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Fishing Report
From Capt. Zach - 2003
12-27-03
Overall
action continues to be pretty hot despite the cold. My parties have been doing
extremely well in both the bay and gulf. On windy days when the beach and gulf
reefs are off limits we've been nailing big numbers of redfish ranging from
15-16" rats to slot fish of 22-26". Sheepshead have been very
cooperative all over the area along with flounder, black drum, and catch and
release trout. Some very nice trout have been caught and things look really good
for the opening of the season on Jan 1. The calm weather that came in after
Christmas has allowed me to do some reef fishing off local beaches with a huge
amount of success. Numerous gag grouper in the 12-20" range have come
aboard and a few keepers have been taken as well. Mangrove snapper have been
cooperative both in the back bays and the gulf. Some of the gulf mangoes have
topped 18" in length. Sheepshead in 30-40' of water gulf side have been
running huge with 5-7 lb'ers not uncommon. In the bay we have skipped some
schools of pompano and I am going to start targeting them more in the coming
weeks. All in all the action has been above average for this time of the year
and the weather conditions we've been experiencing.Good luck and good fishing-
be careful out there!! Happy New Year- Capt. "Zach" Zacharias-
"DEE JAY II" 941-795-5026 email:zachcap@aol.com
12-21-03
Despite
cold temperatures and brisk winds winter pattern action has been surprisingly
productive. All of the action for "DEE JAY II" anglers came on live
shrimp fished in deep holes, channels, cuts, etc. with good structure and dark
bottoms which hold the warmth of the sun. In the same vein it has been a lot
more productive fishing mid-day to early afternoon when the sun has performed
its magic on the sluggish metabolism of most local species.
Gene and Randy Johnson fished in a really brisk wind on
Friday afternoon and did extremely well with Redfish to 26", sheepshead to
23", flounder to 16", and catch and release trout up to 24". This
catch along with a smattering of gag grouper and mangrove snapper has been
indicative of the fishing this past week. The really cold weather expected over
the weekend should only serve to reinforce this pattern.
I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all of you
out there a warm and wonderful Christmas and may the New Year bring great
angling experiences!! Good luck and good fishing- be careful out there! Capt.
"Zach" Zacharias "DEE JAY II" 941-795-5026 email: zachcap@aol.com
12-7-03
As
I'm writing this report the mercury is plunging with strong NW winds. The air
temperature is predicted to bottom out at about 40 for a couple of nights. This
weather should pretty much bring on a solid winter pattern in a hurry. Although
there was still a lot of whitebait around after last weekends cold front, each
one that rolls through will diminish its availability and effectiveness. This is
especially true with inshore fishing but white bait will still produce snapper,
grouper, bonito, and the stray king or mackerel offshore. Almost on cue the
sheepshead started to appear in their usual haunts and cooperated fairly well on
live shrimp, along with good numbers of flounder, reds, snook, and trout.
Grouper have been coming aboard from an incredible variety of structure both in
the bay and the nearshore gulf. Some of these gags have been going to almost
keeper size. Afew truly large gags have taken us to the cleaners on too light
tackle. A couple of species that have been conspicuously absent from the scene
has been cobia and pompano. The much anticipated fall run of both species has
been really disappointing. With the quickly falling water temperatures and low
range winter tides upon us anglers really need to start looking for deeper holes
with a lot of structure, good concentrations of glass minnows, and dark bottoms
which tend to hold the heat of the sun. Water temps in the low 60's will
effectively clear the shallow flats of snook but on sunny warm days with a
decent tide you may encounter feeding schools of decent sized reds. Weather
savvy anglers that are willing to roll with punches of old man winter will
continue to make good catches. Look for bluefish to come on strong right along
the beaches and over deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay and Anna Maria Sound.
Good luck and good fishing- be careful out there!!! Capt. "Zach"
Zacharias-"DEE JAY II" 941-795-5026 email: zachcap@aol.com.
P.S.- I have gift certificates available for charters that may be taken any time
of the year.
12-1-03
Winter
rolled into town this morning and the red hot action of the past two months will
start to wind down. It has been an incredble angling period this fall, one of
the best and most diverse i've seen in quite some years.
Previous to the hard front of the weekend
my parties enjoyed some top notch action with snook, reds, trout, mangrove
snapper, flounder, and big numbers of gag grouper. Ted Sorenson of White Plains,
N.Y. along with daughter Sue Korabek and grandson Kyle Korabek (12) of Palm
Harbor, Fl. nailed numerous snook the day after turkey day. The limit catch
included 27, 29, and 30 inchers. The bag was rounded out with redfish, big
trout, flounder, and groper. Before Thanksgiving, David, Daniel, and Capt.
Charlie Biddle of Rye N.Y. caught an impressive limit catch of mangrove snapper
to 21" on a small feature about 4 miles wnw of Longboat Pass in 35' of
water. Later in the morning they also enjoyed some of the great inshore action
as well.
A couple or three nights with temperatures
as low as predicted will certainly drop the water temperatures into the
60's and will bring on a winter pattern pretty quickly. The white bait that has
been so thick this fall will more than likely bolt and shrimp and artificials
will be the way to go for most species. Some bait will still be available but I
have found white bait is not nearly as productive when the water cools to winter
time levels. Plus the sheepies and pompano which should be coming on are
primarily crustacean eaters, so shrimp and small crabs will be the ticket. Snook
and reds also prefer shrimp to shiners or pinfish during the cold.
Good luck and good fishing- be careful out
there!! Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II"- 941-795-5026
email: zachcap@aol.com
11-22-03
For
another week the action on any given day was not very consistent but every trip
produced some very good results. Ted Sorenson of White Plains, N.Y. and Rick
Fuchs teamed up on several days this past week and did reasonably well on
Redfish from 23" to 27" in Palma Sola one day, also a few snook,
flounder, and catch and release trout. At weeks end the trip I donated to the
MSF&GA for the annual "Taste of Florida" event was taken by Lance
Seberg of Ellenton along with buddies Mark & Mike of Bradenton. The group
did well by landing a number of snook. Two of them were 29" keepers. Also
some too small redfish, a few flounder, and numerous gag grouper. On Saturday
Kevin Fitzgerald and son Quentin, recently moved here from Indiana, did well on
mangrove snapper in 30 ft. of water out in the gulf. A smattering of grouper and
spanish mackerel rounded out the take in the gulf and a few hours back in the
bay produced a snook, several trout, jacks,grouper, and flounder.
None of the action was "House on
fire" quality but a number of nice fish were reward for persistence. The
red hot kingfish action of last week cooled some. I believe there is still one
more push of pelagics on the way before the onset of winter and there should be
a fairly good snook bite before they hole up for the cold period.
White bait is still readily available at
turkey time and should be a factor until we get a really hard norther. Sheephead
have been seen schooling and when the water temps drop in to the 60's they will
establish on their winter spots and start feeding heavily. From all indications
there are a lot of the bucktoothed brawlers around and it should be a banner
season for them this winter.
