As the weather keeps fluctuating, fishing around the Indian Rocks Beach and Clearwater inshore waterways has been more challenging then normal. Here’s some tips and tricks to help you get on the fish as move through February and into March.
Get on the Trout
Where to find the Trout
Trout are still feeding, but the trend has been taking two days of east winds to gather these fish back into bunches. Most of the fish have been scattered, but are of good quality.
Recent Trout Sizes
We have been encountering Trout ranging from 17 to 22 inches.
Targeting Trout at Depth
It seems that the preferred depth for hooking these fish has been 3 to 5 feet of grass flats with big pot holes in them.
Current Bait to Hook Trout
Drifting live shrimp underneath a popping cork, and/or Cajun Thunder has made a big difference.
Bonus Trout Tip
If you can get that second day with the east winds, the Trout will move up on the flats to deeper pot holes.
Redfish Tips
Redfish are on the flats, but the tide and area has been crucial. Live shrimp and small pinfish cut ladyfish are working best these bruisers.
Sheepshead
Sheepshead have been spotty as of recent weeks here in the Clearwater inshore waterways. Live shrimp, mud crabs, or fiddler crabs have worked well. High water in the mid morning or early afternoon has been the most successful.
Chumming Sardines Signal Great Fishing Forecasted on the Flats for March
Hopefully the weather will break and get things back to normal, in order for you to enjoy a nice day out on the flats, as the water has started to warm and moving into March we are getting plenty of scaled sardines chumming on the flats which is a great sign spring is around the corner.
Indian Rocks beach fishing yields big Cobia hooked on the inshore flats
Be on the lookout for Cobia as they should start showing up in the next couple weeks
Clearwater to Tarpon Springs. And Indian rocks beach
Thanks, Capt’ Craig Lahr