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Captain's corner

By BRENT GASKILL

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 24, 2001

The speckled trout fishery is a staple for Tampa Bay anglers. In good weather or bad, rain or shine, trout provide consistent action. They aren't as finicky as other species, and they are excellent to eat.

Many are caught on live baits -- shrimp, pinfish and scaled sardines -- but artificial lures often outfish live baits. Trout readily take plugs, spoons, jigs and flies, and the imitations allow an angler to cover a larger area. Even though trout hit just about any lure, there are a few features proven to catch more fish. A silver flash from a shiny plug or the wobble of a spoon will elicit a strike. The addition of a rattle helps fish find the lure, and impregnated scent may convince them to eat. Different colors such as red, white, root beer or chartreuse turn them on and spark a bite. Surface splashes, pops and chugs draw trout from a distance. Jigs are the most popular artificial for trout in our area. They are versatile and fit most of the favorable qualities of a lure. The bad weather this week shut down most fishing except trout. Armed with light spinning rods and jigs, we looked for protected waters and kept several trout, releasing many more. Grass flats were productive for shallow-water boats, and anchoring on the edge worked for larger boats. Live baits produced some strikes, but artificial lures accounted for the best trout.

- Capt. Brent Gaskill charters the Summer Vacation out of St. Petersburg and can be reached at (727) 867-1751 or by e-mail at gaskill@tampabay.rr.com.

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