Search For Grouper Without Breaking Bank

By FRANK SARGEANT The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 7, 2008

For all of us feeling the bite of gasoline prices, feeling the bite of a grouper on the line is becoming an increasingly rare experience. Most of these critters, at least those of keeper size, live many miles from shore. Buying the fuel for the long ride out and back has become prohibitive for many anglers.

But there are two pleasant options for anglers along the central west coast of the state.

One is simply to stay right here in Tampa Bay and troll the shipping channels, where grouper find a 40-foot ledge that runs for many miles, all within site of the two metro areas.

Another is to investigate the vast rock shelf that begins north of the Pithlachascotee River and runs all the way into the Big Bend area off Horseshoe Beach. Each spring, this area draws keeper gags to water as shallow as six feet, and many are caught inside the 20-foot contour.

Trolling Tampa Bay is pretty much a slam-dunk, thanks to Vance Tice, owner of Tightlines Tackle in Tampa, who has perfected the science and taught hundreds of anglers exactly how it's done. Despite plenty of pressure, "The Ditch" continues to produce big gags year after year; it's a matter of pulling a big jig, spoon or diving plug behind a downrigger, right along the wall of the cut.

Fishing the shallows farther north is a bit more challenging, though it becomes easy when you've been at it for decades, as have captains Jim Bradley and Eric Coppin, who fish out of Weeki Wachee.

In this area, hundreds of square miles of rock bottom are available, and all of it is grouper territory at times. In fact, captain Mike Locklear of Homosassa occasionally finds a good topwater bite here. He pulls up to rocks just a few feet beneath the surface and his anglers fire big, noisy chuggers or floater divers at the structure. Though gags are known as bottom feeders, they come zipping up to blast the surface lures.

Bradley and Coppin typically fish farther out, but not much farther. So long as the water temperature is in the low- to mid-70s, they catch lunkers in water less than 20 feet deep. Of course, because of the gentle incline of the bottom here, 20 feet of water might be eight to 15 miles offshore or more, but that sure beats 40 to 80 miles, which is a common run for anglers after grouper from Clearwater southward.

Finding fishy reefs takes time, to be sure, but the big advantage in the shallows is that you can actually see the reefs. On a calm, sunny day, the reef structure shows up as darker green, and this can be seen at least to 15 feet, often much farther.

Best way for new visitors to find fish concentrations, though, is to tow a big diving plug such as a Mann's Plus 25, putting out enough line so the lure runs just a few feet off bottom. In some areas, the Plus 25 might go too deep; a MirrOlure 113 or other diver will suffice.

Once a fish is hooked, a marker buoy goes over the side and the boat returns to anchor uptide of the spot. The anglers then rig with live threadfins, sardines or pinfish, and flip their baits back to the reef. If the boat positioning has been accurate, the bite is usually immediate, and can be devastating. A 20-pound gag on a short line can put a very big man on his knees.

Though the water is shallow, it takes stout gear to successfully pull the fish away from the rocks; 60-pound tackle and up is the best bet. Most anglers use 7/0 extra strong hooks, 80-pound-test leader and egg sinkers of 2 ounces or so.

For details on fishing grouper in Tampa Bay, contact Tice at (813) 932-4721. For Bayport/Weeki Wachee, contact Bradley and Coppin at (352) 596-5639. For Homosassa, contact Locklear at (352) 628-4207.

ETC.: Larry Mastry joins captain Mel Berman of WFLA, 970 AM, for a kingfish/tarpon clinic tonight at 7 at Toyota of Tampa Bay, 1101 E. Fletcher Ave. in Tampa. Call (866) 438-8696. … IGFA record-holder Rick Redd presents a tarpon seminar at Tampa Bay Fly Fishing Club tonight at 6 at Compton Park Rec Center in Tampa Palms. The public is welcome; www.tbffc

.org. … The Tampa Bay 100 chapter of Ducks Unlimited holds its annual fundraiser today beginning at 5:30 p.m. at A La Carte Pavilion in Tampa. Sporting arms, guided trips and hunting gear will be auctioned; mmezrah@

earthlink.net. … The Johnny Ferlita Memorial Fishing Tournament to benefit pediatric cancer is Friday and Saturday out of the Bay Club, 6001 West Shore Blvd. in Tampa. The entry fee is $200; (813) 269-0955 or www.pcf

usa.org. … South Pasco Bassmasters hosts an open tournament Saturday at Lake Tarpon out of Anderson Park. Non-members are welcome; www.southpasco

bassmasters.com.