Good luck and good fishing- be careful out
there!!- Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II" -
941-795-5026-email:zachcap@aol.com
11-15-03
Another
interesting week. As usual in the fall of the year there would be great action
with a particular species in a given spot for one or two days but you could not
depend on the same action for longer than that. Some notable catches were
several 20 lb. plus kingfish just off the beaches on a couple of days. Also some
little tunny, big spanish mackeral, one tarpon hookup and a spinner shark about
6 ft. long on 12 lb. test tackle. The big shark was hooked by Ted Sorenson of
White Plains N.Y. and had it on for 5 or 6 jumps.
On the inside there were some banner
catches of red fish on a couple of days. Thursday produced about 30 in the 25-35
inch range on a falling tide in Lonboat Pass. Snook, catch and release trout,
mangrove snapper. and flounder rounded out the action for the week. Numerous
juvenile gag grouper were taken in many inside locations, but Rick Fuchs of
Cincinatti, Ohio managed to yank a 26" keeper off a small wreck in upper
Sarasota Bay on wednesday. Over all the action was good and always interesting.
The front that rolled through Thursday night was a welcome relief from the
humidity but the wind and temperatures moderated before the day was out Friday.
Good luck and good fishing- be careful out there!! Capt. "Zach"
Zacharias- "DEE JAY II" 941-795-5026-email:zachcap@aol.com
11-9-03
The
really hot action of the past few weeks slackened a bit this week but I am
looking for another wave of pelagic action including many more cobia if we could
just get a front or two to roll through the area. Bait is absolutely thick all
over the beaches and the kingfish, spanish, sharks, and tarpon taken with
regularity should return for at least one more big push before its all over for
the winter.
On the inside scene we have done
consistently better on the tail end of the outgoing or the first of the incoming
tides fishing the deeper edges of cuts and channels for snook, redfish, and
flounder. The size of the fish left a little to be desired this week but we did
manage a few beauties. Again the passage of a front or two will lower the water
temps and get everything on a pre winter feeding frenzy before everything goes
south(or east depending on species). Cooler water temps should also bring on
some pompano and small permit. Normal years see a real jump in sheepshead
fishing around turkey day but I think this may develop a bit later this year.
A trip on the weekend out to some hard
bottom 4 miles offshore produced a bunch of gag grouper from 14" to
20" and hooked up a huge cobia that threw the hook after a 15 minute
battle. A real heartbreaker!! Good Luck and good fishing- be careful out there!
Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II" 941-795-5026- email:
zachcap@aol.com
11-1-03
Some
incredible action took place this week. Out in the gulf there were loads of
jumbo spanish mackerel, kingfish to 25 lbs, tarpon, bonito, and numerous
blacktip and lemon sharks. All of the above was available in the lee of the high
east winds right along the Anna Maria and Longboat Key beaches. The plentiful
white bait available right now was responsible for most of the action along with
pinfish. Tide did not seem to be a big factor in the bite. If the tide was
running especially in the early a.m. the fish would turn on pretty good.
On the inshore we have done well on snook,
reds, trout, and flounder mostly on the tail end of the big outgoing tides of
the past few mornings. The bulk of the action was in deeper cuts and boat
channels after the tide had left most of the flats exposed. Again white bait
produced most of the action but shrimp will begin to produce as well or better
than shiners over the next month. Remember that trout are out of season for the
remainder of the year. I do not recommend targeting them at all being they are
very fragile and not good catch and release fish. There are plenty of other fish
to pursue at this time of year. Saw some skipping pompano inside of the Longboat
Pass area this week and they should be coming on as the water temps moderate. A
round head yellow jig with a short skirt will produce pompano as well as
anything I know. F.ish them slow with sharp jump ups creating sand puffs on the
bottom.
Good luck and good fishing- be careful out
there!!! Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II"-
941-795-5026-email:zachcap@aol.com
10-25-03
A
very strange type of cold front kind of took its toll on the numbers of fish
taken this past week and another due this weekend should reinforce a fall
pattern trying to establish itself. It seems there is always a lull at the
change of seasons when most of the local fish species are adjusting to a change
in temps and feeding patterns. The migratory species are just arriving and
setting up at there temporary haunts for the next month or so. Persistence paid
off with some decent catches of jumbo spanish mackerel, small shark, a very few
kings and cobia off the local beaches. This action should only improve in the
near future. On the inside waters, snook have been fair both in numbers and
size. As usual at this time of year you may encounter a slew of snook in a
location one day only to find they have moved on the next. Ditto for redfish.
Some reds were taken in a wide variety of sizes from 12" rats to
broad-shouldered bulls up to 35". Trout have remained steady but remember
the Nov/Dec closure coming up next week. Flounder have been on the increase as
is usual for this point on the calendar. Huge schools of sheepshead have been
seen schooling up and moving about in anticipation of cooling water temperatures
which will pique their appetites until spring. Live baits including pilchards,
threadfin, spanish sardines, and pinfish are still available but are moving
about from day to day also anticipating that hard norther to send them scurrying
for the winter season.Good luck and good fishing- be careful out there! Capt.
"Zach" Zacharias "DEE JAY II" 941-795-5026- email:zachcap@aol.com
10-18-03
Things
are heating up along local beaches with cobia, kingfish, huge spanish mackerel,
and migrating schools of tarpon. All of the above have been cooperating with the
exception of the tarpon.
On the inside redfish ranging in size from 12"- 33" have been coming
in mostly on the lower tide levels. Snook have been O.K. with mostly small fish
but an occasional biggie slips up. Flounder have been on the increase with more
caught in the past two weeks than the previous two months. Big trout have been
scarce but tons of small to average fish are available on deep grass. Snapper
still a factor but the larger specimens will be heading offshore and the smaller
to the backwaters as the water cools. Scads of juvenile gag grouper all over the
area. Look for the snook to go on a feeding binge over the next month before
holing up for the winter. Bait is plentiful and should remain so until a hard
norther blows in the area. Good luck and good fishing- be careful out there!!
Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II" 941-795-5026
email:zachcap@aol.com
10-4-03
Just
returned from vacation visiting my son on Cape Cod. We were fortunate to be able
to fish four nights surf casting for striped bass on the ocean beaches of
Wellfleet and Truro. We wre skunked only one night and managed a few fish on two
nights but tore them up before the cold front dragged down by the passage of
Isabel to our west. That night we beached 20 stripers in the 20-30 lb. class all
taken on artificial lures.
