Most inshore fish prefer whitebait this time of year.
Large schools of bait can be found on the edges of the grass flats that line the lower part of Tampa Bay. To locate a school, look for pelicans and terns working the dropoff of the flats. Drift that area until you see the bait flashing under the surface. A good pair of polarized glasses are necessary to see the flashing through the glare. If you can't afford an expensive model, make sure the cheaper model has amber lenses. When you locate the bait, drop anchor and start chumming with a mixture of jack mackerel and cornmeal. Throw a small handful of chum every minute until the bait starts swirling in the chum. A 1/4-inch mesh net that's 8-10 feet gets the job done without hanging smaller baits in the mesh. It usually takes four to eight casts of the net to fill the live well.
- Doug Hemmer charters out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 347-1389.
