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Captain's Corner: Several species around

 
Tim Whitfield
Tim Whitfield
Published Dec. 11, 2013

Tip: Bait is still on the flats and if the latest front is not too harsh the bait should be right back as soon as the water warms.

What's hot: Snook are chewing well on mangrove points; the ones with deep water are holding solid fish. The better the tide flow around the point the more snook will hang out. The snook also are mingling in mullet schools along with redfish and big trout. Trout up to 25 inches have been taken on walk the dog type plugs and live pilchards.

The others: Sheepshead fishing is on the horizon; as soon as the water chills they should become more abundant on rock piles, bridge pilings, and underwater structure. The best baits are fiddler crabs and pieces of shrimp. Don't be afraid to fish right on your anchor line, they will move right on to it in the deep water. Silver trout should also appear as soon as the water cools. They were on a reef during the last cold spell but moved off as the water warmed.

Tim Whitfield can be reached at (813) 714-0889 or tim@swiftfishcharters.com.