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Fish Tales
March winds blowing early
By CAPT. TYSON WALLERSTEIN
Article published on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008 |
It may seem hard to believe that anyone’s out there fishing considering the topsy-turvy weather situation, but in between these blows the fishing has remained good. The water temperature is just about perfect for the species of fish we should be targeting this time of year – redfish, trout, black drum and sheepshead.
When the winds aren’t too bad for open water flats fishing, the redfish have been easy to find and eager to bite. Afternoon high tides have proven much more productive than those early morning starts. As the reds follow the mullet onto the flats they can often be spooky with the shallow water. When the tide gets up a little bit they definitely feel more comfortable and will feed more aggressively.
A variety of artificial baits will work for these fish from jigs to gold spoons, but if you really want to get these fish going cut bait is key. Pinfish and mullet are readily available and work great, but really anything will work as cut bait, you can also use ladyfish, bluefish or threadfins.
Dock fishing has been reliable when the wind is too high to fish the flats. Live shrimp either free-lined or fished on the bottom will work for any predators under the dock. Finding productive docks can take many trips of trial and error. A quicker way to find a good dock is actually at night. Lighted docks that consistently hold fish at night also will hold fish during the day. Use these docks as starting points and try some of the surrounding docks, as fish are likely to spread out a little during the day.
Trout fish in our southern county remains good. Plenty of trout can be found drifting the flats in and around Fort DeSoto. Target potholes as well as channel dropoffs for highest concentrations of fish. Love’s Lures are proven fish catchers on the deep grass flats.
Keep your eye on the mackerel bite in this area as well; I received multiple reports of good mackerel action on the Fort DeSoto pier last week as well as the Skyway Piers. This is just another sign that we’re quickly approaching spring and some more spectacular fishing.
Tyson Wallerstein can be reached at capt.tyson@hotmail.com. If you have a fish picture you would like to see published in the newspaper, send it with your name and where it was caught, to: “Fish Tales,” Tampa Bay Newspapers, 9911 Seminole Blvd., Seminole, FL 33772, or e-mail it to editorial@TBNweekly.com.
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Article published on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008
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Tampa Bay Newspapers
9911 Seminole Blvd.
Seminole, FL 33772
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