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Updated 1/04/10
Even during the coldest periods sheepshead are a winter
time staple
This week winter really set in hard with much colder
than normal temperatures and no warming trend in sight. After a
week of mornings in the 40s and daytime highs in the 60s.
fishing really slowed down. Fishing in these cold conditions can
be tough but here are some things I do to improve my odds. |
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Some species of fish are not as affected by the cold weather as
others. Target sheepshead, trout and grouper. Snook fishing all but
shuts down as the water temperatures plummet. Redfish can be caught all
year in all seasons but a sudden cold snap will quickly shut the bite
down; luckily a day or two later redfish will turn right back on.
Use live shrimp and soft plastic shrimp imitations. As the water in the
bay cools of bait fish move out to warmer deeper water and the shrimp
get bigger and more numerous. This is the time I switch my pattern from
baitfish to shrimp. The live bait shrimp that are available right now
are some of the biggest of the year.
Fish your bait slow. Slow presentation in cold water is key as fish are
moving slower and are not as aggressive. Jig heads and split shot will
help slow your bait down in moving water.Fishing your bait close to or
on the bottom helps too as the surface of the water is usually cooler
than it is down deep during periods of cold air temperatures.
When fishing jigs, a slow retrieve is key; use short little hops and
take your time. The metabolism of fish slows as water temperature drops.
Sure they have to feed but don't feed as hard as they do during warmer
periods.
Fish with lighter tackle, lighter line, leader and rigs than you usually
do. With the water so clear the lighter the line the better. I switch up
to 8-10# braid and 15-20# fluorocarbon leader. Downsizing hooks to 1/0
light wire helps too. You will be surprised at how many more bites you
get just by downsizing.
Plan your fishing trip during the warmest part of the day. Not only will
you be warmer but this is when fish are generally most active during
cold conditions. Fish areas that are out of the wind and warmed by the
sun. If it's a pleasant temperature to you its probably pleasant to the
fish too. Bring warm clothes and dress in layers so as the day warms you
can remove one layer at a time. I like to wear rain gear over the layers
when I'm running so I can stay dry. Without the waterproofs, one wrong
wave can make the rest of your day cold and unpleasant.
Use the winter minus low tides to your advantage. Any time we get a
strong or prevailing north wind we will have even more extreme low
tides. These big low tides really bunch up the fish and with some of the
clearest water of the year some mangrove channels and deeper holes on
the flats are like aquariums. The "Ding" Darling Refuge is a great
example of this.
Fishing with a client right after the first part of this cold snap, we
worked hard to get anything going but once we found the fish we did OK.
One dead-end deeper mangrove channel produced lots of action with rat
reds and trout and even one 27-inch snook. The extreme low tide had put
all the fish in one very small, out of the wind area. Ninety percent of
our fish caught that day were caught on one 100-yard shoreline.
Changing your fishing tactics is never as important as when it gets cold
here in Southwest Florida. You're generally not going to have those
stellar days of fishing like we do in the spring and fall but a few warm
days can really turn things back on fast. Go with the flow and take what
the day gives you. Once you do locate the fish, a few dozen trout and
rat reds and a bonus unexpected snook make for a great winter day on the
water.
Click the links below to view copies of my other recent reports.
12-14-2009
- 12-22-2009
- 12-28-2009
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