The Tampa Bay Times
Fishing has steadily improved over the last few weeks in North Pinellas County. Live bait has invaded many of the flats and inside the passes. ¼ inch mesh cast nets will prevent the smaller baits from getting stuck. One or two throws can easily blackout the baitwell. Redfish have moved in and are cooperating from Clearwater all the way to Tarpon Springs. Schools are forming and foraging on the flats. Low tides have concentrated several fish into potholes and ditches that line the edge of the flats, typically invisible on high tides but very evident when the tides are low. Over the years I have been able to identify particular ditches or potholes where the fish will fall out to. Sometimes the tides don’t get low enough for them to concentrate in those areas. On those days we tend to fish into mullet schools or sand holes that are visible in 3 to 4 feet of water. Chumming has really helped to get the fish boiling and chasing, giving away their location. Trout are also in full effect on the grassy flats just inside the passes. The smaller sardines are perfect for getting trout into a feeding frenzy. The action is non-stop when you have the right tidal flow and can anchor uptide, drifting baits back to the fish. Snook are on the move, transitioning towards the back country. Several small males are being caught each day along the creek mouths and mangroves on the mainshore. The bigger fish are finicky but still eating at the turn of the tides.
- Captains Corner - March 23, 2024
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