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Hey Frank, My family and I are going deep sea fishing on the Double Eagle on July 7. Could you give some advice as to what kind of bait and setup to use, to have the best chance of being able to bring home some fish? Thanks, Dave

A: You’ll probably do well using the gear and bait they provide. However, you might check with them to see if they have facilities to hold live bait; a dozen pinfish about 4 inches long would give you a great shot at some lunker grouper. You would need the usual bottom rig to handle these big fish--80 pound line, 100 pound leader, 4 to 8 ounces of weight above the swivel, 6/0 to 8/0 extra strong hook.

Another possibility is to take along a couple of sabiki rigs. Drop these down over the reef and reel up fresh baitfish, whatever bites. Then immediately put them on your big rig as bait. (Remember, though, you would have to have the jumbo weights on the sabiki to hit bottom out there, too.)

Last but not least, it might be worth trying some of the largest Berkley “Gulp” artificial baits. This stuff has an amazing scent attraction for all sorts of fish. I haven’t heard of anybody using it on the reef fish yet, but I’d bet it will work.

Tight lines, FS

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Hi Frank, Could you please give advice on where to try and chum up Spanish mackerel in the Clearwater / Dunedin area? I am looking for some guaranteed action for children. I have tried anchoring under the Memorial Causeway, using commercial chum from my local bait shop, but without any success. I used pinfish under a cork and free-lined for bait. The tide was flowing hard, but in 3 hours did not get a single bite. Thanking you, Alan

Alan: I’d try the outside edge of the jetties at Clearwater Pass, on a hard outgoing tide. Again, use the chum, but live shrimp is a better bait for Spanish, or use a 2-inch spoon, or 1/4 ounce jig with a little piece of fresh shrimp on it. In either case, with the artificials, work ‘em fast. Good luck. FS

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Dear Mr. Sargeant: I will be coming down to Tampa in two weeks.  We will be spending time in Longboat Key as well. We have a boat lined up for Tampa Bay but no real fishermen for guides.  Any suggestions for some recreational fishing for an out-of-towner at both these locations? I have also looked into a license and see that I may need both salt and fresh water. I appreciate any input you may have. Thank you, Casey O’Dell

Casey: It’s a good time to come. I’d suggest you fish on the southeast side of Tampa Bay, in the area known as The Bulkhead, and from there up to the Skyway, over grass bottom in water 2 to 8 feet deep. Use 1/4 ounce plastic tailed jigs or Tsunami 4-inch swimbaits, available locally. Hop them along bottom - you’ll catch plenty of trout, probably some mackerel and maybe blues, too. Good luck.

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Hi Frank, thanks for the great articles and editorials. My family and I are headed to the Fort DeSoto this weekend; they want to bathe, I want to fish. Is there any special place/one location over there where we can park so they can hit the beach and I can fish either on the beach or the flats?  Thanks much. Warm regards, Greg Clarkson.

A: I’d suggest the north end at Bunce’s Pass. You can fish the pass for macks, or wade around inside there for reds/snook/trout. Beautiful beach there, restrooms, etc. Have fun. FS

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Frank, What equipment would you suggest for a beginner Fly fisherman? I have an automatic reel I used to use years ago for bass. I want to go both fresh and saltwater fly fishing. I saw Lefty Kreh at the expo and have decided to try it here in the bay for reds, trout, and bass. Where is a good place to get fly fishing equipment here in the Tampa Bay area? Thanks! - Andy Bohnenstiehl

Andy: I’d suggest an 8 weight graphite rod, with a basic fly reel, pretty much any serviceable reel that will hold the 8 weight line and 50 yards of backing. However, your automatic fly reel would not be a good choice; fish that pull drag, as reds certainly do, will overpower it. Buy a floating forward taper or “saltwater taper” line to match the rig, add 6 feet of mono leader, straight 20 is pretty good, though some tie a tapered leader with a 30-pound butt tapering to 20, and a few flies like the Clouser, Hansen Glass Minnow and other shrimp/minnow/crab imitations and you’re good to go. Bill Jackson’s Sporting Goods in Pinellas Park is a good place to get the whole rig. Tight lines, FS

