Blackfin tuna move into shallow water

Posted Apr 10, 2012 by The Tampa Tribune

Updated Apr 10, 2012 at 08:12 PM

By BILL MILLER

Blackfin tuna have moved into area waters and are providing great action and table fare for local anglers.

Blackfins are normally a deeper-water fish, but catches have been reported in water as shallow as 30 feet.

Chris Petry was catching them in the ship channel around markers 9 and 10. Maximo Marina reports that Joey Burgess and his father Bob caught blackfins up to 27 pounds at The Whistler. Cigar minnows on a downrigger got the most fish.

Captain Justin Moore has been having good catches of blackfins in 40 feet off Anna Maria. Also included in Moore’s catches this week was a sailfish.

The St. Pete Beach reef was the hot spot for captain Billy Miller. Miller was limiting out on kingfish, Spanish mackerel and catching blackfins there. Slow trolling a big threadfin, Miller and party also had a sailfish on for five jumps.

The cobia migration looks like it is here. Captain Kevin Walton has been catching double-digit numbers of cobia every day up to 35 pounds over the close in Gulf wrecks.

Captain Mac Gregory took me and the “Fishing with Bill Miller” film crew on a great inshore grand slam trip. Fishing Anna Maria Sound with Gregory and I, Tom Su landed four grand slams of redfish, snook and trout during a half-day fishing trip.

Snook appear to be showing up in fair numbers, although nowhere near the numbers of the past. We found a group of the linesiders lying over some grass along an island edge that were interested in feeding. A few live chummers got them going and the action was on.

Gag grouper is still closed, but red grouper, scamp and others are open. Check for current regulations.

For more information, visit http://www.billmiller.com. To book a charter with captain Bill or his son captain Billy, call (813) 363-9927.