Well those of you that live in our great state "FLORIDA" know that the weather has not been very Florida like for the past few days. I'm afraid that old man winter has started his stay. With the mornings being cold and not really warming up until later in the day its made that early morning bite hard to come by . The wind has changed from a warm tropical breeze from the south to a not so warm constant 10 to 15 from the north east. This type of wind will keep our tides lower than normal and some times make it so that there is no returning water at all .
What I like to do on days like this. Is find area where we can put the boat in a small cove where the wind is blocked by the mangroves or a bend in a creek where the bottom is cover with rocks or kelp stalks. These two things are some of the best thing to fish around win the water temp is in the mid fifties to sixties. They hold warmth and provide cover and fish know it.
My bait of choice this time of year is a nice sized shrimp that we can free line with a 2/0 circle hook or even under a small float drift it in the direction of your target and let it do its thing . Most of the smaller bait fish have found their way to warmer waters and will stay their until the flats warm back up so you wont be burning through bait like you would in the summer months.
This method will work until the tide gets to low to move around. Other methods are finding the deep pockets that are every where on Florida's nature coast and drop shrimp to the bottom of them at the end of the out going tide. The fish have to be there because with the extremely low tides that we are experiencing on the west coast of Florida this time of year the flats and back country water is just to shallow for them to live in .
For the last few weeks the red fish have been very cooperative the bait fish have moved out to warmer waters so the shallow water reds are taking any snack they can dig up this is the time of year that you will be able to experience them tailing in the shallow waters of the crystal river and Homosassa river. A good flats fishing guide will be able to instruct any angler in the art of presenting a bait to these some times very hard nosed monsters. The wait might be absolutely nerve wrenching but when you do get that fish to take the bait you will never forget that experience. The hands shake the knees are week and hair on the back of the neck will be on end. For me personally there is no better feeling on the water. Not only when I'm the angler but also when I'm the fishing guide. Either situation I feel like I've got my job done for the day and that's a great feeling.
Our speckled trout on the other hand are a little more enthusiastic this time of year skitter walks and a variety of subsurface lures are the bait of choice two feet of water, grass bottom and sandy spots produce some of the most exciting salt water fishing that any anglers can wish for. If its your first day on the water or if you're a seasoned Florida fishing guide. Fishing for trout with plastic baits hard plugs to soft rubber is always time well spent.
So if you can find the time and a couple of buddies and get out on the water and have a good time!!!
Capt. Bear Smith
Florida Fishing Adventures
