Any increase in the water temperature over that last stretch of beautiful days will probably be lost to this week’s big cool down.
It’s pretty obvious now that winter’s coming a bit early this year, and if these last two fronts is any indication of what the next few months are going to be like, we should probably brace for a cold one.
With the water temperature dropping I would expect the kingfish bite to slow down a bit.
Although some fish will still be moving through the area from the north anglers might want to have a back-up plan if the kingfishing is slow.
The good news is that the gag grouper fishing in 40 to 60 foot has been pretty good. Small ledges and pieces of hard-bottom will hold a surprising number of gags.
Redfish of all sizes are seemingly everywhere in our southern region.
A lot of small fish are being caught under the docks around Reddington Shores southward to John’s Pass.
Many of the fish are under-sized but some are legal and can make for some pretty hot action if you find the right docks.
On the flats, huge schools of mullet can be found and somewhere near them will be the redfish.
Working the schools of mullet with spoons and jigs can be very effective, but on the windier days I like to put out a spread of corked pinfish in the areas the mullet are traveling.
Speaking of wind, this time of year the sheepshead are congregating heavily around bridges and docks.
These fish can bail you out if the weather is too bad to get out on the flats and there is always a chance you’ll catch a few redfish or black drum.
Small hooks, light weight and fresh pieces of shrimp are all you need to catch a mess of fish on a windy day.
As the water continues to cool, more and more trout will move into the shallows.
Plenty of good sized trout can be found hanging just off the edges of the flats. These areas, known as secondary flats, are areas of sea grass mixed with sand holes. These flats always have water, and the edges of the sand holes make excellent ambush points for trout. Soft-plastic jerk-baits rigged on a jig head or D.O.A. shrimp work great in these situations.
Tyson Wallerstein can be reached at capt.tyson1@tampabay.rr.com. To get a fish photo in the paper, send the photo along with your name, when and where it was caught to Fish Tales, Tampa Bay Newspapers, 9911 Seminole Blvd., Seminole, FL 33772, or e-mail to editorial@TBNweekly.com.
