Outdoors

Captain's Corner

By ED WALKER, Times Correspondent
Published January 27, 2008

What's hot: Cold, blustery weather has made fishing a challenge recently. Getting offshore has been difficult, and when the winds are moderate, heavy fog blankets the chilly Gulf. The most reliable action has been on the flats.

Tactics: Foggy or even rainy daysare good for light-sensitive speckled trout. In 1-3 feet, cast noisy topwater plugs. The big yellow-mouths will be less spooked and blast a lure like a largemouth bass. Once the sky clears, the surface action ends abruptly. Then it is time to work soft, plastic subsurface jerkbaits in the same areas. The subtle action of these lures will allow you to continue catching the big specks.

Redfish in shallow water also bite better.Gold spoons used to be the primary redfish lures for blind-casting the grass flats, but modern technology has yielded scented, soft, plastic baits. Rigged weedless on a weighted worm hook, these miracle lures will catch reds that will not bite anything else. They even outfish live bait on occasion.

Ed Walker charters out of Tarpon Springs. Call 727 944-3474 or e-mail info@lighttacklecharters.com.

[Last modified January 26, 2008, 17:53:27]