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Hi Frank, My family and I enjoy going out occasionally on the weekends and doing some crabbing. Using chicken on a string and a net. The problem is we only know of one good spot with a seawall to go to in St. Pete, where we live, and the catch is very hit or miss. And when it is on we only catch five or six. We usually go off 83rd Avenue North and Fourth St. We have also tried out at Coffee Pot. We enjoy going because it gives us some quality time as a family, but not catching anything is causing everyone to lose interest. If you or any of your readers have any suggestion on where to go it will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time and help. Tom Jamski, St. Petersburg

A: I’m not a crabbing expert, but the crabbers tell me that blues move around a lot with the seasons - temperature and rainfall affects them. So, a spot that’s not so good right now can be great next month. I’ve always had best luck in brackish waters, so you might consider driving to some place like Double Branch Park off Hillsborough Avenue, on the Hillsborough side of the bay, to try your luck. And maybe there’s a helpful reader or two out there who will share some community spots. FS

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Mr. Frank Sargeant, Maybe you can direct me to a pond public or private that I can fly fish from shore. I live in Brooksville in Hernando County. I am from northern New Jersey and spent 50 years both fresh and saltwater fly fishing, but being 81 years old I don’t think I could stand up on the bow of a flat boat too long, if at all. I have had some health problems. In New Jersey there were some local as well as county park ponds I could fish for bass and bluegills. Thanks, wishing you many tight lines.—Bill Rodriguez

A: Unfortunately, I don’t know of anywhere right in Brooksville where you could have good fishing. If you can drive, I’d suggest you might take S.R. 50 west to Bayport, where there’s a pier and a beach and several creeks that can be fished from shore for reds and the occasional trout. I will also forward your letter to the FFWCC, which has an urban ponds program - they may know of a spot closer to you. Good luck. FS

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Frank: I have a 16-year-old grandson coming to visit from Cincinnati on April 9 and he wants a true deep sea fishing experience pulling trolled baits for wahoo, dolphin, tuna, billfish, etc. We have a 33 Egg Harbor which I could easily move to the East Coast via Big Like O.  Would our chances of success be better here on the west coast of Florida around that time or would we maybe have better success on the east coast of Florida around Stuart? The hump off Marathon could also be an option. Your advice would be most appreciated. Thanks and Tight Lines. Capt. Bob, Robert A. Morrissey

A: Unless you’re planning on going to the edge of the shelf, about 100 miles out, the east coast is far better for bluewater fish than the west coast. The humps in the keys are likely to have blackfins around then - catch up some whitebait inshore and chum them to the top. Or, trolling there or off Stuart would probably produce something, though, as you know, it can be a long time between bites on blue water fish. There should be some kings left around then - might try drifting with livebaits in the green water inshore around Stuart. Best bet of all, I’d think, would be to hire a local skipper where ever you go and have him run your boat for a day - he’ll know what’s biting and show you the best rigs and where to fish.

Also, that’s not to say that you might not luck into sails or dolphin closer to shore on the West Coast - the last few years, April through June, there have been both in closer, but it’s very sporadic and you would have to be pretty lucky to hit the right spot at the right time. Tight lines, FS

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Frank:
My dream woman and I are to be married in May. I am fortunate enough to have met a woman who loves fishing ALMOST as much as I do. I am a part time mate on a few charter fishing vessels in the Chesapeake Bay where we live and I am working on obtaining my license as well. We are coming to the area in May on our HONEY MOON for roughly a week. I would love to know of the “hot spots” for some fun fishing INSHORE. I would also like to know of anywhere we may be able to rent a small boat and motor for the day or week. ANYTHING you could provide in the area of advise would be appreciated.—Robert Smith

