Spring Break and warm weather have anglers headed to the water this weekend. Look to score mackerel, giant reds, and big trout with an increase in water temperature and white bait pouring into Tampa Bay.


Redfish are still the focus of my charters with over slot fish being caught on just about every trip. Until today, most of the redfish have been caught slow dragging shrimp & crab imitations laced with Pro-Cure but today’s trip produced seven reds on gold spoons and 3″ plastic paddle tail jigs. The warmer the water… the more aggressive the reds will become in the coming weeks.

The black drum in the lower Bay still remain a play but the pressure on them is making a guaranteed hook-up… well no guarantee anymore. My suggestion is to work the school swimming a jig with a healthy dose of Pro-Cure gel scent (shrimp).

The big trout have been better for me during the early morning low-light periods in St. Petersburg on plugs (mirro-dines & top pups) but in North Pinellas the bite is still steady all day long on the deeper flats with soft plastics and live shrimp. I also witnessed some nice speckled trout (20″-24″) cruising the flats around Lemon Bay and Gasparilla Sound in and around mullet schools in about 18″ of water.

And with the bait showing at the Skyway… the Spanish mackerel are slashing the surface of the Bay eager to eat any spoons and jigs in their path. The kingfish and tarpon will be close behind especially if the last of the cold fronts are finally over!

The next 4 to 6 weeks will offer some of the best fishing of the year so get out there and experience some of the fantastic opportunities Tampa Bay & Clearwater have to offer inshore anglers!

For more Flats Class charter info please contact me by email or cell…carichardson@flatsclass.com or 727,647.9356

Until next week… Keep’em Bent!




Capt. C.A. Richardson – Fishing Guide, Speaker and Host of Flats Class TV
727-647-9356
carichardson@flatsclass.com
http://www.captaincarichardson.com/