We are into our new year and the winter chill found us. It was 37 degrees this morning! Maybe not as cold as where you are sitting now but we never bargained for this weather living here. The only benefit we get from these conditions are that we know the fish are heading our way to try to stay warm too. Yesterday we had a few Sailfish bites, the first in a while and we released a nice size one after a good battle on spinning tackle. Some other boats near us saw or caught a few too so they are on the move now and it should get really good in the next few days. Reports are that they are doing good with them just north of us so that means we get those fish here next!
The inshore action has the Barracudas holding in the inlet and The Jack Crevalles moving constantly. We found a few schools of them far back in the canals where they wer doing what they could to stay warm. They were hungry and made quick meals of our live baits we tossed them.
The offshore scene can be red hot this time of year. Luck and timing is the biggest factor to have work together. You can expect the Sailfish to be here through out the next months and getting one on the line is the norm, not the exception. Kingfish, Dolphin and Bonita are also mixed in with them and any one of these can hit the same bait at the same time. Even though we are cold we know this is also a great time of year to go fishing so we put up with it. I won't be upset when the 70s and 80s return though.
Sea Ya,
Captain Ron Mallet