Captain’s Corner: Rob Gorta

The Tampa Bay Times

Cold front coming through this week has dropped the water temperature into the higher sixties. Small schools of redfish around the Pinellas Point area continue to hold fish despite the weather pattern. Bright blue skies after the front help in locating these reds much easier. Redfish schools are constantly moving, so I check my known spots, if I don’t find any, I will concentrate on trout. Smaller trout can be found on the edges of grass flats. Larger trout have been nonexistent in the shallow flats this fall. This time of year can be tough to locate scaled sardines, also known as whitebait.  Sardines will move offshore into deeper water to find more stable water temperatures.  I have been able to keep up on the location and movement, being able to fill the well every time I take a charter.  I start before sunrise and throw my 12-foot ¼ inch mesh cast net under the brightest bridge light I can find.   I do not even attempt to get bait if these cold fronts are producing winds over fifteen knots.  It is too dangerous around the bridges to try throwing a cast net in heavy seas. If you cannot find bait, Jigs have been producing big numbers of smaller trout and ladyfish, with an occasional flounder mixed in the catch.   A red quarter ounce jig rigged with a white soft plastic tail is my favorite alternative to bait.  I use super glue to attach the tail the jighead.  This will help keep the tail on longer to help catch a few more fish.  Let the jig sink to the bottom, then snap the jig up.  This will imitate shrimp moving along the bottom.

Captain Rob Gorta

727-647-7606

www.fishingstpetersburg.com