Winter weather conditions and extreme low tides make for prime time wade fishing conditions. With north winds and full, or new, moon low tide the flats don’t have much water on them. Flats fish like speckled trout, snook and redfish look for the deeper holes and sloughs for protection and warmth.
Finding these types of spots takes a little exploring but if you find them it usually means real good fishing.
Mark Nichols and Capt. Ed Zyak of DOA Lures joined me along the south shore of Tampa Bay this week to try some low water wade fishing and we had a spectacular day.
Using C.A.L. shad tails rigged weedless on screw lock hooks and DOA jerk baits with a 1/8 ounce chartreuse jig head we caught over 60 snook, trout and redfish in a mornings fishing. The popular colors that day seemed to be New Penny, Golden Bream and Copper Crush.
Lighted docks in residential canals have been producing well for night time anglers. Live shrimp, white bait and glass minnow flies have been catching mainly trout with a few snook and reds in the mix.
Keep a good distance from the docks and be quiet as dock fish will be real finicky if they feel your presence.
Capt. Rick Grasset reports good fishing in Sarasota Bay and close in Gulf waters. The deep grass flats near Big Sarasota Pass and across the bay to the Ringling flats have been active with trout, bluefish and flounder. Close in Gulf waters have good action on triple tails and false albacore when the water is clear.