If I didn’t know better, I’d swear there has been a tropical depression in the Gulf this past week.  I’ve had to wear foul weather gear just about everyday!  But here is the brightside… the fish have been relatively unpressured and the water has cooled down; a great bite is just waiting to happen this weekend.

Because of all the rainy weather and SW wind (super high water) on this big moon… locating fish has proved to be challenging.  We have been throwing lots of search bait lures looking for reaction bites as of late.  Weedless Aqua dream Spoons in green & black nickel have been my best producers along with 4″ glass minnows (paddle tails) on 3/16 oz. jigheads… these baits cover water fast and reds & trout gobble them up!

This is still the best time of the year to wrestle those giants reds… and it should continue right on through September.  Natural baits, arties, and even flies should be productive especially on the mid tides when the schools are out on the open flat.  If tailing reds interest you, just look for the wading birds along the flats on low incoming water and you’ll see the tails pop up.  These rooting reds are sometimes tough to get to eat because they are so focused on their mission but a well placed dark colored soft plastic with Pro-Cure gel usually gets my anglers hooked up.  Also blind casting with a slow gliding retrieve will pick up a couple of wandering satellite reds on the tailing flats… green, black, & brown colored soft baits work best.

Tarpon are still available through late summer… most of your opportunities will be in Tampa Bay (mid bay).  Threadies and big pinners are the ticket but you can stick a few poons after hours in the lights on flies & plugs.  Most fish are in the 50lb. to 80lb. class… in other words fun!

Trout albeit on the small side provide steady action along the edges of most flats in 4′ to 6′ of water.  Small greenies under a cigar float or small jigs in natural colors are crushing them right now.  The one key component you need to know is that the water has to be moving in or out… slow water means even slower bite.

A couple of the mid-bay bridges are holding some milk truck sized black drum (25# plus) if you are willing to soak 1/2 a blue crab around the fenders and pilings.  You need to match your tackle well for this type of fishing so not to kill these big boys in the summer heat… big spinners on heavier rod actions with 50# braid will get the job done.  The kids or anyone whose never caught a big fish love this summer time favorite!

That’s it for this week… for more up to the minute fishing action stay in touch with me on Facebook & Twitter!

For more Flats Class charter info… please contact me at 727.647.9356 or carichardson@flatsclass.com, flatsclasscharters@gmail.com  

Until next week… Keep’em Bent!