By JIM LEE
Freshwater
Some areas are reporting great bass catches and catches of specks to 30 fish. The upcoming week is expected to get even better. Bass to 10.5 pounds reported.
HILLSBOROUGH RIVER: Hong Kong Willie, (813) 770-4794: River fishing has been great, even with the wind blowing, so fish the river for bass, bluegill and warmouth perch. Catfish are for the taking. Some specks and shellcracker have been caught in the Tampa Bypass Canal.
LAKE TARPON: Tarpon Tom’s Fresh and Saltwater Bait & Tackle, (727) 772-0708: High winds only mean better catches next week. This lake is known for good bass fishing with speckled perch to top off a day on the water. Don’t expect big speck numbers yet.
KISSIMMEE CHAIN: Grape Hammock Fish Camp, (863) 692-1500: Bass fishing has been great. Bass in the 8-pound class and to 10.5 pounds were taken this week. Some anglers took up to 30 speckled perch.
LORIDA-ISTOKPOGA: Trails End Fishing Resort guide service, (863) 655-0134: Speckled perch are being caught from small schools. Bass catches were not reported, as not many anglers were on the lake. Night fishing is always the easiest way to catch more speckled perch.
LAKE OKEECHOBEE: J & S Fish Camp, (772) 597-4455: Fishing on the lake has been better. No really good catches were reported this week, and no really big bass were taken.
LAKE PANASOFFKEE: Pana Vista Lodge, (352) 793-2061: Lots of schooling bass are being caught, with some keepers thrown in. A few scattered specks were reported, with more expected with colder weather.
Saltwater
Windy weather prevailed this week, but it won’t last forever. Sheepshead are moving in and will keep many anglers busy. The sheepshead bonanza will start this month. Kingfish are here, but the weather has curtailed this activity and turbulent waters could keep the bulk of them far offshore. Mackerel like clear water to and will be back when the water clears and bait moves back in. Flounder, bluefish, redfish, jack crevalle and ladyfish are in our waters when the weather allows us on the water.
10,000 ISLANDS: Captain Cory McMillin, (239) 695-4420: If you can get to the backwaters in the windy weather you probably will do well on snook. Night fishing for snook in the backwaters is good with artificial lures.
SARASOTA: Captain Rick Grassett, (941) 350-9790 or (941) 923-7799: Snook alley in Venice is getting better. Snook are beginning to bite better. Mostly small shrimp flies or Grassett’s flies are taking the snook. Bluefish, redfish, jack crevalle and trout are the easy catches. Trout are getting bigger.
RUSKIN: South Shore Bait & Tackle, (813) 641-2010: Snook are biting better. Mangrove snapper, sheepshead and trout are being caught. Live bait rules, but trout and mackerel will take a lure or trolled baits.
WESTERN SHORE AND SKYWAY AREA: Captain Sergio Atanes, (813) 973-7132: Mangrove snapper, redfish, flounder, sheepshead and perhaps even mackerel will be available in the lower bay next week.
UPPER TAMPA BAY: Denny B’s Quality Bait & Tackle, (813) 885-9811: Snook are eating better. Redfish are the hot target at the creek mouths and up the creeks. Fish the moving tide for snook with live pinfish.
SOUTH PINELLAS: Captain Paul Hawkins, (727) 560-6762: Snook, redfish and trout are the main targets inshore. Fish the mangroves with jigs and MirrOlures for snook. Big trout are beginning to move in.
FISHING PIERS: South Pier, (941) 729-0117: Pier fishing offers most of the current species being caught in the bay. Fish the pier for mangrove snapper, redfish, flounder, mackerel and even a stray grouper.
MID-PINELLAS PARTY BOATS: Offshore bottom fishing from Hubbard’s John’s Pass Marina and Kingfish dock, (727) 393-1947: Go offshore for a deep sea fishing extravaganza. Fish the deeper waters for grouper, mangrove snapper and gray snapper (grunt). You also might catch porgies and amberjack on longer trips. The extended and overnight trips will produce the best catches of amberjack and big mangrove snapper.
