By Seth Leto, Times Correspondent
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
March madness: Moderate temperatures and improving weather have signaled the start of spring and potentially some of the best fishing of the year. Scaled sardines have started to show up on inshore flats, and predator fish will be gorging themselves on these vast schools of baitfish. Tuesday's front will stir things up for a few days, though the bite should remain good and improve each day.
Trout: Action has been consistently good all winter, and the arrival of bait only helps. Trout can be easily chummed into a feeding bonanza. So as not to spook the fish, anchor your boat within casting distance of the school and start tossing out handfuls of live chummers. Then try casting both free-lined baits and baits rigged with a float into the school. Determine which combination works best and go with it.
Redfish: Redfish that were finicky eaters through the winter now seem to be eating most live baits. Schools of redfish can be found around oyster bars and docks, and also cruising shallow flats adjacent to deep flats on the higher tides. Be quiet when working these fish, or they will shut down once they detect your presence.
Snook: This time of year you can get on a really good bite. Snook are starting to make their way out to the flats around river mouths and residential canals. They are hungry from a long winter and are ready to eat. Fisherman lucky enough to find a school that has been untouched will be rewarded with fantastic fishing.
Seth Leto charters out of Tarpon Springs and can be reached at capt.seth@yahoo.com or (727) 385-0382.