conditions. Some fish, such as sheephead, yellowmouth trout, sea bass, drum,
and bluefish don't seem to mind the cold weather. Speckled trout and redfish
will continue to bite once they adjust to a cold snap. Low tides when the sun is
out will warm up the water in the creeks and can turn on the redfish over dark
mud bottoms as the tide comes in.
Redfish tend to school up this time of year. They eat less and move slower, so
take that into consideration with your fishing methods. Sometimes just soaking a
mud minnow or piece of crab next to an oyster bar is the best technique.They
will take a small dark fly over a sun warmed mud flat, too. Of course, larger
reds can still be caught around the jetty rocks. The bull reds are schooled up
offshore over our many artificial and natural reefs and often surprise fishermen
seeking snapper and grouper.
Trout, drum, and sheephead can be caught in the river and ICW. Speckled trout
like a lively shrimp. Sheephead prefer fiddler crabs. Some mangrove snapper and
croakers are still around. Seek out a shell or rocky bottom and try fresh dead
shrimp for best results. Small whiting are biting in the surf. I'm waiting for
the larger whiting to move in. You might be able to catch some blues in the surf
on cut mullet.
Don't give up on the fishing during January and February. The fish are still
here and still have to eat!
Good fishing,
CAPT Bob Cosby
http://www.captainbobsfishingcharters.com
