First of all, I must say I’m really excited to be writing here again. This year not only marks my 12th year of guiding, but also the year both of my kids are in school, with my youngest being in kindergarten and my oldest in third grade. There seems to be more free time, although time is neither free nor abundant when you are raising children and working. Which leads me into the question I’ve been asked very often over the years, “When is the best time to go fishing?” My response used to be a little specific according to the tides and weather, but let’s be honest – if you have the chance to go fishing you drop everything and go. If you had to choose a time to take off or to schedule, the next couple months would be the time.
The change in season will spark a warming trend causing various species to be more easily accessible. The most successful anglers will have a choice of bait, the first being fresh live shrimp and the second will be the scaled sardine. More commonly called by nicknames such as white bait, which is most commonly caught by cast netting. Cast netting any live bait can be often difficult to catch when the water is still cool and the visibility is very high, so a heavier 3/8 inch up to 1/2-inch mesh will be necessary. You will know if you have the right size mesh net because you will be catching bait without having their gills getting caught in the mesh. If your net is not dropping fast enough, you can find additional weights to add to the lead line at Discount Tackle in Bradenton.
Once you’ve got the live-well loaded you can concentrate on a species. Earlier in March you can still catch sheepshead and black drum fishing with shrimp, when the water is cooler. Fish your shrimp slower and lower on structure by adding a small #5 split shot on a #1 Owner Circle hook. As the water temperature rises, snook, reds and sea trout will become easier to catch free lining white bait on the warmer flats or near docks.
Captain Rachel Cato has been a fishing guide out of Palmetto since 2005. She is on the pro staff with Evinrude through Gulf Coast Marine in Port Charlotte and specializes in catching many species year-round with live bait for up to 6 anglers. To book your next fishing adventure call (941) 524-9664, go to captainrachel.com, or find her on Facebook at CaptainRachelCharters.