Hello, Springtime!

Capt. Billy Norris

Spring is finally here and along with it come our springtime fish!  Get the tarpon rods ready, gear up for permit, and get ready for some of the best snook fishing of the year!  This past month, we have still been in more of a wintertime fishing pattern.  This whole winter, the kingfish bite has been amazing, with fish ranging from 15-40 pounds being common catches and limiting out has been the norm.  Kingfish are large, hard-fighting pelagic fish, which once caught, make excellent table fare if cooked fresh or smoked.  Live baits like threadfins or pilchards are a go-to bait for kingfish, and larger kings will also readily take blue runners.  Ensure that you are using steel leaders however, as their teeth will make short work of any monofilament or braided line.  Trolling for kingfish with lures is also effective, although not my preferred method of fishing, as I find trolling boring.  In addition, large little tunnys, Spanish mackerel, and a variety of big sharks have kept rods bent.  Fishing live bottom made for some great snapper fishing this past month.  Mangrove snapper have started to come closer to shore, with fish ranging from 12-18 inches readily taking baits.  Mixed in with the snapper have been several nice cobia catches, as well as large barracudas.

High winds have definitely forced us into the backwater on multiple trips, but the backwater bite hasn’t disappointed either.  With the cold fronts pushing through, sheepshead and black drum have been everywhere.  Fishing oyster bars, mangrove islands, docks and passes have all produced sheepshead and drum.  Baits of choice for sheepshead are shrimp or crabs.  Use light tackle, with a small hook to ensure that they don’t rob you blind cast after cast.  Patience is the key when targeting sheepies.  The snook bite is slower, as expected for wintertime, but should start to get red hot with the arrival of spring.  Redfish and jacks have bit well, and trout have finally reappeared in our local area after being absent for nearly two years as a result of the 2018 red tide disaster.  April should provide fantastic fishing!  Tarpon will be here, and in numbers.  Check out our article on tarpon fishing in next month’s May issue of Coastal Angler Magazine!  In addition, permit will be on the wrecks, and the backwater bite will be on fire!  Spring is here, so bye-bye snowbirds, goodbye traffic, and hello great fishing!  You can contact Captain Billy of Pale Horse Fishing Charters by phone and be sure to check out our website at www.PaleHorseFishingCharters.com and follow us on Facebook for daily fishing updates!