Snook, Snook, Snook!

Welcome to the Clearwater Fishing Charter report from Capt. Brian Caudill. Warm weather has stabilized the water temps, sending many fish into their normal pattern of migration in North Pinellas. Every year, large female snook start to trickle out to the west along the beaches, a few yards from unsuspecting sun bathers. Snook had been staging along the spoil islands in St. Joseph Sound and on the inside points of the barrier islands. The next couple of weeks leading up to the new moon, snook should be well on their way to occupying the swashes, troughs and even the rock jetties near the beaches, preparing for the spawn season. Trout also follow a similar migration pattern, often lurking in the same areas as snook. The small bays and grass flats near the passes tend to hold the highest numbers of smaller trout, while the large female fish move to the beach with a few male trout, also looking to spawn through summer. Redfish were schooling and invading the mangrove shorelines prior to the recent full moon but have begun to diminish a bit. They are still eating on the higher tides but aren’t as concentrated, which is typical between the stronger moon phases. A few tarpon have been spotted moving across the sandbars around Clearwater and the north passes. The numbers will increase over the next two week as warm weather continues to encourage their migration to the north. Large threadfin herring are plentiful as bait, as well as sardines and pinfish. Crabs are well known as the favorite bait for tarpon, flushing out of the bays during strong falling tides.