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March finally is here, and fantastic spring fishing is just getting started.
Before last week's brief cold snap, scaled sardines appeared on the flats from Tampa Bay to Tarpon Springs. Also known as greenbacks, whitebait or pilchards, these prolific bait fish inspire many species of inshore fish such as snook, redfish and trout to shake off their winter lethargy and start to feed.
Many who found these coveted baits last week were rewarded with great snook fishing action, including a few more than 15 pounds. These early season fish have not been subject to a great deal of fishing pressure since they emerged from their backwater wintering locations and are usually cooperative.
The spring run of cobia could start any day. Guides fishing out of Charlotte Harbor have reported good numbers cruising the flats and beaches for the past several weeks. This bodes well for area anglers because the fish are migrating north toward their summer spawning grounds. Typically the early arrivals are smaller, from 2 to 10 pounds, but as the season progresses, 40- and 50-pound fish are a possibility.
Keep an eye open for huge gulf redfish near the coast. Last week we stumbled across a big school of oversized reds as they made it past a deep grass flat near Clearwater. We hooked two as they passed but lost both after long battles on light tackle. We never saw the school again.
- Ed Walker charters out of Holiday. Call (727) 944-3474.