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Captain's Corner: Trout fishing remains reliable

 
Published Feb. 14, 2017

Trout fishing has been the most reliable target this last month. I have been targeting the larger "gator" trout in shallow water. The low tides have been occurring first thing in the morning. I watch the tidal level rise and use oyster beds as a reference. When the water gets halfway up the oyster bed, I work my way on the flat to the area where mullet are jumping. I like to use the largest bait possible to catch bigger fish. Trout cannot resist a large scaled sardine. When the large trout stop biting, I move and target numbers of fish. I look for deep grass in 3 to 4 feet of water. I start on the upwind edge of the flat and start my drift. Wind will help you work the area. If your drift is too fast, deploy a sea anchor, which is just a small parachute to provide resistance in the water. This will slow you down and allow you to work the area more effectively. If you have a productive drift, then use your GPS track to arrange another drift in the same area. I use my sonar to locate bait in deep, cooler water around eddies of bridge pilings. I throw my 12-foot cast net upcurrent and let it sink to the bottom to trap the bait in the net. The larger scaled sardines are usually found in deeper water.

Rob Gorta charters out of St. Petersburg. Call him at (727) 647-7606 or visit captainrobgorta.com.