Winter time is quickly approaching and the fish are slowly making their transitions to their haunts. With each passing cold front the fish will push closer and further back into the creek and canals. They will see refuge from the negative low tides only pushing on the flats when the water warms up and comes up to a comfortable water level. Then they will fall back out to deeper water following the tides and bait. As it gets colder and colder the fish will always be seeking the warmer water that these areas provide.
Let’s start talking about snook. Snook are by far the most sensitive to the cold. They will be the first to really push back into areas seeking warmer water, and when it gets frigid, they will be there out of self-preservation. A long extended cold front that can drop water temps into the 40s can be fatal for snook. They will become very lethargic and hardly move at all. Right now, the water temps are in the 60s and 70s and the snook bite is still active. It has slowed down a bit, but there are still fish to catch. Some of the biggest snook I have caught have been in the winter time. A few years ago, I landed a 46” snook on a mud minnow back in one of the creeks. It was a very cold, rainy, and windy day. My charter showed up to the dock and said they didn’t want to go. So, I went myself, landing over a half-dozen big reds and 3 big snook, 28”, 36” and ended with the 46 incher that will forever be ingrained in my memory.
The trout bite should get better and better as the water cools down. The trout love to sit in those deep-water retreats and wait for food to come to them. Sometimes it can be hard locating where they are sitting, but once you fine them the action can be non-stop. I like to use a tad smaller white bait with a spit shot to get the bait down further in the water column. Trout love to sit on the bottom and strike upwards at their pray. Artificial jigs and suspending twitch baits will allow you to work areas and easily locate where they are holding up. I recently cleaned some quality trout and to my surprise there were no parasites in them. Just beautiful white filets.
The redfish bite will remain solid through out the winter. Redfish are the most tolerable to the colder water and move around a lot more than snook and trout. When the water levels are up you can find them out on the flats. Redfish will be scouring the flats in search of crustaceans and other grass hiding critters like pipefish. Redfish will tail and show them selves when feeding. Its such a great time to target them on artificial especially when the water clarity increases. Be patient and move slowly, they can be very spooky in shallow clear water. Sometimes it is best to use cut bait and wait for them to find the bait.
The redfish holding up in the deeper water creeks and canals will often be more tide driven. Shrimp or white bait will be your keys to success. I always pinch of the tails of shrimp for two reasons. One for the added scent and two for the ability to cast it further without the fan tail catching the wind. Down sizing the leader to 20 or 25-pound test is also something I like to do when the water clears up. Not as many snook around to worry about chafed leaders. I also like using spit shots to keep the bait down and nose hook white baits if there is a decent current from the tides.
The sheepshead bite will get better and better and I am already starting to see them. The availability of fiddler crabs or going the extra mile and wrangling some mud crabs will be the bait of choice. You need a lot of crabs to have a successful day of sheepshead fishing. Look for them to hold up around docks and deep-water rock piles, bridges and seawalls. I don’t do a ton of sheepshead fishing, but have been getting back into over the last year or so. I used to do it a lot in Sarasota when I was a kid. My father was always shocked when I’d come home after an hour of fishing with massive sheepshead and a lot of them too. Lol, then make him filet them, which he didn’t mind but I know it annoyed him!
There are a lot of other things going on around the bays as well. Cobia will push into the bay. The mackerel bite and snapper fishing will also be very good. Shallow water grouper can be found as well a triple tail and larger schools of hungry jack crevelle.
There truly isn’t a bad time to go fishing here in Tampa Bay! Always something to do and to catch. While cold fronts and barometric pressure can play games with the fish and turn their bite one way or another. It is still very fun to go and you won’t be sweating your but off. 6-hour trips are you best option during this time of year. It gives you plenty of time to exhaust your options and work with the tides. If you are looking for a Tampa Bay fishing charter with a friendly and fun Captain that will work his tail off then I highly giving me a chance! You wont be disappointed! Fishing is fun!
Capt. Bucky Goldman of Bag’Em Fishing Charters 407-977-7650