Dan:
Robert: It’s tough to find small boats for rent here anymore. However, you could enjoy excellent wade fishing by driving over to Fort DeSoto Park; there will be snook in the surf mornings and evenings in May, plus trout on the grass flats, and there are lots of good wading areas around this beautiful park, which also has the top rated beach in the nation. Stop in at park headquarters and see supervisor Jim Wilson, who will be glad to share some fishing advice with you. Or, you might consider hiring a guide for one day. You could go tarpon fishing with a guide--May is prime time. Fee is about $350 to $450 for the day--Google Florida Guides Association on line and you’ll find a site with dozens of inshore guides. Good luck. FS

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Frank:
I’ve never turkey hunted before but while bow hunting for deer with a friend this past year on his lease in north Florida I noticed many, many turkeys on this piece of property.  I decided to join the lease this year and not only deer hunt but turkey hunt this spring as well.  I have purchased several diaphragm calls from H.S. Strut and already learned to use them pretty well, but wonder if you think I should invest in a box and/or slate call to go along with the diaphragm calls.  I know you love to turkey hunt and figured you may have some advice for me.  Thanks, Frank.—Dan Doyle

Dan:
Many hunters do it all with a diaphragm, and if you’re really good with it, that’s really all you need. It has the advantage of a wide variety of sounds, good volume, and no-hands operation, plus they’re inexpensive. It is, however, easy to play a diaphragm poorly.

For most of us, a slate call produces a more realistic sound with less practice. I particularly like the “composite” slates like Old Yeller from Knight & Hale, which have a great variety of sound levels available with various strikers, and are less subject to not working in rainy weather than real slate. Metal slate or puck calls are good locator calls, as well, because of the sharp, penetrating sound they produce, although they’re not so good in close in my experience. Slate type calls can be operated with one hand if you put the puck on the ground as the bird gets close, or you can strap it to your knee with a special holder.

Last but not least, a box call is a good locator call; it seems to cut through the woods very well and can often provoke a gobbler to respond when they ignore or don’t hear mouth or slate calls. Redhead makes some good cedar box calls for modest prices. The disadvantage with a box is that it takes two hands to operate, so you can’t use it when the bird gets close, and it also does not work in rain.

In short, it’ s not a bad idea to carry all three and use them depending on the situations you meet.

Good hunting. Frank Sargeant

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Dear Frank,
I’m from Jacksonville and have began to troll for grouper with Mann’s Stretch 30s in the northwest region of the gulf. I’ve heard this same type of fishing can be done in the bay or along the edges of the shipping channels. What knowledge and/or advise could you give me about trolling in the bay? Have you heard of any reports of anglers having any luck this year. Thanks, David

David:
This is a major fishery in Tampa Bay, and anglers here are very successful. You might visit Tightlines Tackle on Armenia Avenue in Tampa for all the details of exactly how it’s done. Vance Tice, the owner there, is a real expert. Good luck, FS

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Frank, I’d like to replace the treble hooks on my topwater plugs with single hooks; hoping for less damage to the fish I release and my fingers.  What size and type hook should I try?  Or would snipping off one or two of the hooks on each treble accomplish the same thing?  I use Storm Chug Bugs, Bagley Jumping/Finger Mullet, and Zara Spook Jrs. Thanks. John W.

John: I’d try snipping the trebles. I’ve tried switching to single hooks on a few lures and it always seems to alter the action. Also reduces the number of hookups dramatically. Just snip the barb part, not the whole bend of the hook - the idea is to change the weight balance as little as possible. Good luck. FS

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Hi Frank,
Just started to read your articles. I’m a resident of St. Pete. I enjoy going out fishing, and I’ve tried everywhere from Gandy Bridge to the Skyway. I don’t have very good luck anywhere I fish. I’ve asked a lot of folks in local bait and tackle shops for advice on good fishing spots, and the proper rigs and bait to use. I’m OK with artificials. I enjoy fishing and the peace and quiet while I’m out. I don’t have a boat. Any suggestion you have on tackle, places, or bait would greatly be appreciated. Thanks for your time and help. Tom in St. Pete

