Inshore fishing along the panhandle has been phenomenal this spring. In the bays, we saw more baitfish than usual, primarily small menhaden, but a lot of glass minnows as well. This brought in acres of Spanish mackerel feeding along the drop-offs as well as large schools of bull reds feeding on the schools of baitfish in deeper water. We've also seen good numbers of keeper-sized speckled trout and redfish on the flats and around docks, with plenty of flounder mixed in.

With the rising temperatures expect to see a change in where and when fish will feed, as well as what they will be feeding on. The baitfish that have moved in will be the primary bait of choice for the summer months. Some call these baitfish menhaden, others pogies, and still others LY, but if it's the oily baitfish that swirls on top of the water in schools and quickly dies in a less than adequate livewell, you've got the right bait. You can find them just about anywhere this time of year, but if you are struggling to locate them, check any muddy bottom inlet in the back bays and chances are you'll run across a few schools. The best size for inshore fishing is going to be in the 3 to 5 inch range, but don't be afraid to use the little ones under a popping cork or Carolina rigged. And on the same token, don't be scared to try some of the 6 to 8 inch big guys for gator trout and upper-slot reds. My favorite way to use these baits is by freelining with no more than 2 to 3 feet of leader line and a circle hook. The hook size is going to depend on the size of the bait.  For the smaller 3-inch baits, I'll use a 2/0 Owner MUTU light circle hook. For the 4-inch baits, 3/0 and for the bigger baits a 4/0 or 5/0. Hook them in the tail and let them swim around freely, and make sure the hook is exposed enough to get a good hook set.

The speckled trout are much more affected by the temperatures than the redfish. The early morning and late evening bite for speckled trout is normally the best bite during the summer. The trend for where to find them seems to be in shallow water when it is cooler, in deeper (4-8 ft) grass beds when it is hotter, and when you can't seem to find them anywhere at any time of the day, fish at night under dock lights. If you are hoping to catch them on artificials, it is hard to beat an early morning topwater lure like the Top Dog or Skitterwalk. Another favorite of mine is a simple swimbait worked over the grass beds with a straight retrieve.

Redfish are a little easier than the specks. The hot weather will have an effect on them but if you locate redfish in a general area, expect to find them there all throughout the day. The trend for reds is similar to that of trout in that they will stay shallow when it is cooler and deeper when it is hotter. But for reds this means bunching up around deepwater docks and bridges. If I find redfish along a stretch of flats in the morning, I'll go back in the afternoon to deep docks in the same area, and more times than not, I'll find those same redfish. On the flats, a gold spoon is my first choice followed by a topwater lure. Around docks, Gulp! baits will do the trick. Work them very slow, even letting it sit still for a minute or two letting the pinfish nibble at them.

And as always, look for signs of life when locating these fish. The two biggest things I look for are baitfish and big mullet. When you find these two factors on a flat, chances are redfish and speckled trout are mixed in.

Capt. Blake Nelson

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