GANDY BAIT & TACKLE: (813) 839-5551: The Gandy Bridge is closed to fishing. However, Gandy Bait and Tackle is the place to go in this area for live bait and tackle. Snook, black drum, redfish and mackerel are in the bay. Fish the Weedon Island area for trout and redfish. Ladyfish are everywhere. Live greenbacks will fool anybody.
CLEARWATER TO DUNEDIN: Captain Brian Mathey, (727) 667-8291: Catching was very good for snook this week. Greenbacks and shrimp will work. Big trout have moved in, running to 26 inches.
TARPON SPRINGS: Captain Rich Knox, (727) 376-8809 or (727) 808-6688: White bait is scarce, threadfins are abundant. Big trout are showing. Tons of big mackerel are on the flats out to 25 feet. Snook are mostly upriver.
HERNANDO COUNTY: Captain Frank Bourgeois, (352) 666-6234: Fishing in 8 to 10 feet at Bayport, limits of trout and mackerel are being taken. The 27-foot mark will produce lots of smaller grouper, and the 42-foot mark is where good numbers of keeper-sized red grouper will be found. The 42-foot area is also producing mangrove
snapper. Good keeper gags are in 50 feet.
KEATON BEACH: One More Cast guide service, (850) 584-9145: Trout catching has been excellent. Trout and redfish were taken on live pins under Cajuns and MirrOlures No. 21. As always, a few people fish regardless of the wind and they usually do well. However, be careful if you venture out in the wind. Fish live pinfish under a Cajun Thunder for best results.
HERNANDO BEACH: Captain Rick Rodriguez, (727) 992-9494: Grouper fishing is great. Red and gag grouper are from 25 feet to 42 feet. Keeper gags are a little deeper. Meanwhile, red grouper, cobia, mangrove snapper and mackerel are available.
FLY FISHING: Oversized redfish are being found and are perfect for a popper or spoon. Snook are biting and are moving from shoreline upriver haunts. Now the large winter trout are moving on to the flats and are perfect for the fly angler. A Clouser fly would be a good pick.
By MEL BERMAN
From all indications, this should be an ideal fall fishing weekend. With light winds and water temperatures in the low 70s, as my friend captain Scott Moore might say, “The fish will be very happy.”
This should be an excellent weekend to head offshore. Just don’t go too far. From what I’m hearing, there’s an excellent grouper bite in the rock piles close to shore. Also in nearshore waters are vast numbers of large Spanish and king mackerel. Just look for diving birds and troll your lure or live offering through the big bait schools.
At area fishing piers, hordes of Spanish mackerel and the occasional king have been keeping lines tight, especially on the incoming tide, at both Skyway piers as well as at Fort DeSoto’s Gulf Pier.
With warming surface temperatures, wadefishing should also be comfortable and productive on the many shorelines of Fort DeSoto. The same would also be true along most area causeways and big bridges.
Kayak guide Neil Taylor reports that “large bluefish have been part of the game on the flats. Blues of 22 to 24 inches have been caught a couple of days in a row. Redfish have been a little tougher than they should be. Rumor has it that they are eating live shrimp and refusing all other offers.”
Taylor added: “There are so many pinfish in our waters, there should be no need to use shrimp as bait for any reason.”
Just a few weeks remain before snook season closes for December and January. They have made their way to backcountry shallows. Working creeks, rivers and canals around Tampa Bay should provide some late-season snook action.
Hear “The Captain Mel Show” Saturdays from 6-9 a.m. on 970 AM. Also, visit “Fishing Florida OnLine Magazine” at http://www.capmel.com.
I’ve spent much of the day calling around seeking reaction to a report by FanHouse.com that alleges multiple NCAA violations by the USF men’s basketball program. The few boosters I have spoken with remain supportive of Coach Stan Heath.
