by Eric Henson
Springtime is here! Every year is different with how late the cold fronts last. All the fish and their surroundings are going through a huge transition. As water temps heat up, grasses begin to grow, and bait begins to pour back into our bays, the grass flats will come to life. Fishermen and women will do the same, starting to shed our winter clothes and break out our warmer gear, on the search for hungry fish.
SNOOK will be pouring out the mouths of creeks and rivers. Look for them scouring the flats eating just about anything that crosses their path. This is one of my favorite times of year to throw top-water lures like the Pop Action by Monster 3X USA. There will be full blown aerial assaults on top water plugs with fish so fired up they will literally come out of the water after baits.
TROUT, our huge gator trout will start to thin out inshore but, there will be plenty of nice size trout on the grass flats. Anywhere you can find good moving water with grass flats littered with deep potholes, you find as many trout as your heart desires. Suspension baits like the new Yo-Zuri 3D inshore series twitch bait. are a great bait to cover lots of water until you locate these fish. Don’t be afraid to work these lures with fast twitches. If you don’t plan on keeping these fish, I like to put single hooks on them to help preserve their soft mouths.
REDFISH- Look for these fish to be schooled up. Sometimes you will find two to twenty of them but, don’t be surprised to run into schools over fifty of them. As much as you may want to start plugging away at them… Watch them for a little bit to see what their pattern is, and then start working them. My first bait I like to throw at them is top-water lures and then soft plastics like the Monster 3X X-MOVE. Whatever baits you decide to throw, make sure to get it out in front of them. Once they see you or your fishing line bounces off them, you will be playing cat and mouse all day!
Good luck! Be safe and respectable to your fellow anglers! There are plenty of fish in the sea for everyone! Tight Lines and Tight Knots to all! :)
Eric Henson is the owner of Casting Kayaks LLC. a guided kayak fishing company out of Sarasota Florida. He specializes in inshore light tackle or fly fishing from Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor. To book a guided fishing trip with Eric check out his website www.CastingKayaks.com or give him a call at 941-504-1349.