On the local front the action has remained steady with
reds, snook, and mangrove snapper. Better action developed with trout and
flounder. Off local beaches there has been plenty of spanish mackerel and this
week we were smoked by a couple of 30 lb. class kings hooked on too light tackle
for the task. My next weeks report will update that situation when I can get
back out there with appropriate gear. Bait in the bays is about as plentiful as
I have seen in many years. Not only pilchards, but good sized threadfin and
spanish sardines mixed in as well. This bodes very well for the pelagic season
right on the doorstep. The spate of cloudy, cool weather this past week has
moderated the water temps, we amazingly escaped a severe red tide and things
feel as if it's about to bust wide open.
I've also encountered numerous juvenile tarpon in some
local canals and they should remain all winter.
Good luck and good fishing- be careful out there!!
Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- DEE JAY II-
941-795-5026-e-mail:zachcap@aol.com
9-14-03
The
fishing this past week has not lived up to my expectations. My choice of words
is a real attempt at being polite. Bait gathering has been the bright spot. One
throw of your net in the right spot will yield enough bait for a week. It is a
shame though that nothing is too willing to eat it. There are better days ahead
I am sure! Much effort produced a few spanish mackerel, small grouper, a very
few redfish and snook, trout and snapper. Most of my efforts were on the
incoming tides and I've heard through the coconut telegraph that action has been
decidedly better on the P.M. outgoing tides. Good luck and good fishing- be
careful out there!! Pray Isabel goes elsewhere- Capt. "Zach" Zacharias
"DEE JAY II" - 941-795-5026-Email:zachcap@aol.com
9-5-03
Once
again the weather has played a huge factor in local fishing. Rainy, stormy
conditions have plagued us all summer and Henri is just adding insult to injury.
Another huge dose of freshwater runoff will make things challenging for us at
summers end. Thankfully, those of us that fish near the gulfs edge have not been
adversely impacted by the conditions as much as those fishing well inshore.
Snook have been cooperative when you can
get out there. The linesiders are running good size with a good percentage of
keeper sized fish coming in. Reds are pretty good but not as commonplace as they
have been in recent years. Slot reds are easy to come by but I have
not encountered that many schools of bull reds as yet. Mangrove snapper, trout,
and mackerel are still pleasing my anglers with flounder really coming on. The
snapper will be peaking this month and the flounder will be on the way to a
Thanksgiving time peak. Trout action should only improve in late september and
october before closing down for the balance of the year. Juvenile gag grouper up
to 20" are common all over hard bottom in the bays and nearshore gulf.
Really looking forward to the arrival of
cobia and kingfish. Have heard rumors of occasional cobia already. Tarpon are
still around in limited numbers but I am not targeting them now. An occasional
stray ends up hooked now and again.
Good luck and good fishing- be careful out
there!! Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II" -941-795-5026-
email:zachcap@aol.com
8-29-03
The
much awaited opening of snook season is upon us and It should be a good one.
Large white bait is more readily available now. Look for it about a foot or two
deeper than the fry bait, usually over solid grass. Chumming is a necessity for
the bigger specimens. Fortunately the grass in most areas has cleaned up real
good and you can throw your net right on it without dredging up to much mung.
The snook coming in lately are of good average size. A good percentage of them
in the keeper slot. Most of the larger fish are still staged up near the gulf
passes but some are trickling back inshore as they usually do this time of year.
Trout, reds, and mangrove snapper are still going great guns on the better
tides. Bait is less of a factor now with most species responding to about
anything you throw at them.
A transition period is close at hand and
the variety of species to target will be doubling soon with the arrival of
kings, cobia, massive schools of spanish, and the best flounder fishing of the
year beginning in late september. Last year a trio of tropical systems hit the
north gulf in late summer, muddied up the water there to a considerable degree,
and sent the pelagics our way much earlier than normal. With the massive amounts
of bait in our area the fall migrators will hopefully hang around for a good
spell this year
As soon as the water temps start the
seasonal downturn, pompano should come on pretty good as well.
Good luck and good fishing- be carful out
there!! Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II" -941-795-5026-
Email: zachcap@aol.com
8-24-03
The
overall action this past week lacked the luster of the above average fishing for
most of the summer. Persistence has paid of with fair catches of mangrove
snapper, trout, reds, snook, and flounder.
The snapper were of good average size
coming in primarily on shrimp and hitting on the slower portions of the tides.
Trout continued to be taken in 4-5 ft. of water on the larger white baits
available now and small pinnies fished beneath popping corks. The same rigs were
taking reds to 30" on shallow mud flats at high tide and nearby deep
channels at low tide. Most of the catch and release snook were taken on larger
white bait in or near Longboat Pass. Flounder to 22" were boated in
the same areas producing snapper and small grouper which was 8-10 ft. of water
around rock piles, ledges, wrecks, and docks.
Spanish mackerel were coming in from the
beaches out to 30' of water in the gulf.
Better tides coming up this week should
bring on action more typical of this summer to date.
Good luck and good fishing!!- be careful
out there- Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II"
941-795-5026- Email: zachcap@aol.com
8-17-03
The past week has been
really tough just getting out due to the inclement weather. The tides since the
full moon have not been the best for morning trips. Despite these
negatives there has been steady action with mangrove snapper. We had one beauty
of 17" come out of the longboat pass vicinity this week. Shrimp continue to
be the most productive bait fished on the slow portions of the tides at the
change.
Some really nice trout came in as well. The average
size falling between 17-24". The trout are favoring mid-depths(4-5 ft.) and
falling for whitebait, small pinfish, and grunts.
Redfish have gone sour for me the past few days but
when the tidal situation comes around they should bounce right back. The best
action has been on the flood tide and we have been expriencing low range tides
in the a.m. lately.
Spanish mackerel are still a factor along the beaches.
Flounder have been coming on and should improve weekly. A few nice snook bested
and released. The linesiders are coming back to the inside waters pretty
steadily and I am looking to see a great autumn season with them.
Tarpon are all but history for the season. A few will
still be taken but there does not seem to be the number of schools holed up in
the bay that we have experienced the past couple of years.
Luckily, Manatee County has escaped any heavy bouts of
red tide. The hard east winds from the tropical wave were a real godsend in that
respect.
Good luck and good fishing-be careful out there!! Capt.
"Zach" Zacharias"DEE JAY II" 941-795-5026- e-mail: zachcap@aol.com
8-9-03
Redfish
are really coming on as usual in late summer/early fall. We have been
encountering reds in a range of sizes all over the area both on the flood tide
up near and in the mangroves. On low range tides they move very short routes to
deeper potholes and channels nearby. Live shrimp, pinfish, shiners and a variety
of jigs and spoons will entice hits from reds from 15- 34".
Mangrove snapper continue to be hot and
favoring deep water docks, rock piles, wrecks and ledges all over the bays and
the nearshore gulf.
All release snooking has been steady with
some nice sized fish on the average coming in. The white bait is growing quickly
and by the start of the legal snook season they should be plentiful and easily
found. The snook have finished their spawn by now and are filtering back into
the bays and backwaters. The darker stained waters from all the rain should
produce really good artificial lure action especially fished early and late on
the days with decent tides.
