A week of heavy east winds will make fishing in April feel like February tides without the cold. This type of wind will put limitations on what you can fish for and where it’s safe to fish. The old Big Bend stand by is trout and catching them on a fast drift across a nearshore flat can be difficult because keeping up on your retrieve on a fast moving vessel is a challenge. So if you must fish this is what I recommend. Start your drifts in a open bay like the Chassahowitzka, Homosassa, the west side of the St. Martins Keys, south of the Ft. Island Keys and around Tin Pan Gap. Use a sea anchor or drag a bucket to slow the vessel and direct your drift towards open water as not to get trapped on a shallow bar or rocky key. With this wind it will beat the bottom of your boat out if it were to happen.
The best bait to keep up with and also to maximize your effort to attract some trout is a cork rig with a jig and soft plastic about 18″ to 24″ under it. The popping of the cork will help the trout locate it in the rough conditions plus it gives the angler a visible indication when there is a strike. So of the best soft plastic colors are glow and watermelon red flake. It does look as if the wind does let of some by this weekend. Incoming high tide will be around midday this weekend.
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