Activity is about to return

Severe rain, wind and low night temperatures have temporarily slowed area action.

Before the Christmas eve front, the fishing had been pretty good.

Massive schools of large trout had begun to show on the flats and spoils off south Pasco and the northern most tips of Pinellas County. The red fishing also was productive for anglers who could get in shallow.

The good news is both these options should return after a couple days of mild weather and the water clears. Reds have been mixed in with schools of mullet that have escaped the nets. These fish have been in quite shallow water feeding primarily on shrimp and other crustaceans the mullet are stirring. Poling in low profile skiffs or wading are ideal approaches. If neither of these options are at your disposal, try anchoring in an area where you can see mullet jumping. Odds are the redfish will be in the mix.

Once you have anchored up, fan out baits in the direction of the mullet. In this situation, dead baits are the most productive because the scent will attract the fish from a greater distance.

Cold-water temperatures have the reds behaving lethargically, and they usually are not as apt to chase down an artificial offering.

Cut mullet seems to work well due to its durability and smell. A jumbo shrimp also is an excellent selection. Try ripping off the back of its tail to get a little scent in the water.

Another trick is to dead-chum the area.

By throwing a few pieces of mullet, shrimp or whichever bait you select, you can bring the fish in from a greater distance.

Since the water is quite cold, fish will take longer to respond. Bites will be fewer, but the strikes will be well worth the wait.

Permit and pompano are prevalent on the flats, especially near the warm-water outflow by Anclote Powerplant. The most productive lure for catching them seems to be small soft jigs, the smaller the better.

Cast the jig up current and retrieve it back with short, sharp twitches. The best chance for success seems to be early in the morning.

Offshore, the grouper fishing has been excellent. Though not much variety exists, the fish have been feeding well in about 60 feet of water.

Dead baits have been the most productive, as the grouper are a bit lethargic and don't seem to want to work for their food.

Dead sardines left sitting on the bottom or a piece of fresh-cut bait have produced good results.

One trick with a dead sardine is to rip the tail off before you send it down. Sometimes the extra bit of scent will make the difference in getting a bite.

If you decide to use cut bait, the head portion always seems to be the best half.

After some harsh days this past week, the grouper seem especially eager to participate. Go out in confidence to spots knowing that they have not been fished in recent days.

This time of year can be tough for the fishing enthusiast. The challenge, however, makes success all the more rewarding.

Capt. Pete Katsarelis charters out of Tarpon Springs and can be reached at (727) 439-3474 or by e-mail at inshoreadventure@aol.com.

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