.
Flounder are becoming more and more
cooperative and will be building to a peak from now until thanksgiving. We have
boated some real fat flatties recently.
Trout continue to please if you work at
them. They are beginning to take white bait better but still are big suckers for
the small pinfish/popping cork combo in 4-5 ft. of broken grass bottom. The
bigger specimens over 20" are especially fond of small pinnies and grunts.
Not as many sharks have been taken recently
but an occasional one has come aboard.
Spanish mackerel, bluefish, jacks, small
gags, and a very rare pompano round out the action locally. Luckily, red tide
has not been a factor in Manatee County and hopefully that will be the case for
the remainder of the summer season.
Good luck and good fishing- be careful out
there!! Capt "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II" -941-795-5026-
e:mail: zachcap@aol.com
7-26-03
Above
average action for mid-summer continued for my parties this past week. Buckets
full of mangrove snapper are common in the range of 12-16". Live
shrimp have been the hottest bait for the delicious panfish and they bite best
on the slow portions of the tides over hard bottom, wrecks, ledges, and deep
water docks just about every where
Redfish have been really hot and cold. Some
trips have produced as many as 25 redfish and others none. The most succesful
catches have been in very shallow water using small pinfish under a popping
cork. The same presentation has been taking some really dandy trout in Anna
Maria Sound. Broken grass areas in 4-5' of water has been the best on a strong
flood or ebb tide. In the same area an occasional blacktip shark, spanish
mackeral, or bluefish may end up on the end of your line as well. Spanish
mackerel are still readily available all along the beaches with the small
pilchards and spanish sardines available all over the flats the bait of choice.
On the early outgoing tides of the past week a goodly number of snook were
bested running up to 33" ,again on pinfish and shiners.
We have caught a bunch of juvenile gags and
small flounder with an occasional keeper mixed in, along with the above action.
All and all fishing continues to be productive, not only in numbers but a wide
variety of species being encountered.
Good luck and good fishing- be careful out
there.!!! Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II" -
941-795-5026- e-mail:zachcap@aol.com
7-19-03
The
reports of red tide early last week were overstated a bit. Nothing more than an
isolated and short-lived bloom took place, cleared up in short order and the
fishing was quite good.
Mangrove snapper have been the big numbers
catch again this week. The snappers have been running up to 16" from
inshore locations and have been suckers for shrimp, small pinfish and shiners.
In the same areas numerous juvenile gags, spanish mackerel, and flounder have
been common as well.
Redfish action slacked a little from the
big rallies during the full moon and the lesser tides of the past week have not
produced the big numbers of reds but some nice ones up to 30" were landed.
Trout action really picked up again. Most
of the specks were taken on small pinfish and shrimp fished under a popping cork
in 4-5 feet of water over broken grass just north of the Manatee Ave. bridge.
The trout were of excellent average size and ran up to 24". In the same
locations we picked up a few mackerel, bluefish, big gafftops and numerous
blacktip sharks to 4' in length.
All in all the fishing continues to be
pretty good considering it is mid-summer and very hot. Some decent bait is
available. Mixed catches of pilchards, spanish sardines, pinfish, and grunts
will all produce handsome mixed bags. The shrimp at the baithouses have
gone to the summer peewee stage but will still take snapper very well.
Good luck and good fishing- be careful out
there!! Capt. Zach Zacharias- "DEE JAY II" -941-795-5026- e-mail:zachcap@aol.com
7-12-03
At
the end of last week on the big full moon tides my patrons enjoyed some really
top notch mid-summer action with mangrove snapper, redfish, trout, and gag
grouper. All the action took place on the inside with shrimp and small pinfish
the big producers.
Bob Garcia of Tampa, along with sons
Matthew (9) and Robby (11) and their granddad Juan Gilberto Machado of
Arlington, Va. limited out on mangroves to 15" and redfish. The total
number of reds boated was about 20 up to 28" during a good old fashioned
"red rally". We left the reds still hitting up a storm and managed to
nail a number of speckled trout to 20" over 4-5' of grass bottom in Anna
Maria Sound. The mangrove snapper were hitting so good the four anglers were
able to make their limit catch in about 40 minutes. A really interesting aside
is that we had several dozen pretty decent sized white baits in the well and in
the middle of hot bites on all the species mentioned they were spurned in favor
of live shrimp and small pinfish which were gobbled up in short order.
Spanish mackerel continue to be a factor
and the small white bait is definetely the way to go for the macks. The toothy
critters have been showing all over, including the beaches, Anna Maria Sound,
and inside Longboat Pass.
Numerous juvenile gags have been crossing
the gunnels as well in the same hard bottoms producing the snapper.
The big tarpon run of this spring is on the
wane but some individuals will still be encountered over the remainder of the
summer. Some of the largest tarpon i've encountered in the past few years has
been in late July and August in deeper channels of the passes.Their taste in
eats tends to be a little more universal than the sometimes finicky early season
fish.
We have skipped some pompano on occasion
but have been unsuccessful in hooking up with any. They have been over some
pretty shallow grassy areas and anglers encountering them may do well if they
apply themselves to catching them.
Good luck and good fishing- be careful out
there!! Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II"- 941-795-5026-
E-mail: zachcap@aol.com
7-5-03
Mangrove
snapper are everywhere, running up to 16" with limit catches a cinch on
shrimp or small pinfish. Any hard bottom or deep dock structure will produce on
the slow portions of the tides. These guys are the ticket if you are
looking for a fish fry of excellent quality.
Redfish came on good this past week. Most
of the action was tight to mangrove shorelines on the top of the tide. Again
shrimp and pinfish offered under a popping cork was the way to go.
Spanish mackerel were pretty common along
the beaches, Longboat Pass, and Anna Maria Sound. Small jigs, spoons, or
shiner/sardines were the hot baits for the toothy guys.
Some really nice flounder were boated this
week as well. Flounder have been kind of scarce but I believe a lot of flatties
are moving from the gulf into the bays a little earlier this year, and banning a
red tide this late summer or fall the flounder action should be above average.
A number of snook were played to the boat
and released. Once again small pinfish outproduced the few good sized pilchards
that I've been able to get lately.
The red hot trout action of the past
several months has waned for me, although the fish may have moved since the
deluge and I just need to zero in on their whereabouts.
Juvenile gag grouper ranging in size from 6
to 19 inches have literally been thick on hard bay bottom and close in reefs.
I did not target tarpon at all this week
but we have spotted numerous small schools along the beaches and in Longboat
Pass.
One good thing to report is that the water
in most areas has returned to near normal after the massive runoff of 2 weeks
ago.
