Yesterday, I fished with regular clients Brad and his dad Top in some pretty chilly water (56 to 59 degrees). Knowing that the flats were to cold we decided to target more protected areas where the water would be a few degrees warmer and boy did it pay off!

We caught a nice medley of fish that included reds, flounder, and some full grown speckled trout. This time of the year my charters are primarily all artificial so these guys were chunking jigs and twitching hard baits around the docks of St. Petersburg. To read more about this report and my forecast for the week, visit www.captaincarichardson.com.

Keep'em Bent

Fish Species: Speckled Trout
Bait Used: Strike King Rage Tail Shrimp
Tackle Used: Daiwa 3000 Advantage & Falcon Coastal XG
Method Used:
Water Depth: 8'
Water Temperature: 58 degrees
Wind Direction: NW
Wind Speed: 10 knots
Canal trout... caught on a Flats Class Charter
Canal trout... caught on a Flats Class Charter

Top catches a nice winter red swimming a jig with Captain C.A. Richardson
Top catches a nice winter red swimming a jig with Captain C.A. Richardson


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About The Author: Captain C.A. Richardson

Company: Flats Class Charters

Area Reporting: St. Pete/Clearwater/Tampa Bay

Bio: Born in Charleston, SC in 1965… C.A.'s family relocated to St. Petersburg in 1967 where he honed his angling skills on the beaches, piers, and inshore flats of Tampa Bay. In 2001, he started his popular "Flats Class" fishing school to compliment his Flats Class Charter business. The school traveled around the state educating anglers through C.A.'s unique power-point presentation and by featuring many local inshore pros. Years later in 2007, Flats Class TV debuted, with the help of Forrest Fox Productions, and was an instant hit with anglers eager to learn from the pros! He has gained the reputation over the years as "the inshore guide" to hire when it comes to artificial techniques on the west coast of Florida and still spends over 200 days a year on the water with his clients & filming Flats Class TV.

727.647.9356
Click Here For Past Fishing Reports by Captain C.A. Richardson