Stable weather has produced a lot of good fishing in north Pinellas county. The trout bite is still hot and bait is starting to show up. It hasn’t been consistent yet so moving around from spot to spot can produce at least enough to fish with. Sometimes, live shrimp will produce the best number of bites throughout the day. Every year in the cooler months the fish start to focus more on crustaceans like shrimp and less on chasing quicker baits such as pinfish and sardines. So while cold fronts are still approaching, shrimp might be a better choice in cooler waters. Trout are responding to shrimp either freelined along the deeper edges or under a float in shallower waters. Once your shrimp is picked on by the small predator, it’s best to change to a whole bait. Trout are finicky and prefer whole shrimp. Redfish are beginning to school a bit. Locating schools of mullet is always a good method for finding redfish. On a recent trip, I moved along with quietly with school of mullet until I could identify larger swirls and actual trails of mud being kicked up by the tails of redfish. Once in an area with the evidence, we laid out a few pinfish and some shrimp and had bites immediately. Sometimes making a school pick up and move can be the only way to actually identify their location. But after they’ve been spooked, it can be harder to get bites. Sometimes leaving the flat and returning an hour or two later can produce more hook ups.
- The Neil Blog - March 23, 2024
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- Nature Coast:William Toney - December 12, 2021