Good luck and good fishing- be careful out
there!! Capt. "Zach" Zacharias-941-795-5026-E-mail:zachcap@aol.com
6-27-03
Tarpon
continue to be conspicuous all along the beaches of Manatee County, Egmont Key,
and near the mouth of Terra Ceia and the Manatee River. We witnessed one of the
largest concentrations of tarpon in one spot that I've ever seen while out in
the pouring rain last Monday. It is a rare sight to see tarpon free jump but we
witnessed at least a dozen do so that morning off Anna Maria.
Mangrove snapper have been the big numbers
fish on the "Dee Jay II" this past week. Limit catches have been
easily made all week long. The toothy snappers have been of good average size
running up to 16" and have come from hard bottom structure in and around
Longboat Pass. Live shrimp and small pinfish have accounted for most of the
catches and the big bites have taken place the last hour of the incoming tide
and first of the outgoing. When the tide starts to crank the snapper shut down.
Trout have also been decent but we've not
boated the numbers and the large sized specks of a few weeks ago. The heavy
runoff from last weeks heavy rains may have impacted the trout some. They should
come back around soon once the water regains some normalcy. The ones we did get
were taken mostly on small pinnies and grunts under a popping cork on the flood
tide. Most were running 14 - 20".
Huge schools of mackerel were along the
beaches all week. There is a big variety of sizes ranging from dinks to a few
ballbats. We encountered the macks south along Longboat early in the week and as
of Friday they had worked their way north to Holmes Beach. Small shiner fry are
deadly on them but small pinfish, shrimp, and a variety of jigs have been
productive as well.
While tarpon fishing on the east side of
Egmont we have encountered schools of small to medium sized bonito and there are
trout on the deep grass north of the pilot boat dock and some reds and bunches
of snapper around the pilot boat dock as well.
Just about every hard bottom area we have
worked has given up big nimbers of juvenile gag grouper, both in the bays and
along the beaches.
Good luck and good fishing,be careful out
there!! Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY
II"-941-795-5026-E-mail: zachcap@aol.com
6-20-03
The deluge has
been putting real crimps in my fishing plans. When we have been able to get out
the bulk of the action has been with trout to 25", catch and release snook
to 34" and Mangrove snapper to 17". The snapper are the big new
development on the angling scene and they are thick, of good average size, and
very cooperative. Small shrimp have been the way to go for a real hot bite, but
small shiners and pinfish have also produced. A slow tide is the optimum time to
connect with the tasty panfish and they are being found on the same structure
that produces sheepshead in the winter.
I've not fished for tarpon much this week but when we
have tried its resulted in a few hookups, mostly on large shiners and crabs.
Hopefully this weather pattern will break soon and
allow us to dry out some. Good luck and good fishing- be careful out
there. Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II" -941 -795-5026-
e-mail:zachcap@aol.com
6-14-03
I found fishing to be a little on the tough side this past week. With
some persistence however anglers on the "DEE JAY II" managed some decent
catches. We devoted a great deal of time to tarpon fishing and the results were
definetely not up to expectations. The beaches of LBK and AMI were practically
devoid of tarpon. Most of the fish we did encounter and hook up with were found
from Bean Point north to Passage Key and Egmont as well as the northwest face
of Rattlesnake Key
Catch and release snooking continued productive and trout fishing the
bright point in our efforts. Redfish continue scattered and unpredictable. In
the coming weeks I am going to start devoting more time to mangrove snapper for
my charters that are looking for a fish dinner. Whitebait of any size is
getting harder to get but small pinnies, grunts, and fry shiners are really thick.
Huge blacks of tiny spanish sardines are evident along the beaches, inside
Tampa Bay and offshore to about 40 ft. These small sardines should be nettable in
about three weeks and if they stay around could provide some quality live
bait for mid to late summer action.
Good luck and be careful out there. Fish early or fish late- that midday
sun is brutal. Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II" 941-795-5026- E-mail:
zachcap@aol.com
6-7-03
The persistent southwest wind pattern has really put beach tarpon
fishing in the impossible range for over a week. This being the case we have had
to resort to plan B and C most days and the plans have been productive. Trout
to 26" and catch and release snook to 34" have been the big ticket on the "Dee
Jay II" this week. White bait has accounted for the bulk of the snook and
small pinfish and grunts offered under a popping cork have been producing the
most and largest trout. The snook are really making the big move for the beaches
for the annual dalliance and the most and largest fish will be knotting up
right around the passes. A few mangrove snapper, flounder, spanish mackerel, and
hefty jack crevalle have rounded out the action. Redfish still continue to
perplex me. We have been getting reds now and then, here and there, but may go
for 2 to 3 trips with none. Hopefully the normal pre-spawn schooling over the
summer will become evident soon. Good luck and be careful out there! Capt.
"Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II" - 941-795-5026-e-mail: zachcap@aol.com
6-1-03
It's only June 1 but you can almost feel the mid-summer pattern
starting to close in. As usual tarpon are the big deal and that fishery is only
going to get better until it peaks at about mid-July. If the last couple of
summers are any indication the tarpon action will still continue on into the late
summer and early fall months. Success with the big herrings will just take a
little adjustment in your tactics late in the season. White bait is still
available but it will not be long before the bigger baits will abandon the flats and
the small fry left behind will be the norm along with small pinfish and
grunts. The latter two baits are killer fished beneath a popping cork for summer
reds and trout and the mini -shiners are candy for spanish mackerel and mangrove
snapper.
Catch and release snook fishing has been good with the snook staging
closer and closer to the beach for the spawn which could begin any day now.
Redfishing should be on the improve and trout action right now is as good as I've
seen it in many years.
The northwest wind brought on by a late cold front has made beach
fishing for tarpon a little difficult the past few days and I hear there is another
on the way. This may be good as the migrating schools will get a break from
fishing pressure for a bit and they may be a lot easier to approach and hook up
when things settle in to a normal pattern again.
Good luck and be careful out there! Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II"
- 941-795-5026 - e-mail- zachcap@aol.com
5-22-03
Above average angling continues on the "Dee Jay II". Gulf of Mexico
action has included kingfish, spanish mackeral, grouper, and snapper. Tarpon are quite literally everywhere in the area. Schools of silver kings have been
spotted, hooked up, and landed from the beaches of Longboat and Anna Maria to Sarasota, Palma Sola, Terra Ceia, and Tampa Bays.
Mid week we were tarpon fishing on and near the hard bottom out in front of Rattlesnake Key when we also encountered spanish, cobia, grouper and
an immense school of above average size mangrove snapper. Snapper fishing will be on the improve steadily over the summer months peaking in August and
September. When large white bait becomes difficult to get mid-summer, mangroves will jump all over small pinfish, tiny shiners, and shrimp all of
which will be readily available all summer.With the exception of redfishing, inshore activity remains strong with
trout rated excellent and C/R snooking very productive. Trout have been caught all across the area and are running an above average size with many
getting up in the mid twenties in length. Redfish have been spotty for me with occasional good days. They don't seem to have established their summer
pattern as yet but should in the very near future. A trip to Miguel Bay this week paid off with great snook action. Snook to 32" were boated and let go
at several locations inside Miguel and additionally at Rattlesnake Point. A few reds in the 25" range were also brought to the
gunnel. The only negative has been the problem of isolated red tide blooms killing our live bait in the well. This problem has
only been encountered in the Gulf south of Longboat Pass. North of there and in the bays there has not
been any problem at all.
