# Fort Desoto Flats



## TwoKids (Jan 2, 2013)

Taking the skiff on its first roadtrip, heading to Fort Desoto in a couple weeks.  We've camped out there for years but only fished offshore so my knowledge of the flats is limited to studying the sat imagery.  Not looking for exact spots as I enjoy exploring and hunting fish down in unfamiliar areas but it would be great to know which 'general' areas to focus our efforts as we only have a few days out there to enjoy. I'd greatly appreciate any advice you would be willing to share, positive or negative, on which general areas marked A, B C or D that would be best to target Trout, Reds, and Snook.  Thanks folks.


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## jimsmicro (Oct 29, 2013)

I have fished Area C in a canoe, which I paddled just off the campground area. There are some grass flats with potholes. It was April, but I caught some nice trout and a spanish mack out there. I have also fished the pier, catching lady fish and a few flounder, fish the area close to the rocks. If you want to wade, there are grass flats just off the beaches that hold nice trout.


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## makin moves (Mar 20, 2010)

Ill pm you later this afternoon. I have a few big red fish spots and some snook areas to check out.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

All around the letter "C" is usually decent for a mixed bag. And right below the letter "B" off the sides of that depression is good for trout as long as the tide is moving.

Bait should still be around near the skyway, draw a line directly east of the letter "D", then move north 50-100 yards. You may need to chum a little on those flats, but you can load up in the early morning with a few casts.


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## sm20cf (Apr 26, 2013)

You can find nice reds around "B". Just look for the other 64 boats power fishing the same school. Regardless, we did well on the last half of outgoing recently. Look for tails around bars.


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## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

I'll round out the alphabet with area "A". Had good luck on the north side with moving tides. Watch for the guts and moving water.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

I went over there Sunday from Maximo. Not a bad ride in a flats boat even with a 15mph North wind. Less than 20 minutes. Considering its a free launch with no tolls to get there from I275 I wouldn't bother trailering to Fort Desoto.

Fished the bottom end of A and caught some ladyfish, jacks, some weird looking fish with teeth I have never caught before (lizard fish?), and a nice size bluefish. Should have tried further North to see what was up that way, but the channel to get there was covered up in boats.

Took a ride around C, but the "No Combustion Motor" signs seemed to be covering all the flats.

Fished B a little, but not much sign of life. Had a weird film covering the water that looked like a weak oil slick, that blew in from St Pete.

Wind conditions were tough for me to fish D in a 16' flats boat.


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## BugDopeforENP (May 29, 2013)

Fort Desoto last weekend caught four reds 22-26" one snook, two 18" snapper,sheepshead,black drum, and one lady fish that... We'll you know what they do.


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