Tampa Bay-Clearwater in March

[bendik]

I posted a simular post in December. Now I am sitiing in CT on my way from Norway to Clearwater with my family. I am eager to do some flyfishing during my stay. We are going to stay in the area for rest of the month, so I wonder what is fishing like these days and what canI expect to catch? Any flies and places better than others? Any comments will be appreciated. Thanks

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[Flats Dude]

Bendik...welcome aboard. I'm from the east central coast of Florida. However, purebs (Bill Sorbie) lives in the clearwater area. As a matter of fact, we just had a FAOL fish-in over there a couple of weeks ago and Bill was our host. Go to the main page and look under "fish-in", it has a page with a lot of pictures of the Florida fish-in. My last week's column was about it and Bill did one also. Check it out!

[dadflyer]

As a participant at the FAOL Fish-IN in Florida last month, I found a wonderful bunch of guys and gals who flyfish the Florida flats.

Last week, there were redfish, sea trout, and snook were inhabiting the flats.

March 17th (St Patricks Day) marks the return of the Spanish Mackeral/Kingfish to the area, though generally they are found in deeper waters. Check out Captain Mel's website for fishing the Tampa/St Pete/Clearwater area for recent reports:
[url=http://capmel.com/:56a7a]http://capmel.com/[/url:56a7a]
or listen to him on the radio on Saturaday mornings from 7AM - 9AM on WFLA , 970 on the AM dial.
Better yet , contact Bill Sorbie ("purebs") for updated information, as he is listed on the "pirate roster" for the Florida Fish-In .

Tight lines, and Bright fish !
Dadflyer

[purebs]

bendik, I caught a few trout this weekend. The water is slowly warming up. There have been some reds on the flats in the afternoon. the tides were awful this weekend, but there are some nice tides next weekend. Send me an e-mail and i'd be happy to fish with you.
Bill

e-mail is in my profile.

[old geezer]

Bill, Michele and I are heading down that way the end of the month for a few days. I think we will try honeymoon Island again. I'm hoping for water over 70.

Philip

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I look into... my fly box, and think about all the elements I should consider in choosing the perfect fly: water temperature, what stage of development the bugs are in, what the fish are eating right now. Then I remember what a guide told me: 'Ninety percent of what a trout eats is brown and fuzzy and about five-eighths of an inch long.' - Allison Moir.

I wonder if he ever fished Saltwater.

[purebs]

Make sure you give me a call!
Bill

[JME]

Hi Bendik,

You will have a great time with Purebs, he is a great host.

Very jealous of the temperatures you are getting in the sunshine state. Today is the warmest day since I got back at 35 degrees. Wintery showers forecasted for the weekend.

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JME
@===----?----?----?
Member of B.A.S.S [url=http://www.ukbass.com:5397a]http://www.ukbass.com[/url:5397a]

[slenon]

Bendik, like all the others, I have only good to relate about PureBS. He knows his home waters and is an excellent fishing companion.

The latest reports still indicate that there is Red Tide around Anna Maria Island and the southern parts of Tampa Bay. So I'd concentrate on the northern part of ther region.

I'm waiting for the Red Tide to vanish and these storm fronts that are currently rolling through every three days to let up so that I can get back out on the Skyway flats.

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aka Cap'n Yid.

Stev Lenon, 91B20'68-'69
When the dawn came up like thunder

[dunfly]

Fishing has been spotty in the area due to a number of cold fronts that seem to hit every weekend. I'm going to be pre fishing a tournament this weekend for a kayak fishing tournament on the 19th, but maybe we can hook up some other time.

Be careful of Bill Sorbie, he can be a bad influence. Seriously, try to hook up with him. Maybe we can all three go out a terrorize the fish population.

[RickB]

I'll be down that way at the end of the month. If y'all together between the 31st and the 3rd, email me I'd love to join in. That might help me get over missing out on the fish-in.