The Tampa Bay Times

The full spring run of all species in are area is in full swing.  Whatever species you would like to target, inshore or offshore, is as good as it gets this time of year.  Small redfish schools have shown up in the flats around Pinellas point. Time on the water is the only way to effectively track the day-to-day migration of redfish schools. Find a school and follow them until they are comfortable and want to stay where they are. There are times when reds will eat anything, and other times when they are so picky, they won’t eat a thing.  Every day is a different day and if you keep following their movements, you can put a pattern together.  I have friends calling me and telling me that Kingfish is eating every bait that hits the water offshore. I normally target redfish on a day-to-day basis, but the springtime fishing allows me to mix it up and target a number of different species.  If kings are being caught offshore, then the next best thing to target is the brown bomber.  Cobia is one of the most traveled species on earth.  They can be found in every warm ocean and will swim around a floating object.  I will travel countless miles in the bay, looking at every piling, buoy, day board, and channel marker.  If cobia is around, it will be swimming on the surface right next to the structure. Every species will eat just about anything you offer.  I will stop at a bridge first thing in the morning and fill the well with as many types of bait as possible.  I will usually get pinfish, scaled sardines, threadfins, grunts, and ladyfish in the cast net.  The number one key to fishing is having everything possible to present to the fish when the opportunity rises. Captain Rob Gorta727-647-7606www.captainrobgorta.com

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