near shore... barracuda?

silver spoons with wire leaders, and 80# mono, with some surgical tubing as a shock cord, tied to the rail. (and gloves)

now if you want to catch something to eat, anchor on the grass flats, and jig bucktails with shrimp tips... for sea trout. - you do have your salt water fishing license right?

(check the slot limits.. fines are big )
 
#9 · (Edited)
Skip the rattletraps. First thing, find a local baitshop and tell them you're the "new guy"
and they'll hook you up (pardon the pun).

Depending on what you're fishing for, and where you'll be, live shrimp is always a safe bet,
but I'd want some Blue Runners in there too. The key will be, IMHO, a nice, juicy Chum Block
tailing you. Gotta have a way to bring these puppies in because unlike most fresh water
lakes/ponds/etc., these fish have a ton of options on where to be at any given moment.

BTW, here's the scoop for the Visitor's Saltwater License;
http://myfwc.com/license/recreational/visitors/
 
#11 ·
First, pick up a Non-Resident fishing license. As stated above the fines are pretty hefty.

If you're trolling, keep in mind that in that part of the gulf there isn't a lot of depth until you get a good distance offshore. Most shallow-running lures trolled from the back of a sailboat at speeds less than 4 knots will attract barracuda, but the best lure for these toothsome critters is a 12-inch length of bright yellow or bright red surgical hose tubing with a 4/0 treble hook at the back end. The front of the tubing is usually weighted with a 1/2-ounce bullet sinker. You'll also need a wire leader or you're lose lures as fast as they hit the water.

If there's no wind, and you want to catch something to eat, bottom fishing with live shrimp or squid strips will attract a host of great tasting fish. Grunt, yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper, and grouper are right at the top of the list. Be sure to check the seasons and size limits for these. Almost forgot, it's pretty risky to eat barracuda--they carry ciguatera, a neurotoxin that can be deadly.

Bucktails trimmed with chartreuse, 8-inch, bass assassins can lure cobia from the edges of deeper grass beds. Some can tip the scales at 45 to 60 pounds, but the average is closer to 20 pounds. Fresh cobia on the grill is outstanding, and smoked cobia is likely the best smoked fish I've ever tasted.

Once you reach deeper water there's always the chance of hooking up with blackfin tuna, most ranging 25 to 40 pounds. They hit like a freight train and they're not easy to land. They're pretty tasty on the grill, but personally, I would rather have yellowfin tuna. Trolling with topwater skipbaits lures the tuna, and they like their lures moving relatively fast 5 to 7 knots.

Large, shallow-running crankbaits and silver spoons trolled at 5 to 7 knots will frequently lure king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and barracuda from the deeper waters of the gulf. The mackerel are fantastic tasting when fresh-cooked on the grill, but they do not lend themselves well to freezing.

The shallow grass beds are a great place to toss small bucktails trimmed with either a squid strip or piece of shrimp for speckled seatrout. Most of these fish vary in size from 12 to 20 inches, but there are larger ones lurking in the grass at times, particularly on cloudy days. This is another species that is best consumed while fresh--not frozen.

Hope this helps,

Gary :cool:
 
#12 ·
Now that's what I'm talking about guys! A big point in the right direction! I'm going to do a little homework tonight on all of your suggestions. I rigged up some old ambassador reels with some 25lb line but I'm thinking I will need some 60 lb braided.
Thanks again
 
#13 ·
60lb line is overkill. 25lb is about right for trolling. While you're on the grass beds, try 12lbor even 6lb line. A spinning reel with a popping cork and a shrimp dangling just above the grass (ask the bait shops about using the popping corks effectively) is like ringing a dinner bell for trout. Fun to catch and great tasting. Go to a book store or a bait shop and get a pocket guide by Vic Dunaway called "Rigs, Bait & Tackle". It was published in 1989. Years ago he was a fishing writer for the Miami Herald. Lots of good info many years later.
 
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