Captain’s Corner: Tyson Wallerstein

The Tampa Bay Times

Were still in the thick of things as far as our fall baitfish season is concerned.  East winds over the next several days will help to clean the near-shore waters and stack the bait right up along the beach, and in turn attract the attention of kingfish, Spanish mackerel and a host of other schooling predators.  

Near-shore, quality sized kingfish were readily available within a few hundred yards from shore just before this last cold front came through. Schools of Spanish mackerel and jack crevalle are corralling the bait and attracting the interest of the big predators. Sending fresh caught bait such as a ladyfish or legal mackerel out under a balloon is an effective way to hook into these fish. Adding in a fresh chum block and some live pilchards for chum will only up your odds.  

 Redfish, trout, Spanish mackerel, lady fish and jacks can all be caught at the same spot right now. Low morning tides have exposes grass flat edges and condensed the fish; productive edges are typically marked by huge flocks of wading sea birds. Live baiting along these edges can call the fish from a great distance, with the abundance of bait still in the area these fish are all looking to put on as much weight as they can with leaner times ahead.  

Capt. Tyson Wallerstein
Flats Monster Inshore Fishing
(727) 692-5868
capt.tyson@hotmail.com
www.Flatsmonster.com