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You have to love the weather that we have been having. It has been perfect for all outdoor activities. The mornings are crisp and the afternoons are warm with a gentle breeze. Don’t let it end. All this makes for better fishing. This time last year, we were pulling our hair out. The bait is still here, so it keeps all methods of fishing at our disposal. Usually the snook start to thin out, but we are still catching them in fair numbers. That is because the water temperature has not dropped below seventy-five degrees.
Besides bait, jigs have been working well on all the others species as well. There are pompano skipping in places that I never used to see them before. It is wonderful to have another species that you can actually target. The trout are getting into gear as well. They aren’t the small twelve inchers either. I like to persue both species with a jig but shrimp will work fine too.
The past few weeks have been similar to the fishing that you experience in the fall. The fish aren’t quite as willing, but they are there. The key is to keep moving. If one spot doesn’t produce right away, go to the next spot. There have been more than enough fish to hold your attention level to the max.
You can see that the sheepshead hunters are back. They have been doing well with shrimp and chunks of "tube worms". They get the worms at low tide on the mud flats. Sheepshead can’t resist them. The fish itself is one of the tastiest you will ever eat.
Redfish are moving in and out of the shallow water. I have been taking clients fly fishing this past week. One day we will see plenty, the next day, we won’t see any. It is at that time that I will have my clients work the fly over deeper water. By deep, I am talking about a couple of feet of water. We have been catching snook and redfish on streamer patterns during the course of the day. We even came across some "laid up" tarpon this week.
All of my regular fishing "spies" have been giving me great reports. They have been catching redfish are of all sizes. There are legal snook being caught as well. Most of the people that I have been talking to have been using live bait. I am sure that a well placed lure or jig will work just fine. So whatever method you choose, you will most certainly be rewarded.
It is bound to get cooler as the winter progresses. Every fisherman out there should take advantage of the picture perfect weather that we have been having. Please remember that there are going to be more people on the water as the season gets in full swing. Be courteous to your fellow boater. Let’s keep road rage off of the water. I hope to see you out there.