Here is reaction from longtime Bulls Club board of director member Dave Goldstein:
“I think Stan is really doing a good job with the program,’’ Goldstein said. “He is the best guy for the job at this time. He is miles and miles ahead of the previous coach. I do believe he plays by the rules.
“I’m a big supporter of this program, and if they do something wrong, I’ll be the first to call them out on it. I just don’t think there’s a lot to this story.’’
USF’s administrators are currently meeting to determine whether to address the FanHouse.com report. If so, I’ll let you know what they say ASAP.
The Tampa Bay Tech Titans (8-1), who host the East Lake Eagles (7-3) in Friday night’s Class 5A state playoff first-round game, are delighted to be at home.
TBT coach C.C. Culpepper said the school stopped selling tickets last Friday, when the Titans defeated Hillsborough 46-28, because the stadium was at capacity.
“Our crowds have been awesome,’’ Culpepper said. “It has been a real home-field advantage. We’ve got the longest home winning streak in the county now, 11 straight games, and we want to keep riding that momentum.’‘
The Titan players are excited, too.
“It means a lot to play at home,’’ TBT senior fullback Maurice Hagens said. “There will be a lot of people here and we respond to that.’‘
“This is what you get when you win the district,’’ TBT junior quarterback Johnathan Williams said. “You get rewarded with a home game. We want to take advantage of that.’‘
Usually, a sophomore starting quarterback is not a recipe for success in the state football playoffs.
But the Plant City Raiders (7-3), who travel to Plant (8-1) for Friday night’s Class 5A first-round game, have plenty of confidence in Bennie Coney. Of course, a starting sophomore is not unique at Plant City. The Raiders expect 13 sophomore starters—and 18 underlcassmen—in the lineup against Plant.
Coney might typify the group.
He’s a playmaker, a kid who is seemingly unfazed by his surroundings. He will need those qualities on Friday night against an aggressive Panther defense.
“I’m kind of protective of the quarterbacks,’’ second-year Plant City coach Jason Strunk said. “We had Bennie down on JV last season because we wanted him to get experience and we wanted him to win some games. He did that. He came up for two varsity games last season. And ever since then, he hasn’t missed a beat. He’s our guy.’‘
Plant City began the season 1-3, but during a season-closing six-game winning streak, Coney has completed 67 percent of his passes and thrown for 10 touchdowns.
“I don’t even think about what class he’s in,’’ Raiders senior wide receiver Cortez Hargrett said. “He’s a leader. He’s in control. He puts his foot down and takes charge.’‘
Coney said he realizes the Raiders could be on the ground floor of something big. For now, though, the only thought is about beating Plant.
“I can’t wait for my senior year because we should be really, really good then,’’ Coney said. “But now, we’ve put ourselves in position to do some things. It’s amazing. But we’re here now and we’re not ready for this season to end.’‘
Join us live this afternoon for the Class 3A state championship volleyball match between Berkeley Prep and Holy Trinity.
The USF men’s basketball team will try and start the season 3-0 for the first time in three years tonight at the Charleston (S.C.) Classic against Davidson. However, Coach Stan Heath’s program is under scrutiny for alleged off-the-court issues following a report by AOL sports website FanHouse.com.
USF administrators are reviewing the report this afternoon. The report alleges the men’s basketball program committed several NCAA violations.
“When we’re ready to comment, we will,” USF sports information director Chris Freet told TBO.com earlier today.
The report, posted on FanHouse.com, says most of the violations involve video and conditioning assistant Terrelle Woody, who was hired in August 2008 to guarantee the signing of Maryland transfer Gus Gilchrist.
The story alleges that Woody improperly drove Gilchrist on personal trips and illegally coached and worked out USF players.
In the report, Coach Stan Health denied the allegations or said he had no knowledge of them.
The story cites former USF assistant coach and players, unnamed sources and eyewitness accounts by a “reporter.” It was written by Brett McMurphy, a former USF beat writer for The Tampa Tribune.
