Captain’s Corner: Tyson Wallerstein

The Tampa Bay Times

Cooler, crisper weather the last several days has really made it feel great on the water. As the water temperatures slowly inch their way down, fish activity goes up. Spanish mackerel, snook, trout and redfish  are great options for anglers right now.

Spanish mackerel can be found both inshore and offshore. Offshore winds have near-shore waters clean and clear making fooling the mackerel tricky at times with a live bait. Chumming the fish into a frenzy with live pilchards and casting a weighted silver spoon that can be worked much faster than a live bait is a good idea.  Otherwise, a live pilchard free-lined on a long shank hook fished on a 40 or even 30 pound fluorocarbon leader has been getting the job done.

The shallow water bite for snook, trout and redfish has been hot and should only get better as we approach the weekend new moon phase. Target the low tides both in the morning and afternoon for the best action. The lower tides have the fished bunched up along the edges of the flats as they work schools of bait that become condensed during the low tide.  The best artificial lures are topwater plugs, weed less soft plastics in natural green back colors and gold spoons. Live baiters can find all the bait they need early in the morning holding over grass flats and grass patches near the pass as well as later in the day all along the beach swash channel.

Capt. Tyson Wallerstein
Flats Monster Inshore Fishing
(727) 692-5868
capt.tyson@hotmail.com
www.Flatsmonster.com