Good luck and good fishing! Be careful out there. Capt. "Zach"
Zacharias-941-795-5026-e-mail:zachcap@aol.com
5-18-03
Fishing was great and the catching was fair this past week. Everyday
was a little different ranging from easy bait to difficult bait, keeping it alive, and getting the fish to eat something. Allan Schram of Greensboro,
N.C. bested a 120 lb tarpon off Longboat Key early in the week. It was handled on a 30 lb. braided line on a rather light 8 ft. rod and level wind
reel. Later that afternoon we easily iced down a limit catch of beautiful speckled trout ranging from 15-22". Trout fishing all week has been a real
bright spot. They will gobble up white bait freelined over grass in 4-6 ' of water. Look for just the right water color, not too clear and not too dirty.
Snook were good on a catch and release basis. Redfish were conspicuously absent on the Dee Jay II this week. A few flounder have shown up on the end
of our lines as well. On Friday a trio of anglers from Plant City did well on a number of
species. John Jr, John Sr., and Jack Dicks hooked up with king mackerel, big
spanish, and grouper 3.5-4 miles off Bean Point. At the top of the tide in Sarasota Bay several snook were caught and dutifully released and a great
example of the aforementioned trout action was enjoyed by all.
Tarpon are definetely on the scene. The beaches of Longboat and Anna Maria were thick with silver kings all this week. Super clear water has been
a hinderance in getting the tarpon to take an offering. Thursday A.M. was especially frustrating with numerous large schools milling about. Right
around 40 perfect casts were made to these fish with a variety of baits including crabs, large shiners, threadfin, and pinfish only to have every
offering ignored. Good luck and good fishing- Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II" -
941-795-5026-e-mail:zachcap@aol.com
5-8-03
A
limit catch of kingfish on board the Dee Jay II when the season was thought to
be over was just another surprise of a year that has been really hard to figure
from the beginning. Kings up to 25 lbs. were boated by Ted Thorenson of Merril,
Wisc. on Thursday in a mere 23' of water off Anna Maria. Many kings over the bag
limit were released and we were smoked by a few fish that were in the 40 lb.
class which overwhelmed our tackle. In addition there were spanish mackerel that
were nothing to sneeze at, running up to 27" in length.
Earlier in the week when higher than normal
winds kept the Dee Jay II on the inside my patrons did extremely well with catch
and release snook to 30", redfish to 30", and trout to 22". Big
spanish macks were also available on the deeper grass of Anna Maria Sound. White
bait. thread herring, and spanish sardines are all easily harvested at this time
and all make excellent bait for most predatory species around right now.
A backwater slam of snook, reds, and trout
was accomplished by Griffin Deans, a Palmetto 12 year old early in the week.
This young angler wants to be a fishing guide when he grows up and I'll bet
money he will be a future area legend if that is what he ends up doing.
Some cobia, pompano, and permit are
available as well. Tarpon are probably just days away from making an appearance
off local beaches. Good luck and be careful out there! Capt. "Zach"
Zacharias- Dee Jay II- 941-795-5026- e-mail: zachcap@aol.com
4-27-03
Anglers
on the "DEE JAY II" had a pretty good week of catching, Our inshore
efforts were especially productive with good numbers of snook, redfish, trout,
and some jumbo jack crevalle. Off the beaches things were good but kind of
squirrely at times with a lot of different species being spotted but not that
many brought aboard. Among the fish successfully hooked were kings(10-20 lbs),
cobia, permit, spanish macks, and loads of juvenile gag grouper.
The snook, reds and trout really
turned on Friday with a less than ideal incoming tide was aaccentuated by a hard
SSW wind of up to 30 mph. Bait getting was really tough but persistence paid off
in spades with numerous snook to 32", reds to 25" , and several trout,
one of which ate a sizeable pinfish that was 27" in length.(the trout, not
the pinfish). The trout was dutifully released as specimens that size are
absolutely laden with roe at this time of year. Most of the inshore action took
place just before flood tide and the start of the ebb. We ended up doing best in
areas that the wind had really roiled up the bottom and the water clarity
greatly reduced. This situation helped greatly with the fish not being nearly as
spooky and they hit extremely well without the benefit of chumming.
Good luck and good fishing; be careful out
there!! Capt. J.A. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II"
941-795-5026- e-mail: zachcap@aol.com
4-11-03
There was a lull in the red hot action after the hard cold
front of a week ago. About mid-week things started to bounce back real good when
another super charged front came barreling through the area on thursday. During
the short lived window of pretty weather in between anglers on the Dee Jay II
managed to catch some real nice fish. Trout fishing was the bright spot during
the period. They were running between 15- 24 " depending on your location
and numerous. White bait was the ticket fished over grass bottoms in 4-5 ft. of
water. The last 2 hrs. of the incoming and first two of the outgoing seemed to
be the most opportune times for good action. The same conditions applied to
snook and reds as well but in shallower areas. The edge of the action was a
little off for the latter two species due to a substantial drop in water temps
in a short period of time.
Off the beaches the good cobia, spanish,
and kingfish action returned for a few days but this past windy front will put
that pursuit on hold again for a bit. There are cobia available on the inside,
especially between longbar and the sister keys area. Some are ganged up near or
in the mouth of the manatee river. Spanish of good size are common in 5 ft. of
water in Anna Maria Sound.
These harder than normal fronts make bait
getting a really dicey proposition. Beach bait is out of the question with the
high winds and waves, Skyway trips can be downright scary, and the flats bait is
sometimes very squirrely and hard to chum up. One positive from the hard north
wind is to keep the red tide south of us from spreading this way.
Good luck and good fishing! Be careful out
there- Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II" - 941-795-5026
for resv's & info. e-mail- zachcap@aol.com
4-4-03
The unusually hard cold front of last weekend not only kept most
of us off the water for three days but really took the edge off the really hot
action being enjoyed pre- front.
The inshore gulf situation quieted down tremendously
inside of 6-7 miles offshore. From all reports though things were wide
open with kings, cobia, big spanish, sharks, snapper, etc. out beyond in 40-50
ft. of water. Look for things to improve shoreward after a week of normal spring
weather.
The highlight of inside fishing was trout. they were
hungry, all over the place, and of good size overall. They were absolute suckers
for freelined white bait over 4-5 ft. of grass bottom. The front also put the
kabosh on good snook and redfish bites but I look for that to bounce back very
quickly. By the time you read this report things should be back to normal and
barring any outrageous bad fortune, such as a red tide, the hot spring of 2003
will be right back on track .