According to the report, Woody drove Gilchrist home to Maryland and Orlando Magic basketball games. He also witnessed “open gyms” involving USF players.
The story also says three USF players were suspects in the robbery of two former players and that Heath did not report the crime to authorities to protect the current players.
Heath is 23-41 and in his third season at USF. The Bulls opened the season with a victory at SMU on Friday and then won their home opener at the Sun Dome on Monday, knocking off Virginia 66-49.
How concerned are you that these violations could have a negative longterm impact on the USF basketball program? Let us know what you think.
The high school football playoffs start tonight, and, alas, the three Highlands County teams are making other plans. In the end, Sebring couldn’t win The Big Game(s), Lake Placid coalesced too late and Avon Park, playing out an athletic director’s ultimate nightmare, faced four top-10 teams in five weeks.
At issue now: Can a team still have a successful season without making the playoffs?
After examining these three case studies, most certainly.
Sebring (7-3) surely possessed all the pieces for its first foray into the postseason since 2003. With a traditional pocket passer (Matt Grubb), an explosive offensive weapon (Devin Clarke), and a defense that bore little resemblance to last year’s porous unit, the Blue Streaks began the season 3-1, their loss coming to playoff-bound Hardee.
The test, we know now, came against Lake Wales. And that game, we know now, ultimately changed the complexion of their season. Three Blue Streaks were ejected after a brief on-field skirmish. Sebring eventually lost, 28-3, a final score inflated by two late Lake Wales touchdowns.
The news got worse: The FHSSA ruled that 19 Sebring players had stepped onto the field — most acting instinctually to aid a fallen teammate — and were promptly suspended for the following game, against Winter Haven, another matchup that would go a long way in determining this year’s two district representatives.
And, perhaps not unexpectedly, Sebring lost 13-0, while playing with only 19 guys in uniform. Their playoffs hopes were dashed.
Reflecting upon the season last Friday, after his players drenched him with an ice water shower, Sebring coach Jared Hamlin said: “This is kind of the coulda, woulda, shoulda season. Things didn’t go right in a couple of instances for us but that’s the things you learn from and that’s the life lessons in this game that you preach every day.”
A sobering lesson, surely. And Sebring responded in fitting fashion, in a manner befitting a playoff team: by winning five straight games (including a victory over rival Avon Park), allowing three total touchdowns and leaving many players to wonder whether this season was destined for more.
Said Daniel Burnett, the senior tailback: “We had little missteps but if I had one more chance, I’d want to play all three of them on this field.”
In shambles after last year’s 2-8 season, his first at the helm, Avon Park coach Andy Bonjokian inspired the masses — at least temporarily — during a 3-7 season. He also stumbled upon a star quarterback-in-waiting.
Too bad it came during the most unforgiving stretch of the season.
Hardee. Fort Meade. Lake Highland Prep. Tampa Catholic. They all awaited Teddy Allen, the Red Devils’ most dynamic player, who was thrust behind center when incumbent starter Tekovan Miller went down with a cracked rib. The results were forgettable — they lost six straight to close the season — but the message was enduring.
“Teddy showed why he’s going to be playing on Saturdays next year,” Bonjokian said.
And in the most extreme case of all, Lake Placid turned back the clock — all the way back to the 1970s, no less — and recorded its first winning season since 1998. The turnaround wasn’t complete until the Green Dragons’ 41-6 demolition of Lemon Bay, an apt conclusion to a season that stunned nearly everyone — except the head coach, Jason Holden.
“I’m so proud of these guys,” he said after, “because they were able to accomplish something that hasn’t been done in a long time.”
Indeed, it was only Lake Placid’s fourth winning season since the 1972 — 37 years of futility! — and this one may have been the grandest of all.
When fall camp began, Holden needed to find leadership. He needed to find a defense that didn’t fold when faced with adversity. He needed to find a new quarterback.
