Captain’s Corner: Tyson Wallerstein

The Tampa Bay Times

The tarpon migration continues along Pinellas county beaches. So far this has been an excellent first part of the season. Light east winds recently have made for ideal conditions for spotting incoming pods of fish. With the holiday weekend upon us, it would be a good idea to be sitting on your favorite stretch of beach in the dark waiting for the sun to come up.  

The tarpon have been easiest to spot in that first hour of daylight, this is the time when the fish are “happy”, often they can be seen milling and slowly drifting with the tide. A well-placed cast with a live pinfish, threadfin, scaled sardine or crab will usually draw a strike this time of day. Once the sun is a bit higher the fish don’t show as much, but are still there. Anchoring up in the same lanes where you have been spotting fish and keeping fresh baits out is a good option. Keep one rod baited and ready in case fish pop up out of you spread.  

Snook are well into their summer spawn. Schools of snook can be spotted all along our beaches right now. These big fish can be very skittish and are often pre-occupied with their spawning rituals. However, with the number of fish that are out there getting a few to bite is a real possibility. Free-lined grass grunts are the bait of choice for these fish, but a well-presented soft plastic swim bait will draw strikes as well.  

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