Keaton Beach

Keaton Beach
Tom Windram of Port Charlotte, Florida with a nice red, taken on an Assassin Croaker Shad pattern 5 inch Shad.

This milder than usual (but certainly not Global Warming) winter so far should have the trout and reds biting like crazy, come March. We had been holding Gulf water temps around 58 to 63 degrees over the last few weeks, with an occasional dip down around 55 degrees, mostly warmer than usual.

The pinfish are out and aggressive on the flats, hitting anglers’ plugs fishing this week. If the bait is there, the trout are there, but they will need the water temperatures to hold 60 degrees overnight for a week, before things really take off.

Keaton Beach
Martin Shine of Tampa with a good red taken on an Assassin “Hammertime” pattern 5 inch Shad.

MirrOlure’s suspending baits: Soft-Dines, Paul Brown Devils, MirrOdines and Catch 2000’s will all take nice trout and reds in March, as will lipped-jerkbaits like Bite-A-Bait fighters, Cordell Redfins, Bomber Long A’s and MirrOlips. TIP: Use the suspending baits in water temps from 58 to 63 degrees and the floater-diver lipped baits in waters 63 degrees-plus. Remember to fish s-l-o-w-l-y, as March fish are just beginning to warm up, as early Spring comes around.

Try the NEW Assassin Salty Snacks, rigged un-weighted on the Eagle Claw 5/0 Trokar Magworm hook, provided in the package. Comes in 8 exciting colors. TIP: Toss it out, let it settle to the bottom; then twitch it twice and let it settle again then twitch it once. Repeat as necessary. I can feel the subtle strikes on these style baits ’cause I use TrikFish Copolymer X-Rated line, which is virtually invisible and yet tough, with a smaller diameter than monofilament of the same line test; and as it is a copolymer, abrasion resistant with very low stretch.

Hey, if all else fails, we will be drowning some live shrimp under Back Bay Thunders in March and live pinfish, if it is as warm as I suppose it may be, considering the current trends. My azalea started blooming January 18th and is just about done?

Contact me early to secure your springtime trip.

Let’s Go Fishing!

Pat McGriff dba One More Cast guide service for 26 years!
www.onemorecast.net
850.838.7541