Trout Fishing Is Open Again

The first part of the old saying “March rolls in like a lion and out like a lamb” has been holding true so far this month. The strong winds have made fishing the flats difficult but if you can find places to get out of the wind such as canals and behind tree lines you’ll find some pretty darn good fishing. Trout are plentiful as are reds, flounder and ladyfish.
Trout have been very cooperative since the season opened March 1st. What a difference since last March when trout were very difficult to find. I’ve had a couple of trips out this month where the people have caught 30 fish in four hours of fishing. Right now they’re eating just about anything you put in front of them; live shrimp, plugs, soft plastics and flies. They are averaging between 14” to 20” and they are very healthy.
By now, most of you who read this column know that I love to fly fish so I must tell you that I’ve been tearing up the trout on fly. I’ve been using a rendition of a Clouser fly that my buddy, Rich Santos, from Jacksonville showed me how to tie. There are 2 things that I believe are the key to my success with this fly pattern. One is the color – black and purple. The second is using an Intermediate fly line – it is a slow sinking line. Rich Santos and I recently fly fished an area of the Pelicer flats on foot. I used the above combination and out fished him 15 to 2 on trout. The next day I fished in the ICW by myself with the same combination and lost count of the amount of trout I caught.
The flounder are eating live shrimp, Berkley Gulp fished on a jig head and black bucktail jigs. The best place I have found for the flounder are in the vicinity of Highbridge. If you don’t have a boat you can fish the canal along Highbridge Rd. from the bank. By putting in a few days of fishing this stretch of road you’ll quickly learn where the oyster bars are. This area has also been producing trout and redfish. Just be careful of the passing cars.
A lot of the redfish in the ICW have been under slot size (and there have been plenty of them) but if you keep at it you’ll eventually find a slot size fish. They too are eating live shrimp, Berkley Gulp and 1/8 oz black bucktail jigs.
Time will tell if March “goes out like a lamb”

Capt Rob Ottlein
386-439-2636
www.flaglerfishingcharters.com