It took some time — the Green Dragons didn’t win back-to-back games until Oct. 23, after Holden scheduled two polished teams to start — but the finished product left little to question.
“I’m so happy to finish my high school career with a game like this that I don’t want to take my jersey off,” fullback Navahri Holden said in the aftermath of last week’s emotional win. “When I come back for my 10-year reunion we’ll be talking about this night and the season we put together.”
Here’s thinking they’ll have put together another winning season by then.
Sickles playoff excitement was tempered a bit on Wednesday when the team learned they would be without starting quarterback John Melvin Hendrick.
Hendrick had surgery to repair a wrist injury he sustained in the Gryphons regular-season finale game against Armwood last week. Surgeons repaired a dislocated growth plate and a radial fracture in his non-throwing hand, Sickles coach Pat O’Brien said.
“He’ll be in a cast for six weeks and then he’ll have to rehab it afterwards,” O’Brien said. “They wanted to make sure the growth plate was handled properly because he is still growing.”
Starting linebacker and the Gryphons leadind tackler Scott O’Donoghue will start in Hendrick’s place.
“He’ll be playing Superman,” O’Brien said. “We had him playing both ways against Wharton, so he has an idea of what it will be like.”
Jeff Wilton has also been taking snaps at practice this week and will be used if O’Donoghue needs to take a rest, O’Brien said. Hillsborough County’s leading rusher Cary White also could help out on the defensive side of the ball if needed.
Tampa Prep continued its undefeated start to the season on Wednesday night, but the manner of the Terrapins 4-3 victory against Jesuit left Coach Doug Smith a little concerned.
“Frankly, we got the win, but I don’t think we played as well as we could play,” Smith said. “I don’t think we controlled the ball like we are capable of doing. We were one-dimensional, going too much over the top, we needed to play more to feet, keep the ball, keep our composure.”
While Smith may have thought the Terrapins play was one-dimensional, the counter-punching style they were able to utilize paid off for them against the Tigers. Using the speed of front men Wes Sever and Jesuit transfer Burrell Aaron effectively, Sever and Twain Glaser both found the net to give the Terrapins a 2-0 halftime lead.
“We were fortunate to get a counter or two, and get a couple of goals,” Smith said. “By no means were we dominating the game when we scored our first two goals, and then I think the game opened up a bit.”
The Terrapins (3-0) added a third early in the second half, but then lost senior center back Travis Simmons after a nasty clash of heads with Jesuit’s Trevor Adams left both players dazed, and unable to continue. Simmons absence, and the loss of defensive midfielder Brandon Weisz to injury that followed it, disrupted the Terrapins at the back. All three of the Tigers goals came after Simmons left the game, an indicator of how important his quick recovery will be for the Terps.
Tampa Prep’s Anthony Baumann scored on a low shot off a free kick from the left corner of the penalty area to make the score 4-1, seemingly putting the game out of reach, but the Tigers were able to pull within a goal late, an injury time penalty giving them hope of pulling out a tie. That disappointed Smith, but he felt that the side would learn from what was their first true test this season.
“I still think as far as the flow of play, we could have done a lot better,” Smith said. “I don’t think, frankly, our guys had been used to that thus far in the season, where they had no time on the ball, and I thought Jesuit, to their credit, did a good job.”
University of South Florida junior RG Zach Hermann will miss his second consecutive game with a neck injury, and could be out significantly longer, Coach Jim Leavitt said.
“It could be, yeah,” Leavitt said. “This is the second game already. That’s not something that’s casual.”
Hermann missed last week’s game at Rutgers after starting the first eight games of the season. Junior RT Jake Sims moved inside to Hermann’s spot against the Scarlet Knights and freshman Mark Popek started at right tackle.
Wide receiver Carlton Mitchell, DT Aaron Harris, DE Jason Pierre-Paul and LB Chris Robinson are also trying to fight through various injuries.