Tom,
If you don’t mind wade fishing, get a bucket of shrimp and wade the water on the west side of the Tierra Verde Causeway, just on the inland side of the bridge. Fish the shrimp on a size 1 short shank hook, and use two feet of 20 pound test clear mono as leader. Use no weight. If you need weight to cast, add a popping cork about 3 feet above the hook. Throw this ahead of you as you move along that edge in water up to thigh deep. Keep moving and casting ahead of you, and you will eventually hit the trout. Same tactic can work on the west side of the Skyway causeway.

From the bridges, go early in the morning on these warm, calm mornings and throw a 2 inch to 3 inch chrome spoon. Work it fast, especially when you see terns diving. If you go the right day, you’ll hit the Spanish mackerel.

And last, you might try getting a Sabiki rig at a tackle store - a bunch of small flies on a single line. Weight this with a 2 ounce weight at the end, and drop it down right beside the pilings at the Skyway, as close to the cement as possible. Jig it a few times and you’ll catch threadfins and blue runners which can be used as bait. Put ‘em on a 2/0 hook and fish on bottom, or float them out about 3 feet under a float. You’re likely to catch grouper or snapper on bottom, Spanish on top. Good luck, Frank Sargeant

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Hi Frank,
Love your column. I very much appreciate some of the tips you provide us novice anglers with. It makes fishing even more fun. I have a couple questions about one of the more popular local winter species, the Sheepshead. I have had some luck with them around bridge structures inside the bay, but haven’t had the same luck along the Intracoastal Waterway (Indian Rocks/Belleair region). Can they be found in this area? Also, I am curious if they bite after dark. It seems that once the sun goes down, the bite shuts off. Is this always the case? I appreciate the time. Thanks! Frank Weber, St. Petersburg

Frank,
My sheepshead experts tell me that ‘heads around the ICW hang on riprap shores, as well as around bridge pilings, and sometimes in residential canals if they have been cut into limerock.  They also tell me that in high current areas, the bite is usually best on slack tide, or with just a very slight flow. And, as you have discovered, they don’t bite very well after dark--can’t say why, because they feed by scent more than sight, but it seems to be true. Basically, just run the ICW and look for gnarly structure--that’s the key to finding ‘heads. Tight lines, FS

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Frank,
Enjoy your columns in both the Trib and Florida Sportsman. As a Fla. cracker born and raised in Rattlesnake (corner of Gandy and Westshore) I’ve been lucky to enjoy the local outdoors since a child of the 50’s. I have a panther question. Back in the 70’s, my brother-in-law from Leesburg owned several hundred acres of wilderness between Lake Griffin and Lake Yale. We camped and fished on the parts that he did not grow commercial ferns on (in the days before The Villages invasion).

One day we were hiking the only handcut path on the NE shore of Lke Griffin when 50 yards ahead of us a large cat crossed the path, paused a split second, the bounded for the woods. We both clearly saw it; I was not hallucinating. My brother-in-law, a sober Scoutmaster and church deacon, and I assumed it was a bobcat.

It was 3 ft. long and tan colored. However, all we could talk about was...this thing had a TAIL!--a 2 foot tail almost as long as its body. Now I can lie all day about the fish I’ve caught or almost caught but I’ll swear on Hemingway’s grave that this is what we saw. I know that panthers are rare north of Fisheating Creek, even in the
70’s. But what do you think? Did we get lucky? Thanks, Mark Newton

Mark,
I saw a panther, for sure, in about 1972 or 73 south of Clermont in Green Swamp. We drove along a jeep trail after it for over 100 yards, so there was no question. Since these cats are known to roam many miles, I’d say it’s a possibility--as you know, at that time, there was a lot of citrus grove and river swamp between Green Swamp and the area you mention. Could have been. Thanks for sharing. FS

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