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By MIKE MANNING
© St. Petersburg Times, published April 25, 2001
With gulf temperatures rising and natural bait arriving, a great opportunity exists for catching an inshore slam. Redfish, snook and trout are feeding heavily because of the long winter. Look for redfish around Sand Bay and Anclote Key. The fish have beenin small pods, moving up on oyster bars with the incoming tide. Use gold spoon or topwater plugs to find the fish; use greenbacks under a float for the best results.
Snook are stacked up in their favorite springtime holes for the summer spawn. Look for them along beaches and passes, including Hurricane Pass and the pass around Anclote Key. There is plenty of trout action. The best method for trout is using live greenbacks under a float. Look for trout in 3 to 5 feet of water with grassy bottom around Howard Park and Bailey's Bluff. There also is plenty of trout action on the north sandbar at the north end of Anclote Key.
- Capt. Mike Manning charters out of Tarpon Springs and can be reached at (800) 644-5940 or by e-mail at mmmikefishing@cs.com.