Temperature and angling opportunities are on rise

North Suncoast weather is steadily improving, and the fishing is beginning to pick up. It appears as if the long, cold winter is nearing an end.

Flats temperatures, which have been in the 50s most of the winter, have inched into the low 60s. In response to this rise, inshore species bunkered down in deeper waters should start pushing into shallow depths to feed.

Redfish and big trout have been spending their days at about 2-3 feet on the flats. With the water so clear, these fish have been somewhat difficult to approach, so be sure to have a long casting rod. Top-water plugs and weedless jigs will work well. A weedless gold spoon probably will produce the best results because its cast-ability allows the angler to cover more area.

Drift or push-poll across a likely flat, fanning casts in all directions. When you come across sandy spots or depressions, make sure to take a couple of casts. You may go a while without a bite, but don't give up.

When finding a willing participant, chances are it won't be alone. These fish probably will be somewhat concentrated, so many of the strikes will come all at once.

If good bites occur on two or three casts in a row, it probably is a good idea to set the anchor and work the area a little more thoroughly.

Remember, trout season is closed in the North Region for the remainder of the month. Using artificial lures rather than live bait will ensure you don't gut-hook a catch.

Snook are reluctant to feed in the day but seem a little more willing to cooperate at night. Free-lining shrimp on light tackle near bright dock lights has provided a few recent bites. Fishing strong outgoing tides will be the best bet.

Offshore, the grouper action has been good beyond 60 feet, and it seems to be getting better every day. As they have all winter, the fish have been responding to frozen and cut baits.

If you have a boat with the range to make it to the middle grounds, the fishing has been outstanding. The problem is that you must sacrifice a lot of fuel and time to get there.

On a recent trip to the grounds, our first drop produced a 17-pound gag grouper and the next a 15-pounder. We hooked and landed plenty more big ones throughout the day, and lost our fair share to the rocks.

Beside the great grouper activity in the middle grounds, the snapper fishing has been excellent.

Snapper bites are subtler than those of grouper, so be sure to take a few lighter tackle rods. Twenty five-pound rigs with sensitive tips and high-speed conventional reels work well.

Anglers also will want hooks smaller than those used for grouper. A strong 3/0 or 4/0 will have the best results.

For bait, small live pinfish are excellent. If you can't get any of them, a half of a frozen Spanish sardine will work. On the same outing, we used this tackle to reach the limit on big mangrove snapper -- the largest tipping the scale at 7 pounds.

All in all, in slightly more than four hours, we limited out on big snapper and caught 15 grouper, which averaged about 12 pounds apiece.

Suddenly, the 70-mile trip didn't seem so bad.

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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