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Fish Tales
Upping your odds
By CAPT. TYSON WALLERSTEIN
Article published on Thursday, June 21, 2007 |
Fishing is a game of odds and percentages and those who place themselves in the areas that have the most fish or the most bait increase their odds of catching fish.
This statement might be an obvious one, but the point I am trying to get across to you is, take note of what’s going on around you.
Are there mullet present? Are there any birds pecking small baitfish or crustaceans in the shallows? Are there pelicans or cormorants working the deeper part of the flat? And most importantly, is there tidal movement? From time to time even the areas that are traditionally some of the most productive spots to fish will sort of dry up depending on the time of year.
As we approach mid-summer conditions, it is imperative to search out those areas that provide good tidal flow, depth and structure. And structure is a relative term; a deep depression next to a flat can be considered structure.
Some of the most productive fishing this time of year happens around our pass jetties. These massive structures will hold all kinds of bait, making them a natural stopping point for just about any predator that swims by. Current is usually always present and fish like snook and tarpon will stage up and wait for their meals to come to them so free-lining your baits with the current makes for a deadly presentation.
Redfish also can be found working the bottom part of the water column. A good-sized pinfish or a chunk of crab weighted on the bottom makes for a pretty attractive offering.
Another thing that makes these jetties so great is that you have such a variety of creatures present that you can sort of work your way through the food chain just by changing your bait and tackle. On one cast you could feed a jig to schools of ladyfish and on the next cast you could be tossing out your freshly caught ladyfish for a big snook or maybe even a shark.
The idea is to find the life and if you’ve been out to any of the passes and seen the amount of bait along the jetties and beaches lately, you know what I’m talking about. This past week acres of small fry bait showed up and it has grabbed the attention of all. Sometimes, having all that bait around can make it difficult to get the fish to feed on anything else, but when they do it can definitely be awesome.
Until next week – GET BENT!
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, June 21, 2007
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Tampa Bay Newspapers
9911 Seminole Blvd.
Seminole, FL 33772
(727) 397-5563
Open Monday-Friday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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