Captain's Corner

By Jim Huddleston, Times Correspondent
Published February 29, 2008

---

The weather determines which locations and which hours to fish this time of year. Check the forecast before leaving the dock and chose an area by noting the wind direction and tide level. Even if the wind is out of the northeast, the fishing can be great along a shallow eastern shoreline. These areas tend to hold warmer water and increased activity as a cold front passes. The same thing applies to fishing near shore.

High tide levels are starting to hold near the 3.0 level around the stronger lunar phases. This increased water has brought larger fish onto the flats. Huge schools of black drum have pushed into some of the passes to forage on the flats during a time when crabs molt and make for easy meals. The best bait is a halved blue crab or jumbo shrimp on the bottom.

Redfish are schooling on shallow grass flats as the tide comes in. The early morning low tides have produced some great tailing fish. Tail-hook a select-sized shrimp and break off the last fan section. Redfish will pick up the smell. Higher tides also bring these fish up to the mangrove roots. Cast an 1/8-ounce pumpkin-brown bucktail artificial into the shade of the treeline.

Offshore, the steady bite has been farther out. Various grouper are being caught on head boats, as well has large vermilion snapper and yellow-eye snapper.

Nearshore reefs are holding sheepshead in the 4- to 5-pound range. Use a cooked sand flea on smaller 1/0 hooks. Cut bait has been a constant producer for sea bass along the inshore wrecks in 20 feet of water or less. Scrape some green mussels off a piling to stir up sheepshead.

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