The Tampa Bay Times
Stable temperatures have allowed fishing to be consistent over the last week. Trout have been the main target in north Pinellas County, focusing on St. Joseph Sound and Clearwater Bay. The water temperature has remained low, so live shrimp has been the preferred live bait since sardines, also called greenbacks, are hard to come by. I’ve been placing a float about 3 feet up from the hook with 20 pound leader for low visibility. Long casts are key to success, since most game fish are intimidated by boats. I will usually position my vessel so the wind is at my back during casting. Once a trout is hooked, I will place my attention towards that area, making very small adjustments with the anchor as needed to continue producing bites. Sometimes only a few feet of movement in one direction can get you back into the school of cooperating fish. A stealthy approach is extremely important. I’ll often see anglers using their outboard motors to move around. Trout are extremely sensitive to boat noise and will shut down or move well out of range when spooked. Letting the wind push you or operating a trolling motor are very good alternatives to using a loud outboard motor. Redfishing has been spotty however the higher portion of the tide has produced a few reds around oyster bars feeding on shrimp and small pinfish. On a recent trip we were able to catch a few black drum mixed in with the redfish. Black drum are a great table fair and a good alternative since many other inshore species are closed to harvesting.
- Captains Corner - March 23, 2024
- Brian Caudill - March 4, 2024
- Brian Caudill - December 5, 2023
