http://www.tampabay.com/sports/outdoors/Captain-s-Corner-Reports-of-Red-Tide-bloom-diminishing-good-news-for-anglers_172106038

There’s good news for Pinellas County anglers this week as recent Red Tide reports show a diminishing bloom, which became so intense in our local waters over the past two weeks that researchers say it essentially choked itself out. Whether the bloom can intensify again is unknown. Full-moon tides and a steady offshore wind should help the bloom move along, hopefully away from our coastline. Inshore fishing in Tampa Bay has been hit or miss the past several days. As the rain event of a few weeks ago has subsided, the shallows have warmed quickly, making it difficult to convince fish into feeding during the middle of the day. Those on the water before sunup stand the best chance of catching a few snook and maybe find that school of redfish. Calm mornings allows you to spot those roaming packs of redfish. Cast topwater plugs around the schools for explosive action. Snook fishing has been best around bridge and causeway structure on the strong part of the tide. Snook are beginning their transition to the backwaters. Bridges and surrounding rocks will hold fish through the first couple of cold fronts, then fish will push back further toward creek mouths and other winter-holding spots. Cast-netting scaled sardines remains consistent along shallow grass flats from St. Petersburg north to the Gandy Bridge. Lots of small bait has taken to the flats. As the sun rises, more of the tiny baits will enter your chum slick. Being on the flats chumming bait before sunrise makes it easier to catch more quality-sized bait.

Tyson Wallerstein runs Inshore Fishing Charters in the Clearwater/St. Petersburg area and can be reached at (727) 692-5868 and via email at flatsmonster.com.

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