Spring always seems to happen in spurts in between cold fronts when the high temperatures for the day reach the 80’s. These are the days that can be magical because the conditions themselves are typically slicked out with blue bird skies….a sight fisherman’s dream. The water is still really clean inside upper Tampa Bay so fly rod fisherman will need to use an abnormally long leader. Our inshore species with extra keen senses are beginning to notice the heavier gauge leader in the mid and butt sections. My advise would be to always construct your leader around what you want your bite to be and to use a bite that takes up 30-40% of your leader.
Redfish are in groups around moon phases and spread out in between. Our fish inside the bay are extra sensitive and I can’t harp enough on a slow approach. As long as tidal flow is present, regardless of an incoming or outgoing, blending with the environment or letting the fish transition through a stationary boat is always more productive than covering a general area. Small crustacean imitations for fly fishing anglers are still a go-to!
Fly fishing for snook is getting better week by week as they work their way out of their deep dark winter haunts. When combined with the redfish on the flats, a change up in strip retrieve is usually the only adjustment necessary outside of a little heavier bite tippet. Targeting them specifically would demand a fly change to a weightless or lightly weighted mullet or sardine imitation. Bottom color and water clarity always help when selecting a fly. Fly Fishing at night for snook will be getting better as we transition into summer.