Captain’s Corner: Dave Zalewski

The Tampa Bay Times

Dave Zalewski 460-9893

Now that gag grouper and triggerfish are closed our trips have turned to targeting red grouper, white grunts, Lane, mangrove and vermillion snapper and hogfish. Gag grouper and triggerfish usually are caught on higher profile structure than red grouper and the various snappers, while red grouper and their entourage inhabit “Swiss cheese” hard bottom limestone areas that are relatively flat with large holes and crevices. A popular theory is that many of these holes are the entrances to small caverns that the fish inhabit for protection until it is time to venture out and feed. Because of this we normally start out using squid, sardines and cut bait to get the action started from the smaller reef fish which in turn will cause the larger fish to be attracted to the feeding activity. The colder water temperatures have seemed to slow the metabolism of the larger fish, while the smaller reef fish such as the grunts, Lane snapper and porgies have become much more active.
We have downsized leader size from 80 pound test to 50 pound test and hook size from 7/0 to 5/0 . The heavier leader was necessitated by the break offs from the gag grouper caused by their running against the higher structure.
For the die hard trollers, bonita can be found on many of the artificial reefs. They are not of the best eating fish because of their bloody flesh, but they do make one of the best red grouper and shark baits because of that. Chunks or strips work well and any unused can be frozen for the next trip offshore.
We have been fishing in the 60 foot depths because of a few trips on calm days we ventured out to the 95 to 100 foot range with little success and had to come back in to catch fish.