Captains Corner, Rob Gorta

The Tampa Bay Times

The strong new moon phase on the eleventh will push major water out of the bay on the low tides, exposing every sand bar at the edge of every flat. I use this to my advantage, looking for cuts in the outer sandbars.  Redfish and trout have no choice but to use these cuts on extreme low tides as their passage in and off the flats. Neoprene waders are a must to target fish on these very low tides because water temperatures can get below 70 degrees.  These will keep you warm while wading in the shallows.  Wading boots are important to keep the stingrays from stinging you if you happen to step on one. Another important item is a wading belt.  It will allow you to carry an extra rod, a small tackle box, and most importantly, keep water from entering the waders if you slip or fall.  I like to wear a breathable jacket, which will allow sweat to escape from all the vigorous wading.  I prefer a 7-foot rod and a 3000 series reel loaded with 10-pound braided line. It is a light combo that will not wear me out while wading.  The light braid allows you to make long casts with the wind and cover more area when blind casting. A long six-foot twenty-pound camouflage leader will keep reds from seeing the braided line in the clear water.  A red quarter ounce jig rigged with a root beer colored tail is hard to beat.  It imitates a small crustacean, the favorite food of trout and redfish.

Captain Rob Gorta

727-647-7606

Fishingstpetersburg.com