Cold Fronts Bring Hot Fishing St Pete FL Capt. George Hastick

Fishing between cold fronts can produce a variety of species. On a recent corporate event that I was hired for, the species available was amazing. With a very low tide for most of the morning I stayed off the flats and worked the deeper drop offs in 4-6 feet near the flats and water to 12 feet deep. Some of the species that we caught ranged from bluefish, trout, ladyfish, shark, sheepshead, mackerel, grouper, black sea bass and flounder plus a few more which kept it interesting. Redfish and snook are still cooperative especially on the flats on a warm day but don't forget to look at the deep water docks that are nearby the productive flats of warmer days. These docks can turn into a goldmine of variety of fish from snook and redfish to sheepshead and trout. Here is Chuck(on the left) who took 1st place in mackerel holding a wood carving trophy. {%image_id=29799%} All of the fish that day were caught on small scaled sardines with a few fish caught on live shrimp. This time of year live shrimp and artificials can be very productive, if you do not want to get scaled sardines or if they are just not available. Soft plastics on a jig head can out produce live bait at times due to the coverage you can make with them and the depths they can achieve. I like a 1/4 oz(depending on depth) red jig head with a rootbeer and gold glitter paddle tail or a white with pink paddle tail. I also like MirrOlures Lil John rigged on a 2/0 - 3/0 worm hook in rootbeer, watermelon with copper or gold glitter and the glow colors. These lures can catch most species sought after on the inshore seen by changing retrieval tactics. You can swim these baits, bounce them on the bottom or slow retrieve along the bottom like when you are targeting flounder for instance. The species are available right now so get out there and fish before the water temps change again. Capt. George Hastick fishes the St. Petersburg/Tampa Bay area. If you would like more information or would like to book a charter please contact him at: Capt. George Hastick The Fish Hunter Fihing Charters Phone: 727-525-1005 Email: [email protected] Website: fishtampa.com