Grab the Paul Brown Lures and the Z-Man Jerk Shadz and head to your favorite trout flat!  The bite has really picked up on this big warming trend… with better tides coming this weekend expect great results.  Also, schools of redfish are beginning to show up on several area flats and even a few hungry snook in the back bays.  It would seem spring has arrived in February this year!

Trout- Typically when it gets warmed up like this past week, I start throwing big top waters but with the slow tides and added angling pressure in some areas I’ve had better luck with the Z-Man Jerk Shadz (RedBone and Houdini colors) rigged on a 4/0 weghted off-set hook.  Last week we caught trout up to 26″ long with dozens caught in the 20″ to 22″ range… but I did have my best results using very long and light fluorocarbon leader (Ohero brand15lb.).  And when I say long casts, I mean 120 feet or better which requires a medium action spinning rod about 7″6″ in length (Falcon Coastal Xg) is a great choice.  Look for the big trout to be laid up in and around the sandy potholes or to stage up on the salt n’ pepper bottom in about 2 feet of water. And approach fishing zones with great stealth… charging up the flat wide open on a trolling motor will reduce your chances big time!  Simply take your time and you’ll be rewarded like my client Tony Lombardi in the picture above with a trophy catch.

Redfish- If I can get to the schools of fish around dawn they’ll chew anything I throw at them from Mirrolure XL top waters to Aqua Dream (gold) spoons but once the sun gets up high it gets a little tricky.  With more light, the reds become wary especially in shallow water; best baits at that point are the Z-Man Paddlerz (shiner color) on a 1/8 oz. jig head or the new Aqua Dream Spoon (watermelon/red).  I’ve had fantastic results with these 2 baits when the reds get finicky… again because the water is gin clear right now try long and light fuorocarbon leaders for consistent results.  Another piece of advice that will help you catch more reds is to stay away from “community holes” if you see 2 or more boats working a redfish flat, go elsewhere… you are probably just wasting your time chasing spooky fish that rarely bite!    

Snook- Try tossing the Mini-dine or the original Mirrodine at some of these guys in the back bays now.  With the water temperatures coming up quickly this week you’ll notice the snook getting active in the backcountry bays and creeks in our region.  Focus on fishing the middle third of the tide (best current) and look for good ambush points along the mangrove shorelines in the back bays… its also smart to check out a few docklights on those early starts!  Remember its still catch and release on these awesome fish so handle with care.

Sheepshead: I don’t generally attempt to target these guys on the arties but traditionally February is the month of the “Sheep” around here!  Fresh shrimp or some fiddler crabs will provide solid action on light tackle on the inshore reefs and rocks around the bay.  Light wire small circle hooks (Trident brand is excellent) on again very light fluorocarbon leader is great set-up to catch the quick bite of the sheephead.  You can expect to catch some of the largest sheepies of the year right now… so take advantage of this seasonal opportunity before it’s gone.  

Reminder: I’ll still have 2 days available in February to target the monster trout… so don’t hesitate to get in on the action with me!  Also I have some great availability left for March and April for artificial & fly trips on the flats of Tampa Bay… catch redfish, big trout and snook as I pole you around in my Hell’s Bay skiff in some of the most pristine areas of our region!  Finally, don’t forget about tarpon season… I only have a few good tide days left in May & June so please act accordingly.    

Finally, support catch and release fishing… we need this valuable  natural resource to survive so our kids and their kids can enjoy great fishing in the future!  If you harvest fish, just take what you can eat for one meal… it gives you an excellent excuse to get back out of the house and fish again.

That’s it for this week… for more up to the minute fishing action stay in touch with me on Facebook & Twitter!  Be sure to checkout the new Flats Class Charter fan page on Facebook too; I’ll be releasing some of my latest fishing tips, photos, & videos on this page first so please join today.

For more Flats Class Charter info… please contact me directly at 727.647.9356 or flatsclasscharters@gmail.com  

Until next week… Keep’em Bent!