Dead Baits Could be Ticket for Inshore Game Fish

Capt. Jason Ramsey said the best bet he’s had with inshore gamefish – and especially snook – has been baiting with dead baits.

As water temperatures top out at 90 degrees on the Terra Ceia Bay flats, snook, redfish and trout are less eager to chase a live bait.

“Find some snook, throw a dead shiner on the bottom, and don’t move it,” Ramsey said. “Soon he’ll suck it in.”

Ramsey saud he’s had the most success in two feet of water.

“So the tide isn’t moving much,” he said, “and you can just throw a dead shiner into a sand hole and it doesn’t take long. The water’s getting hot. It’s like in the winter cold when the fish are dormant. They don’t want to have to move around much. The easier it is to catch the bait they’ll take it.”

Ramsey said he continues to primarily tarpon fish on the Sunshine Skyway south fishing pier.

“It’s just been so dang good,” he said.

Ramsey said his charters on Wednesday hooked nine tarpon in three hours.

He can be reached at 941-737-7098. Web site is www.fishtheflats.com.

For this week’s tides, visit a Bradenton tide chart and pick your best tides.