Good luck and good fishing! Be careful out there! Capt.
"Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II" 941-795-5026- e-mail-zachcap@aol.com
3-28-03
Things are really beginning to heat up on the angling
front. If the weather would just cooperate and turn down the wind machine it
would be bordering on the fabulous.
Kingfish made the scene this week in the
nearshore gulf as well as many cobia , big spanish mackerel. bonito,
and barracuda. Bill Kowal of Chicago and dad Dick Kowal of Holmes Beach
did very well midweek with a banner catch of cobia to 24 lbs. bigger than
average bluefish, and many spanish. A couple of Kings were hooked up on too
light tackle and lost as well. Most of the above action occured over hard bottom
areas in 20- 30 ft. of water off Longboat Key and Anna Maria Island. A variety
of baits worked well including white bait, pinfish, and large shrimp. For those
that are still interested in catching sheepshead, some of the biggest specimens
of the season are still available in deeper water just off area beaches. Large
schools of bait have moved in are attracting predators all over including a good
number of blacktip and lemon sharks in the mix.
Inshore has been hot as well on good tides.
Snook are cooperating when the conditions are good with linesiders up to
38" boated this past week. Many small to large jack crevalle show up
to crash the party as well. Redfish have been spotty but trout fishing is
absolutely smoking. Anna Maria Sound has been giving up large catches of trout
to 23" with numbers of large spanish and bluefish mixed in.
White bait is pretty easy right now and is
available on the flats of the bulkhead, Key Royale, inside Longboat Pass , and
the beaches also.
The only species left to fill in the menu is
tarpon and I'll bet some are being caught near the Skyway already. Beach tarpon
may make an early appearance this year as well.
Good fishing to all. Be careful out there.
Capt. "Zach" - "DEE JAY II- 941-795-5026- E-mail: zachcap@aol.com
3-21-03
The weird weather of 2003 continued this week making forays
into the gulf all but impossible for the small boater. Thankfully the action on
the inside was more than adequate to keep anglers grinning.
The bulkhead, Anna Maria Sound, and the Key
Royale flats were giving up much more than white bait as of late. Lots of
speckled trout to 22", spanish mackerel to 26", bluefish, pompano, and
the occasional cobia were boated by my charters in that area for the past couple
of weeks. One young angler, Nick Gilbert , 10 years of age was down from
Rochester N.Y. visiting his grandad Bill Gilbert of Anna Maria Island when he
boated a true backwater grandslam of trout. reds, snook, and tarpon on his first
saltwater fishing effort. Lisa Bowen, also from the Island shared a banner catch
of Snook to 34" and numerous reds with her mom from West Virginia. Acouple
of truly huge snook were unfortuneately lost on that trip midweek. Towards weeks
end the good snook and redfish action continued but not as hot as earlier on due
to a prolonged spell of low barometric pressure. Most of the above action came
in on white bait and shrimp fished on an incoming morning tide. The bulk of the
reds came from deeper cuts and dock structure, although a good number came from
shallow potholes where the snook were caught. The snook are coming in from late
spring and early summer locations which is highly unusual for this time in
March. The snook are surprisingly fat and healthy considering the prolonged cold
weather of this past winter which came close to being lethal.
Hopefully the strong southerly winds of
thursday and friday pushed a bunch of bait and kingfish this way. I am
really anxious for the windy weather to abate so we can get out off the beaches
for the giant Macks and the cobia and permit that show up with them.
I am happy to report that we did not catch a
sheepshead this entire week.
Good luckand good fishing! Be careful out
there. Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE JAY II" - 941-795-5026-
e-mail: zachcap@aol.com
More species of fish continued to come
in this past week as a really early spring is pleasing most everyone. After this
past winter it is certainly a blessing.
White bait is getting easier to find and it
is a good mix of sizes. It is not necessary to trek to the Skyway any longer as
the pilchards are showing in good numbers on grass flats all over the area.
Snook are coming on good and days with a
decent tide have been producing some snook in the 25-30" range. The tides
will gradually improve after the spring equinox next week. Redfish of average
size are not as common in the wintering areas and are transitioning towards the
flats. Larger specimens should end up on hooks much more frequently as well.
Trout are absolutely thick on the flats of S.W. Tampa Bay. Mixed in are spanish
macks,bluefish, pompano, small sharks, and occasionally a cobia. Incoming tides
in the morning are the ticket for all these species and shrimp, shiners, and a
variety of lures and flies have produced handsomely.
The inshore gulf is loading up with lots of
bait schools with spanish mackerel in hot pursuit. Kingfish are conspicuously
absent but that can change at any minute. Cobia, barracuda, and a few early
permit have already made the scene and pompano along the surf line as well as
the inshore flats.
That wonderful time of year is upon us when
the hardest decision each day is what you are going to target for the day. Good
fishing and be careful out there. Capt. "Zach" Zacharias- "DEE
JAY II" - 941-795-5026- e-mail -- zachcap@aol.com
The transition to spring is really coming along, the water
is warming noticeably and white bait is showing up here and there.
The action in the Gulf was really good early
in the week with spanish mackeral, trout (gray and specks), snapper, pompano,
triggers, etc. The wind picked up at weeks end and kind of put the kabosh on
that fishing for a few days. Looking for an appearance of big cobia and kingfish
any day.
On the inside, redfish, sheepshead, and
trout still led the numbers game but the addition of a few snook to the bag was
certainly welcome. The strong winds from the south just before the weekend
really dirtied up the water in most of Sarasota Bay which made sight fishing
difficult. After such a miserable winter weather wise it would be great if the
gods were to grant us a spring with lighter than normal winds.
All signs point to a better than average run
on most of our favorite species this year.
Good luck and good fishing- Capt. "Zach"
Zacharias- "DEE JAY II"- 795-5026- e-mail- zachcap@aol.com
As predicted things really started to bust
loose this past week. In the Gulf on wednesday there were acres of spanish
mackeral and they were feeding like gangbusters. We noticed a large area of what
we thought was bait breaking the surface but it turned out to be little dinky
mackeral jumping all over the place. We decided to try a few casts and
discovered mackeral to 27" lurking just beneath the smaller ones. Probably
hooked a hundred macks on small live shrimp and white jigs. This is a great sign
as big schools of bait, kings, and cobia will be schooling in as well.
On the inside things improved as well, on
Thursday; Joe O'Mara, and grandsons Andrew and Shawn Nelson of Fargo, N.D.
did pretty well with Snook, reds, sheepies, whiting, trout, and tons of big
ladyfish. Young Shawn caught his first snook, a 28 incher.
Earlier in the week my parties also did well
on flounder, trout to 20", and pompano. Some of the above were nailed
flycasting with a chartruese and white clouser.
