Venice Inlet and the Gulf of Mexico
Capt. Dave Pinkham
August 3, 2000
Venice - Saltwater Fishing Report
This time of year there are many different species of fish available for those who venture out on the Gulf of Mexico. With so many choices to make it can be tough deciding which type of fish to target. Usually I'll take the easy way out and let my clients make that decision for me. I prefer to give them choices, such as one option would be we could fish over a wreck or artificial reef. Barracuda are usually stacked up on these spots all summer long due to the large amount of bait this type of structure draws. Or this same man-made structure may provide for an appearance of some cobia enticed to the boat with a chum line. There would also be the possibility of hooking into some permit that decided the live crabs we were using as bait were to their liking. Sometimes spots like this are hot and the action can be fast and furious. On the other hand there are those days when between the jewfish on the bottom, and the barracuda on the top, it's difficult to get anything to the boat.
Of course we could just skip the wreck fishing and do some bottom digging for grouper and snapper, and thereby avoid some of the many line break-offs and lost fish that are unavoidable when fishing over wrecks and the artificial reefs.
Lately when all else fails, I like to turn my efforts to dropping baits to the bottom and going after some grouper. Both red and gag groupers have been making a pretty good showing anywhere from 17 to 30 miles offshore. There are several ways I locate and fish for grouper. But first before I go any farther, one way I don't fish for them is by looking for other boats that are anchored down and then pulling up on them. There's good grouper bottom all over the place. As a matter of fact, some of my best catches are often over something I've just located that day. So if you heading out, and you don't really have any good grouper holes, let me suggest that you head out about 20 miles, turn on your fish finder and start looking. With a little persistence I promise you will locate some grouper of your own.
Once you see bottom that appears to be hard consider drift fishing. This will allow you to quickly find out whether there are grouper in the area or not. I like to drift with sardines or squid bouncing along the bottom. Or you could try tipping a 4-ounce jig with a chunk of bait and bouncing this on the bottom as you drift along. Once you hit a grouper, mark the location with a marker jug. Now you can re-drift the area, or anchor over it if you choose to do so.
Please handle those fish to be released carefully, and be courteous to other anglers out on the water.
More Fishing Reports:
