The Tampa Bay Times

Fishing has really turned on in the north Pinellas region. Bait remains very plentiful and the snook are biting well. They are finally making their way out to the beach and around the rocks and jetties. Several large female snook have been caught this past week with a lot of the smaller males cooperating also. Sometimes heavy chumming with sardines will get them in a feeding frenzy, allowing for quick hook ups. Trout are all over the beaches now, having migrated from the backcountry and flats to the passes and same rocky areas as the snook. A small split shot will help keep the sardines down and away from birds allowing the trout to attack quickly and easily. I prefer to use a dehooking tool rather than handling every trout that we are not going to keep.  Redfish are eating on the incoming tides around the oyster bars and into the mangroves however on the falling tides they are schooling along the edges of the bars devouring pinfish. The redfish bite has been great lately and getting stronger each week. A few schools of tarpon are making their way towards. Clearwater but not enough for a reliable bite. The next couple of weeks will bring more tarpon to the north Pinellas beaches offering more opportunities to hook an elusive silver king. 

Brian Caudill
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