Spring Transition Fishing on the Clearwater Flats & the Gulf If you’re looking for spring inshore fishing charters in Clearwater Florida, right now is one of the most exciting times of the year on our local flats. The Gulf Coast is in that seasonal transition where winter species are still biting, but our spring and summer fish are starting to move back into the shallows. On recent trips we’ve been seeing big speckled trout and sheepshead still holding strong, while at the same time snook are beginning to show up on the flats again and redfish are cruising shallow water. For anglers, this overlap creates some of the best mixed-bag fishing of the entire year. Big Trout Still Biting Even though water temperatures are warming, the trophy trout bite is still going strong. Many of these fish spent the winter staged around deeper grass flats and potholes, and they continue feeding aggressively as bait starts to return to the area. We’ve been finding our best trout by working: Deeper grass flats early in the morning Sandy potholes along the edges of the flats Areas with good tidal movement and shallow grass flats late in the day Both live shrimp and artificial lures have been producing, and the size of some of these trout this time of year can be impressive. Sheepshead Season Still Hanging On Another species that is still providing steady action is sheepshead. While the peak of the spawn is beginning to wind down, plenty of fish remain around structure, docks, and rocky areas throughout Clearwater and the surrounding coast. Sheepshead are a great target for anglers of all experience levels because: They fight hard for their size They are plentiful this time of year (really year round) They are one of the best tasting fish in the Gulf Live shrimp fished close to structure continues to be the most reliable way to hook up with these striped bandits. Snook Returning to the Flats One of the most exciting signs of the season changing is the return of snook to the shallow flats. As water temperatures stabilize, these fish begin moving out of their winter refuges and back into areas where they’ll spend the warmer months. Seeing them hovering in the shallows warming up is one of the best spring sights to see! Seeing snook start to appear again means: Sight fishing opportunities increase More topwater action in the mornings Exciting light-tackle fights Hooking a snook in skinny water is always a highlight of any trip. Big Redfish in Shallow Water Along with the snook movement, we are also starting to see big redfish cruising the flats. These fish are often found in extremely shallow water, sometimes tailing or pushing wakes as they move through the grass. For anglers who enjoy sight fishing, this is one of the best times of year to: Spot redfish from a distance Make precise casts with artificial lures or flies Watch the fish react to your presentation There’s nothing quite like watching a redfish track down a bait in clear, shallow water. A Great Time for a Mixed-Bag Trip Because of this seasonal overlap, many trips right now are producing multiple species in a single outing. It’s not unusual to catch trout and sheepshead early in the trip and then spend the rest of the time targeting redfish or snook as the tide changes. This variety makes early spring one of the best times for anglers who want to experience everything Clearwater’s inshore fishery has to offer. We look forward to seeing you on the boat!