“The tidal creeks are a key refuge for trout during the colder months,” explained veteran guide Jimmy Keith.

“March and early April see those trout leaving the creeks and staging up on the shallow oyster bars near their mouths. Those bars hold heat, and that draws baitfish.”

On a rising tide, look for those trout to push up onto the shallowest portions of the oyster flats, or to hold an ambush position on the edge.

On a warm afternoon, it’s common to catch good trout in less than three feet of water.

As the tide falls, the fish come off the flats and can stack up in deeper depressions, or in the finger channels connecting the flats with the creeks. When the tide rises, they are once again back on the shallow oyster beds -- it’s very predictable.

Those shallow oyster beds can be tough on artificial lures. But topwater plugs, shallow-running hard-plastic jerkbaits, or a jig suspended under a rattling cork like the Cajun Thunder can be very effective.

Normally by late April, the water has warmed enough for the trout to start moving out to the deeper grassbeds where they’ll spend the summer. But their move isn’t a sudden one.

“Even into late May,” Jimbo Keith explained, “the fish will still be relating to the shallower flats. They’ll just be further out on them. I’d be looking for trout in four to five feet of water near the outer edges of the flats.

“They still move shallower on a rising tide, but drop back to deeper grass on the ebb tide.

“Not all deeper grass is created equal, however,” the guide continued. “Larger trout show a definite affinity for grassy areas that feature a hard bottom and have rock or gravel mixed in. This is where the mature fish will spawn, and it’s worth the angler’s time to seek out such areas.

“When you hit one of these key areas, “ Jimbo concluded, “you’ll normally be on bigger fish. And this is a great time to take them on topwater plugs.”

ST. ANDREWS BAY
The Panhandle area has been offering exceptional trout fishing in recent years and one of the most consistently productive locales has been St. Andrews Bay at Panama City.

Part of a larger waterway that includes East Bay, West Bay and North Bay, St. Andrews is fed by numerous rivers that provide a winter home for trout. It offers massive and ideal trout habitat

Tapping into that bonanza isn’t difficult during the April to May period. Trout are exiting the rivers and feeding heavily as waters warm.

Some of their best feeding areas are grassbeds in two to four feet of water. There are many such areas lining the bay, but savvy anglers concentrate on those where baitfish can be seen moving, where birds are diving or better yet, where you can actually see fish striking the surface. It’s worth spending a bit of time running and looking before you start fishing.

On a rising tide, look for baitfish and trout to push up as high as they can into the grass. Shallower edges in two- to three-foot depths are often the most productive, especially if you catch the peak of the rising tide early or late in the day. If a heavy overcast results in dim light, the action can go all day long. Big trout move very shallow under dim light conditions.