02-22-2008, 06:10 PM
Against four of the best guides to step on a boat in Tampa Bay, the fish never had a chance.
I was fortunate to get invited along on a family outing with two generations of famed names in Bay area angling: captain Scott Moore and son Justin, and captain Bill Miller and son Billy.
Both the scions chose to follow in their fathers' footsteps and become guides, and by all accounts both might surpass their illustrious dads in angling accomplishments. Of course, it might take a few decades to do it.
Scott Moore almost single-handedly popularized the live sardine tactic that is now the standard method of fishing the flats for thousands of west coast anglers. And Bill Miller, a famed tournament fisherman, has become one of the best-known faces in Bay area media, thanks to his highly successful Catch 47 show, "Hooked on Fishing," which airs Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m.
On a cloudy, pre-frontal morning, we met at the Tidewater Basin in Holmes Beach. The storm was supposed to arrive at 2 p.m. Catching anything in the 20-mph winds would be a challenge for most of us.
For this crew, no problem.
Plenty Of Pompano
The first stop, near the entry to Terra Ceia Bay, produced a dozen trout and more ladyfish than anybody wanted to reel in. A run up the shoreline toward Perico Harbor got us clear of the swarming ladies, and soon we found a more enticing target.
Justin's light rod bent double, and microfiber line zipped off his reel.
"Somebody heat up the grill," he said with a grin. "This is a pompano."
The delicious fish is considered the best there is on the table by many coastal anglers, and this winter there have been good numbers in area bays and passes long past the time when they normally disappear. In fact, it's almost time for the spring run to start, and the fall run never let up.
Justin's fish ate a shrimp, but a few minutes later his dad stuck the twin on a jig head with a tail made of the scented composite known as Gulp.
"Pompano are usually easier to catch with bait, but the scent in that Gulp seems to attract them, and sometimes they hit bare jigs pretty well, too," Scott Moore said. "I like anything with a chrome or gold head for them."
We also caught a half-dozen trout in that spot before Justin decided it was time to look for something else.
A half-mile up the shoreline at a mangrove creek mouth, we found a lot more to entertain us. Justin's first shot with a jig trimmed with fresh shrimp produced a big strike, and after a five-minute battle he had a snook at boatside that would have been close to the legal size if the season were open. (It's closed through February in our area.)
Quite A Variety
I caught a small snook, then a redfish on a hopping Tsunami jig. Then the Millers started scoring, with one redfish after another jumping on their jig/shrimp combinations.
We finished that spot with seven reds and three snook, then went south to the waters around Longboat Pass. Here, a fast-rising tide and lots of bait had a bit of everything moving around. In short order, we got three more pompano on jigs, several bluefish, several trout, a couple of short gag grouper and a Spanish mackerel. To say nothing of ladyfish on every other cast, of course.
"Basically, you find pompano where there's a scattering of grass and some nice sand pot holes," Justin said. "The outside of a flat or the edge of a pass is always a good area to check for them."
We finished the morning by checking out a few docks on Anna Maria Sound. Shrimp cast next to the pilings produced an assortment of flounder, reds and, once again, the ever-present ladyfish. Total elapsed time: less than four hours.
We beat the storm with ease.
Considering the productivity of the younger guides, it appears both the fishery and the anglers of Tampa Bay are in good hands for the future.
AT THE EXPO
Bill Miller and Scott Moore will be featured at the Tribune's 17th annual Outdoors Expo & Boat Show next weekend at the Florida State Fairgrounds east of Tampa.
Miller presents inshore seminars Feb. 29 at 3 p.m. and March 1-2 at 1 p.m.. Moore, joined by weatherman Rick Davis, offers a unique clinic on fishing and weather March 1 at 12:15 p.m. Miller also will be signing his new book, "Fish Smart, Catch More," throughout the show at the Catch 47 booth. The Expo includes dozens of other seminars, including fly-casting sessions by famed angler Lefty Kreh.
The Expo is open Feb. 29 from 1-8 p.m.; March 1 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; and March 2 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free Feb. 29, courtesy of Southern Ford Dealers, and $8 for adults on March 1-2.
