As the weather in Clearwater keeps fluctuating, fishing has become more of a challenge here lately.
Targeting Trout:
Trout are still feeding, but the trend has had them consistently moving with the warm waters on the flats. Most of the fish have been scattered, but are of all different sizes. On a recent fishing day we encountered fish ranging from 17 to 22 inches and the next lots of smaller speckled trout.
Locating and getting on the Trout:
It seems that the preferred depth has been 3 to 5 feet on Clearwater flats with big pot holes in them.
Best bait for these scattered Trout:
Having a few different artificials and of course live shrimp as well as small pinfish and grunts will help you locate the trout.
Redfish:
Redfish are on the flats, but the tide and area have been crucial to success.
Baiting for Redfish:
Live shrimp and small pinfish and grass grunts are working well. On the extreme low tides tailing redfish the best bait has been a Zara Spook Jr either in the red fish pattern or bone and Chrome and is out producing live shrimp or soft Plastics for these bruisers.
Hopefully the weather will change and cool the above normal temperatures for the Clearwater area, clearwater flats fishing, from Clearwater to Tarpon Springs.