Go Fish for 9/23/12 by Capt. Bill Miller

Lauren Companioni and friends, fishing with Capt. Billy Miller, caught an 18 and a 22 pound kingfish along with lots of Spanish mackerel slow trolling white baits of St. Pete Beach.

Capt. George Jonah reports good dock fishing in the Pinellas Point area. Jonah likes a big threadfin or white bait cut in half and fished around the structure. A small spilt shot or a knocker rig will keep the bait in place if the tide is running hard. Big redfish and over slot snook has been the catch for Jonah and his charters.

Upper Tampa Bay fishing has been red hot for Capt. Mike Gore. If the big redfish schools can be found they will feed heavily with a few live chummers to start them up. Big snook have also been cooperating well along with slot sized speckled trout. Live white bait is the key.

Massive schools of small bait have moved in off Honeymoon and Caladesi Island and Capt. Brian Caudill has taken full advantage of it. Caudill and his parties are catching Spanish mackerel, kingfish and Bonita on artificial baits. Small spoons and pompano jigs, the size of the small baits, has been working best because they “match the hatch”.

Sarasota Bay action has been hot according the Capt. Rick Grasset. On the inside, snook trout and reds are biting well on CAL jigs and top water plugs. On the outside, mackerel, false albacore and jacks have been giving fast action to fly rod anglers casting glass minnow and Clouser flies.

Scallops are still plentiful in the Homosassa/Crystal River area. If you are going to get some, you better hurry the season ends this week on September 25.

Big trout have moved in off Chassahowitzka Point and are biting soft plastic jigs under a popping cork. Redfish are here and there says Capt. William Toney.