For more information, visit TBO.com, keyword: Outdoors Expo.
I was fortunate to get invited along on a family outing with two generations of famed names in Bay area angling: captain Scott Moore and son Justin, and captain Bill Miller and son Billy.
Both the scions chose to follow in their fathers' footsteps and become guides, and by all accounts both might surpass their illustrious dads in angling accomplishments. Of course, it might take a few decades to do it.
Scott Moore almost single-handedly popularized the live sardine tactic that is now the standard method of fishing the flats for thousands of west coast anglers. And Bill Miller, a famed tournament fisherman, has become one of the best-known faces in Bay area media, thanks to his highly successful Catch 47 show, "Hooked on Fishing," which airs Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m.
On a cloudy, pre-frontal morning, we met at the Tidewater Basin in Holmes Beach. The storm was supposed to arrive at 2 p.m. Catching anything in the 20-mph winds would be a challenge for most of us.
For this crew, no problem.
Plenty Of Pompano
The first stop, near the entry to Terra Ceia Bay, produced a dozen trout and more ladyfish than anybody wanted to reel in. A run up the shoreline toward Perico Harbor got us clear of the swarming ladies, and soon we found a more enticing target.
Justin's light rod bent double, and microfiber line zipped off his reel.
"Somebody heat up the grill," he said with a grin. "This is a pompano."
The delicious fish is considered the best there is on the table by many coastal anglers, and this winter there have been good numbers in area bays and passes long past the time when they normally disappear. In fact, it's almost time for the spring run to start, and the fall run never let up.
Justin's fish ate a shrimp, but a few minutes later his dad stuck the twin on a jig head with a tail made of the scented composite known as Gulp.
"Pompano are usually easier to catch with bait, but the scent in that Gulp seems to attract them, and sometimes they hit bare jigs pretty well, too," Scott Moore said. "I like anything with a chrome or gold head for them."
We also caught a half-dozen trout in that spot before Justin decided it was time to look for something else.
A half-mile up the shoreline at a mangrove creek mouth, we found a lot more to entertain us. Justin's first shot with a jig trimmed with fresh shrimp produced a big strike, and after a five-minute battle he had a snook at boatside that would have been close to the legal size if the season were open. (It's closed through February in our area.)
Quite A Variety
I caught a small snook, then a redfish on a hopping Tsunami jig. Then the Millers started scoring, with one redfish after another jumping on their jig/shrimp combinations.
We finished that spot with seven reds and three snook, then went south to the waters around Longboat Pass. Here, a fast-rising tide and lots of bait had a bit of everything moving around. In short order, we got three more pompano on jigs, several bluefish, several trout, a couple of short gag grouper and a Spanish mackerel. To say nothing of ladyfish on every other cast, of course.
"Basically, you find pompano where there's a scattering of grass and some nice sand pot holes," Justin said. "The outside of a flat or the edge of a pass is always a good area to check for them."
We finished the morning by checking out a few docks on Anna Maria Sound. Shrimp cast next to the pilings produced an assortment of flounder, reds and, once again, the ever-present ladyfish. Total elapsed time: less than four hours.
We beat the storm with ease.
Considering the productivity of the younger guides, it appears both the fishery and the anglers of Tampa Bay are in good hands for the future.
AT THE EXPO
Bill Miller and Scott Moore will be featured at the Tribune's 17th annual Outdoors Expo & Boat Show next weekend at the Florida State Fairgrounds east of Tampa.
Miller presents inshore seminars Feb. 29 at 3 p.m. and March 1-2 at 1 p.m.. Moore, joined by weatherman Rick Davis, offers a unique clinic on fishing and weather March 1 at 12:15 p.m. Miller also will be signing his new book, "Fish Smart, Catch More," throughout the show at the Catch 47 booth. The Expo includes dozens of other seminars, including fly-casting sessions by famed angler Lefty Kreh.
The Expo is open Feb. 29 from 1-8 p.m.; March 1 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; and March 2 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free Feb. 29, courtesy of Southern Ford Dealers, and $8 for adults on March 1-2.
For more information, visit TBO.com, keyword: Outdoors Expo.