“They’re all getting there. All of them practiced in a limited way,” Leavitt said. “They’re all going to play, but the one that might not is Mitchell. … Chris is ready to go. Pierre-Paul is ready to go. (Harris) is going to be OK. He’ll play.”
IN HINDSIGHT: RB Jamar Taylor’s sore knee is not getting better, and it looks like his contributions for the remainder of the season could be minimal. Taylor looked like he was heading for a medical redshirt after injuring his knee in preseason camp, but has played sparingly in the past three games.
“I feel bad about it because I don’t have a crystal ball,” Leavitt said. “If I would’ve known that it would’ve been re-aggravated like this, I wouldn’t have played him. So that’s on me. You have to make a decision. He was running around looking like a million bucks and he ran hard in the Pittsburgh game.”
ODDS AND ENDS: USF’s regular-season finale at Connecticut Dec. 5 will kick off at 8 p.m. and be televised by ESPN2. … Leavitt was undecided whether Faron Hornes will remain as punt return after muffing a punt against Rutgers. Leavitt said Patrick Richardson, Theo Wilson, Lindsey Lamar and Nate Allen have been getting looks there this week.
Jefferson football player Andre Davis has been invited to participate in combines for two national all-star games, Dragons coach Mike Fenton said.
Davis, a junior wide receiver, has been invited to combines for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and Under Armour All-America Game. Both nationally-televised all-star games will be played in January; the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio on Jan. 9, and the Under Armour All-America Game in St. Petersburg on Jan. 2. The combines, reserved for the nation’s top underclassmen, will be held in the days leading up to the games.
Davis, who has emerged as one of the top offensive playmakers in Hillsborough County, has 56 receptions for 1,017 yards and a county-best 17 touchdown receptions this season.
The past few days have been pretty good for Cambridge Christian baseball player Peter Miller.
Miller, a senior, has picked up a pair of offers from Division II programs Tampa and Saint Leo, according to Lancers coach Rick Shears.
Miller was one of the Cambridge Christian’s top offensive forces last season. He hit .387 with six doubles, five triples, two home runs and 29 RBIs as a junior, helping the Lancers make a second consecutive trip to the Class 1A state title game. It’s been Miller’s work on the mound, however, that has garnered all the attention.
While Miller threw just four innings last season, Shears said Miller has done well pitching during the fall season and has been clocked in the upper-80/low-90 range.
Durant senior baseball player Cameron Ellis has verbally committed to Southeastern University.
Ellis, a left-handed pitcher, also considered Marshall, Palm Beach Atlantic, Maryville and Belleview. He said he chose the Fire, an NAIA program located in Lakeland, because of the rapport he built with Southeastern players during a campus visit.
“The guys there were great,” Ellis said. “They were more interested in me as a player and as a person. They welcomed me with open arms.”
Trapped behind a plethora of senior pitchers last season, Ellis logged just 26 2/3 innings on the mound as a junior. He went 2-2 with a 3.94 ERA, striking out 27.
Ellis said he had a good summer playing for the Bullets Baseball 18-under squad, and he expects to be a heavy contributor on the mound for the Cougars this season.
The Big East Conference announced today that USF’s final regular-season game at Connectcut on Dec. 5 will start at 8 p.m. on ESPN2.
While the Bulls finish the season at UConn, the ACC Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium will kick off opposite the USF-Connecticut game at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
Meanwhile, this week’s USF-Louisville game kicks off at noon at RJS. To watch the game live, you’ll have to tune in to Bright House Sports Network in the Tampa Bay market.
The local ABC affiliate, WFTS Ch. 28, is showing the Michigan-Ohio State game live in the noon slot. However, at the request of USF’s administration, the station is showing a replay of the USF-Louisville game late Saturday night following the late local news.
As for USF’s only other regular-season game remaining—Oct. 28 at home against Miami—that game will be shown live on ABC starting at 3:30.
There you go Bulls fans—you can now plan out your next three Saturdays.
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