Sports
Breeder Reds On Verge of Breaking Loose
Capt. Jazz said the big, breeder redfish offshore are fizing to move in close, and anglers can look for them by spotting a sure sign -- diving frigatebirds.
Capt. “Jazz” of www.fishintampabay.com said redfish are beginning to stage up in preparation for their for their late-August and September new and full moon spawns.
He said any day, some of the big offshore schools will come in close.
Look for birds, particularly frigatebirds, which flock around the shores where pods of baitfish are schooling.
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“When you get two or three of those birds around, you know that those offshore schools of breeder reds are hanging close,” Jazz said. “It’s been said the reds drive the bait up. And the frigatebirds are easy to see.”
Frigatebirds are quite large with their long wings, tails and bills. The males have a red gular pouch that inflates during their breeding seasons.
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“When they start swooping down toward the surface you know there’s bait fish coming to the surface,” Jazz said. “They can be in an area of 40-by-40 yards and it’s just a huge area of redfish.”
He recommends casting a quarter-ounce DOA CAL jig with a 4-inch shad in a whitish color. If a redfish misses the bait, another will follow. On the other hand, if a redfish misses a live bait, the hook comes back empty, and no other redfish will follow the bait to the boat, Jazz said.
Capt. Jazz out of Boca Ciega can be reached for a charter at 727-409-6733.