Over all things are really on the verge of
getting really hot and your biggest problem each day will be figuring out what
species you want to target. Big Problem!!!!!!!!!!
Capt. Zach- "DEE JAY II"
941-795-5026- E-mail zachcap@aol.com
2-22-03
The last week started out kind of slow but the catching action
soared at week's end. A string of really pretty days allowed us to get out in
the gulf and the fishing was hot and heavy. Many really large sheepshead up to 8
lbs., Mangrove snapper to 4 lbs., key west grunts, flounder, and scads of small
gag and red grouper came in. In addition some bluefish and triggerfish pleased
as well. Most action came on live shrimp and small jigs fished on the bottom in
20-35 ft. of water. There were indications of Spanish, Cobia, Bonito, etc.
showing up but did not hook any. A few tripletail were observed on crabtrap
floats as well.
Inshore the results improved at the
end of the week too with redfish, trout, flounder, and the first snook landed
since the real cold weather set in a couple of months ago. All signs are
pointing to an early start to some hot spring action right on the doorstep. If
this warming trend hangs in here and water temps moderate toward the 70 degree
mark we could be in for a truly remarkable spring season.
Reports of white bait at the skyway and some
in scattered backwater areas is also encouraging news although the bait does not
produce as well as shrimp and artificials until the water gets up around seventy
degrees.
Good fishing !! Capt. Zach Zacharias-
"DEE JAY II" 941-795-5026-E-mail - zachcap@aol.com
2-13-03
Nothing really new to report other than the
winter fishing this year continues to be above average, not so much in numbers
of fish caught but the diverse species that have been coming over the gunnels.
The weather "Guru's" are claiming that we are going to be treated to
some actual early spring weather for a couple of weeks. If it materializes a lot
of changes will be in the offing. Look for some Spanish Mackeral to start
showing along the beaches and Cobia should not be far behind. Some good schools
of spanish sardines are showing just offshore and Kings may be in pursuit early
if the water temps near the higher 60's.
Right now the inshore waters are giving up decent
numbers of sheepies, redfish, mangrove snapper, and some black drum. The drum
can be pretty hefty going up to 30" in size. Along the beaches some above
average sized trout can be found with pompano, small permit, and bluefish. On
the deeper reefs the sheepies will be really massing up and some of the biggest
zebrafish will be taken from now to the spawn in about a month. Gray trout have
historically started to school and feed heavily just off the beaches over hard
bottom in 10 - 15 ft. of water. Grays are a hard hitting and tasty member of the
croaker family and have fairly universal tastes in bait and will also pound a
jig bounced off the bottom.
Snook will be coming out of their comas pretty soon and
will start staging towards the flats real soon if the weather and water temps
cooperate.
Watch the fishing reports to get a lot more interesting
and enthusiastic over the next several weeks. Good luck and good fishing. Capt.
"Zach" Zacharias - "DEE JAY II"- 941-795-5026- E-mail -
zachcap@aol.com
2-3-03
Cold water temps are still a huge factor especially on
inshore fishing. Good catches of redfish, sheepshead, trout, and mango snapper
can be had if you are persistent and patient. Water temps need to nudge back up
to the 60's before some truly hot action to start. Hopefully a couple of weeks
of moderate air temps should bring that scenario about.
Right now though the best action can be had
on live shrimp or shrimp tipped jigs fished during the warmer parts of the day
and on an incoming tide. The best redfish nailed lately was a 30"er taken
on a tipped yellow "goofy jig" slowly hopped on the bottom of a
deep channel near docks and seawalls. Sheepshead were also present and we
actually nailed a few on the same rig.
A trip out to 30' of water in the gulf last
week produced scads of gag grouper which were not of legal size but a real blast
on 8lb. gear. Also encountered some really fat sea bass. sheepies, snapper, and
key west grunts. Had one young fellow land a 21 1/2 " gag. It was a real
heartbreaker releasing that one.
A few encouraging signs observed this week
were schools of spanish sardines a couple of miles offshore, Billions of glass
minnows just inside the longboat pass area, and also saw some pretty big
pilchards massed under the lights of the Bradenton Beach City Pier. Can spring
be far behind?
Good luck and good angling!! Capt. "Zach"
Zacharias- DEE JAY II- 941-795-5026
1-24-03
Just returned from a spin around the
neighborhood looking for dead or cold stunned snook or any other cold sensitive
species and found nothing. This is good news as the wind has dropped off and the
air temperatures tonight are not supposed to drop below freezing. We may not be
out of the woods yet as a delayed reaction sometimes takes place and a lot of
mortality can take place after a couple of days. The areas I checked was the
entire perimeter of Palma Sola Bay, The canals at Trailer estates and Bayshore
Gardens, and Bowlees creek. These areas have historically held a lot of snook in
the winter. I hope that areas north and east of here has fared as well. If there
is not a major snook kill, we haved dodged the big bullet once again.
Fishing prior to the big chill consisted of
90% sheepies, a few reds and trout. The sheepies were large however, going
up to 7 lbs. and were spread all across the area. After this cold spell the
trout should hole up big time and most of the sheepies should be heading towards
a spawning date in the Gulf. Most of the flounder and snapper we've encountered
have been well east and west of Cortez.
Went on a busman's holiday by joining Capt.
Sam Kimball and his party on a junket 25 miles off the beach on Tuesday of last
week. It was rough but perserverance paid off handsomely with AJ's to 25 lbs.,
mixed snappers, grouper and scamp. most of this action came on live pinfish,
large shrimp, and frozen sardines. There are literally a bajillion portuguese
mano'war in the gulf at this time. It is a good thing it is way too cold for a
swim. Snowbirds beware however.
Hang in there, things should be on the
improve weather wise here by mid February unless that old El Meano decides to
kick our behinds around for a few more months. Good fishing and good times!!
Capt Zach "DEE JAY II" - 941-795-5026
1-12-03
Not much change has taken place since the last couple of reports.
Cold water temps, numerous cold fronts, and a stretch of quarter moon tides this
past week has made things challenging to say the least
Despite these conditions, diligence has
produced decent catches of average sized redfish, trout to 20 + inches, a lot of
sheepshead to 5 lbs., and a smattering of pompano and flounder. One bright spot
on a couple of trips was bagging some really exceptional mangrove snapper
inshore. They were caught using live shrimp fished under backwater docks on a
falling tide. The average size of the snapper was 14" with some up to
16"and super fat. Those are bragging fish in anyones's book especially in
mid January. Mixed in with the snapper were sheepies, undersized reds, and small
snook
Look for the overall action to improve with
better tides upcoming. Also the lengthening of the day will start an upward
trend in water temps if we do not have any severe cold outbreaks and the winter
and early spring fishing will be peaking in February and March. Some truly
impressive catches should be in the cards.
Good Luck and Good Fishing. Capt. "Zach"
"DEE JAY II" -941-795-5026
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