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Kingfish
Posts: 1201
 
Location: Tampa Bay |  Gag grouper heading for shallow water ledges
By Steve Papen, Times correspondent
In print: Sunday, November 9, 2008
What's hot: As the water temperature falls into the high 60s, shallow-water grouper fishing will be the best bet over the next few months. Gag grouper will take up winter residence from Bayport to Sarasota in depths of 40 to 80 feet. Look for these fish on most ledges and rock piles in these depths, especially right after a cold front has come through the area.
Tactics: Once a ledge or rock pile has been found and marked on the bottom machine, mark the spot with a marker buoy. Once the marker is deployed, drive by it a couple of times to make sure it is on the spot you want. Using the marker as a reference, drive the vessel upwind or uptide and drop the anchor. You want to be as close to the marker as possible, because the gags will not venture far from their lairs to find a meal. Dead baits such as sardines and squid will be needed to get the bite going. As the bite slows, live baits such as pinfish and Spanish sardines will get the fish into a frenzy again for a few more drops.
Tackle: To target shallow-water gag grouper, it is better to have too much tackle than not enough. Use 80-pound tackle to try to dig these fish from their ledges. Shorter leaders and light leads will also help catch more fish with fewer breakoffs. The first thing a gag will do when it feels the pressure of the hook is run for the nearest rock or hole. Lock down the drag on the reel for a better chance of landing these fish.
Steve Papen charters out of Indian Shores and can be reached at (727) 642-3411 or fintasticinc.com.
http://www.tampabay.com/sports/outdoors/article896122.ece
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Gags on Shallow Ledges - Steve Papen | SPT
