Monday and Tuesday morning were good days to fish this week, and then it’s going to get cold again. When is this weather going to break?

Trout fishing on the flats south of the Little Manatee River is starting to pick up as the water temperature begins to rise. It looks like that will be set back for another week after looking at the most recent weather forecast.

I’ve had some reports of big trout being caught in on the six-foot line outside of Mag’s Hole, about a mile south of the mouth of the Little Manatee River. There are also some redfish in the same area, but no one I’ve spoken with has been able to catch any. I expect the trick to hooking up is to fish late in the afternoon on a sunny day. They should begin to feed before sundown when the water temperature is at its peak.

I have been catching flounder in the same area using weighted jerkbaits and pompano jigs. I like to look for flounder on top of the sandbars at low tide and catch most of them blind casting. I’m seeing more flounder this year than I ever have and that’s a good thing because they are certainly among the best eating fish we catch here.

Not far behind flounder is the sheepshead, which also get a lot bigger and fight a lot harder. They are currently spawning in the middle of the bay. Best time to fish for them is on a slack tide using just enough weight to take the bait to the bottom. Small sharp hooks are a must because of the way they pick at a bait instead of gulping it. If you can set the hook as soon as you feel the tap, you’ve got a good chance at hooking up. The Bahia Beach reef and the reef at Port Manatee attract lots of sheepshead in winter.

For more information visit the captain’s website at Tampabayfishingguide.com, or phone him at 813 830 8890.