Outdoors

Captain's Corner

By Jim Huddleston
Published March 20, 2007

What's hot: With windy conditions over the weekend, inshore waters have muddied up and made fish find cleaner water. Speckled trout will stage up in the cleanest water that can be found. Redfish are still going to be hunting the flats on that stronger incoming tide. The warmer water has seen more snook moving out of the back country to find post-winter food. Spring always throws some curves at anglers when it comes to the weather. Plan around the wind and which way it allows you to fish. Making long casts with the wind against an island will capture more predators than having to get too close and push the fish off before even anchoring. Higher water around oyster bars and flats will bring more gamefish.

Tactics: The dirty water will allow anglers to disguise a presentation. Darker jigs will create a silhouette, and fish will attack on a reaction bite more often. A topwater lure, such as a Mirolure She-dog or a Rapala Skitter-walk, will grab the attention of larger female trout. Their erratic noise is more important than the color in low light or dirty water.

Jim Huddleston charters out of Tampa, Palm Harbor and Clearwater and can be reached at 727 439-9017 or at jim@captainhud.com.

[Last modified March 19, 2007, 23:14:44]