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Captain's corner

By GARY FOLDEN

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 15, 2001

March can be a fickle month of lovely, calm days followed by blustery conditions that seem to last forever. Fishing offshore can be frustrating.

The Gulf of Mexico has been stingy this winter, offering few grouper, so offshore fishermen have been anticipating the spring run of king mackerel. This, though, has been stymied by windy conditions.

The inshore scene remains constant. Trout fishing has been most productive, especially in water 5- to 10-feet deep. Good water clarity and live shrimp can fire off some of the best spring action available.

One thing is certain in March. Sheepshead. They will bite in dirty water and temperature changes have little effect on their feeding habits. They are spawning this month and are more aggressive toward shrimp than at any other time of year. A great fight on light tackle, they average 2 to 5 pounds. The Florida record is more than 15 and the world record more than 21. A sheepshead that large would probable be the size of a large trash can lid.

- Gary Folden charters the Strike Zone out of Clearwater Municipal Marina. Call (727) 585-8544

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