Outdoors

Captain's Corner

By ED WALKER
Published December 19, 2007

Cooler water has caused changes in the patterns of shallow-water gamefish. Snook have made themselves relatively scarce but speckled trout and redfish action has been good.

Holed up: When the weather is the coldest, there are some places in north Pinellas where the spotted sea trout stack up in the deepest holes they can find. When conditions are right it is not uncommon to catch 50 or more in an hour. Dark soft plastic jigs rigged on 3/8 ounce jigheads are a top choice for plying these deep spots. My favorite is a 4- to 6-inch purple worm with a flat tail. Give the lure an upward hop or two then let it fall back to the bottom. Once you locate a pod of fish, they will almost always strike the lure as it falls.

Warming trends: As the water warms back up, the trout will return to the shallows where food is more abundant. During this shift, the biggest specks are often found in the skinniest water. When the fish are in 3 feet or less, soft plastic jerkbaits become the weapon of choice. When rigged Texas style on bent-shanked worm hooks, these lures have just the right action to entice bites from fish that are otherwise tricky to catch.

[Last modified December 18, 2007, 23:24:50]