Nothing beats the action redfish provide during the dog days of summer. While the water temperature is too hot for most flats dwellers redfish are very tolerant and are a blast to catch.

But, proper planning is very important. The best time for success is during the last few hours of a high tide through the first couple of hours of the outgoing. Moving water is a must and it needs to be deep, for the flats anyway.

Oyster beds continue to be the best locations to target redfish. Why? Because during a high tide small crustaceans are accessible and provide excellent redfish forage.

The best technique to get the action started is to anchor your boat just in casting distance and live bait chum to get the school of redfish’s attention. Once you’ve captured their interest it’s possible to catch 30 or more redfish per outing.

Pictured are Kayla and Jason Paulk from New Mexico showing off a some nice redfish.

Don’t forget to tune into Afishionado Radio every Saturday from 8-10 a.m. on AM 1340 WTAN, AM 1350 WDCF or streaming at www.afishionadoradio.com.

The St. Petersburg / Clearwater / Tampa Bay area of Florida is one of the greatest fishing areas in the United States. The primary reason for this is the idyllic weather. The sub-tropical climate allows fishing charters year round, and the pleasant temperatures make it enjoyable to be out on the water any time of the year.

Highs usually stay between 65 and 95 °F (18 and 33 °C) year round, and lows rarely go below 32°F (0°C). Summer can be humid with afternoon storms, which typically last a very short time. Spring and Fall are perhaps the nicest times of the year, but winter months are generally very pleasant also.

While the fishing certainly varies with the time of year and the weather, a good Tampa Bay fishing guide should be able to put you in fish just about any time of the year. That's the beauty of the St. Petersburg / Clearwater / Tampa Bay area.