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Outdoors
© St. Petersburg Times, published April 15, 2003
Fishing opportunities on the flats don't get much better than they are right now. Snook, redfish, trout, cobia and other shallow water species have rebounded from last week's cold spell and are aggressively feeding again.
Snook still can be found in local river and canal systems as well as near spoil islands and just off area beaches. With two weeks until the season closes, they probably will adjust their daytime feeding to a few optimal hours that coincide with the strongest portions of the tides. Strong water flow is a must when snook fishing. Focus on snook the first couple of hours after the tide switches. A strong outgoing after a major high tide is usually best.
The rest of the day, turn your attention to redfish and trout.
Redfish will be on oyster bars, weed patches and underneath mangroves on the high tides. Trout will fill potholes, channels and depressions on the shallow grass flats during the low. Both species will roam the flat in loose schools during the middle.
The first reports of tarpon at the Skyway bridge are trickling in.
The next week will produce some of the best fishing tides of the year because of Wednesday's full moon. Why not get out and take advantage of them along with our beautiful spring weather.
-- Capt. Pete Katsarelis charters out of Tarpon Springs and can be reached at (727) 439-3474 or by e-mail at inshoreadventure@aol.com.