Sheepshead And Snapper Spawning Offshore

Fishing Report 03/09/2009 – Capt. Terry Frankford

Inshore fishing has been a little tough the last couple of weeks mostly do to cold fronts, and windy conditions. Anglers aboard the Reelin & Chillin worked hard, and did manage redfish, pompano, sheepshead, and trout - great for the table. Ladyfish, bluefish, and spanish mackerel also tightened lines for some great light tackle action. The big catches happened on the morning offshore trips when the winds were low. Anglers put big spawning sheepshead, mangrove snapper, and white grunts in the live well.

A few fish tail enjoyed aboard the Reelin & Chillin:

Inshore
Jon McCubbin with daughters Allison, Emmy, and girlfriend Suzi Gamage had a great inshore trip catching six trout in the slot along with Suzi adding a nice pompano to the box. Jon had a great battle with an over the limit redfish at twenty-eight inches.

A windy day just after a cold front seemed like doom and gloom for anglers from the Lakewood Ranch Anglers Club. Joe Dovener, Peter Paris, Yohan Gastaldi, and Rick Freyman headed out on this cold morning. Most likely thinking it was going to be not much more than a boat ride. Well as luck would have it we did find a couple spots that produced fish. Ending up with three trout, and eight pompano in the box - under these conditions this made for a great day.

Offshore
Bob, Linda, Kevin dombrowski, and Jessica Ferris on an offshore trip put five sheepshead to 6lbs, six white grunts, and twenty-five mangrove snapper in the live well. We were fishing structure on an artificial reef around seven miles out of New Pass.

There were several trips that pretty much matched the above trip - Jon McCubbin, Suzi Gamage, and Jon's brother Bill did about the same as above. A little less on the mangrove snapper do to the bag limit.

Greg, and Stacy Hammer with friend Dick Trowsdale picked up five sheepshead, ten white grunts, and twenty mangrove snapper with one or two snapper in the three pound range.


Captain's Tip - Keep it Simple
Anglers can really get critical with terminal tackle especially when fishing offshore - I'm guilty myself. I remember sitting at home making leaders that included two swivels, a sinker, a few feet on fluorocarbon, and then the big hook. Well, I'm out one day catching mangrove snapper (grey snapper) and wasn't really cleaning up on them. I didn't think I was really heavy on the tackle, fifteen pound test on the reel, thirty pound test big game mono leader, and a 1/0 hook. Then for some reason I picked up one of my inshore outfits that had ten pound test on the reel - twenty pound test mono leader, and a number four Owner Circle hook. All I added was a small number four split shot sinker, and BAM - I started catching snapper, and grunts left and right. Soooo - here is how I now fish for spawning sheepshead, snapper, and grunts on the artificial reefs. A number four Owner Circle hook tied to the fifteen pound test line coming from the reel. I add a number four split shot sinker about two feet up from the hook. That's right - NO leader. If I notice nicks in the line I just cut off the bad part and retie the hook on - no time wasted messing with leaders. I can guarantee you will get more bites, and more fish - Keeping it Simple.

Tight Lines & Good Times,

Capt. Terry Frankford
Reelin & Chillin Charters Inc.
941-228-7802
terry.frankford@verizon.net
www.charterfishingsarasota.com