Captain’s Corner: Tyson Wallerstein

The Tampa Bay Times

Deep grass flats adjacent to the many spoil islands through ought the northern Pinellas inter- coastal waterway attract a variety of predatory feeders this time of year. Trout, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish and pompano can be caught on any given cast when properly free-lining a live shrimp with the tide. Windy conditions can dirty exposed areas in a hurry, finding the cleaner water will definitely put you into better fishing.

Changing weather conditions have made cast netting pilchards tough, there is still good bait around but it can be hit or miss. Live shrimp paid off huge last week, gator trout amongst a host of other species love live shrimp and the large trout synonymous for this time of year have began to show up in their usual haunts. Pompano will also track down a live shrimp, and if one is hooked there’s usually a few more around, the hard fighters like the same bottom contour as the big trout

Off the beach, gag grouper trolling has been good overall especially when the water starts to clean up a couple days after a cold front. Deep diving plugs and or a planer with a shallow diving plug or curly tail jig combination will both produce fish when trolled over live bottom. Depths of 20 to 40 feet seem to be the most productive.

Keep an eye out for any tripletail hanging out behind crab trap floats as there’s been quite a few around. Same as the grouper, just when the water cleans up an lays down after a front seems to be the best. A live shrimp under a float usually works, but have another rod rigged with a bit of weight to work a shrimp deeper incase there’s more fish hanging on the rope.

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