Sunday was a scouting day; most clients never see the boring side of the charter business. While scouting can make for a long day the information gathered is vital to running a top notch charter service. Time on the water, scouting new locations along with trying new and different techniques is part of the learning process. I never stop learning.
With calm winds I ran north searching for a school of Black drum. I spend an hour up in the tower searching only to strike out. Next stop was a grass flat off Pinellas Point; I made long drifts tossing soft plastic baits with minimal success. I did catch a bluefish and flounder along with 2 trout.
I have a trout location that was good as gold each winter but has been a dud this winter. I made the short run and put the Power Pole down in 5' of water. Tossing DOA CAL jerk baits into 10' of water scored over and over again with feisty 14-16' sea trout. The trick was simple, keep the jig on the bottom. To fast a retrieve would keep the bait out of the strike zone. These trout would inhale the entire jig!
By Sunday afternoon the water temperature inched up to 57 degrees still well below normal. The coming week once again will be well below normal.
Captain Steven
