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When season opens where will the trout be on the flats 1st. Ecofina(because of the river outflow) or Keaton(because it is usually clearer) I other words where would you go 1st.

There won't be any trout on the flats. I think you should wait a few months.

Flint River Pirate wrote:There won't be any trout on the flats. I think you should wait a few months.

That's what I was thinking, maybe try around scallop season.

FRP, are you sandbagging again?

Reel Cowboy wrote:That's what I was thinking, maybe try around scallop season.

There are a few scallops out there now left over from last year.
The pattern is most always east to west in terms of springs flats action for trout and reds. I can't say anything specific about where but East is much more productive in spring. Keaton to Steinhatchee/Hickory Mounds to Aucilla to St Marks etc. The rivers are boundaries in terms of temp and salinity as far as a shift from winter to spring patterns. West of the St Marks doesn't usually fire up until April and the Ochlocknee is the next divider with action really turning on more into late April. Otherwise it's still a winter pattern which really requires knowing the topography of an area and spending a lot of time on the water.

Flint River Pirate wrote:There won't be any trout on the flats. I think you should wait a few months.

Yep

Littoral is 100% correct.

I always fish the same area and fish closer in and farther out depending on the fishes location. When I started I thought they would be in or out depending on which month it was. That is true in general but there can be major changes based on climate extremes and what it does to the bait. So if it is a really warm winter they may act more like spring & fall all winter long. If it is a real cold winter a lot the bait may leave and create a totally different set up. Any more the rules where I fish mean a little less than they did for a while but I think it has a cycle and will change again.

Flint River Pirate wrote:There won't be any trout on the flats. I think you should wait a few months.

That's just wrong.

Hit-n-Miss wrote:

Flint River Pirate wrote:There won't be any trout on the flats. I think you should wait a few months.

That's just wrong.

Tight lines brother!

I always use the temperature of the flats for resumming going trout fishing. When it reaches 63 degrees there....go anywhere.

What Littoral said.
Grandad used to say, "There ain't no point in goin' trout fishin' on the flats before the dawgwoods bloom."

Keep looking for them over dark bottom in shallow water adjacent to deeper water. Watch for mullet schools.

Disregard what WAM said.
Sounds useless to me.
Go fish.
The trout have been there all winter.

Jumptrout51 wrote:Disregard what WAM said.
Sounds useless to me.
Go fish.
The trout have been there all winter.

And where is there DH?

I have fished the Warrior more than any other area. Most winters they are in certain areas bars dark bottom and rocks then a few years ago there was heavy rains we think they dumped the retention ponds at the paper mill burning the grasses and changing the area and patterns for years. This has been the first time in about five years the Trout have rallied also several of the past years the bait has been heavy due to the warm winters you fish many areas I don't JT we normally fish the flats spring and fall deep in the summer and creeks or mouths in winter. I know great fishermen that for the last five years agree it has not been the same and this has been a good year. I have come in after having lit them up and other boats have caught few or none. What I say is what works for me I am sure you have knowledge and plenty of it I wish I was closer I'd fish more often but for now tight lines and your a DH as far as I can tell you told him nothing.

Designated Hitter.