Patience, Persistence and Warm Clothing Pays off
With water temps ranging between the high 50s and low 60s, fishing our local waters is requiring patience, persistence and a lot of warm clothes.
Strong winds from the north are cold and cause rough seas, which sometimes can make fishing feel more like a chore than a pleasure. Always keep in mind that the fish have to eat at some point or another and when they do, you’re not going to catch them by sitting in your living room watching fishing shows on the television. Sometimes finding the motivation to go out in the boat on these days is a real challenge but typically, if the fish end up biting, it’s all worth it.
One such species making “it all worth it” is pompano. Small nylon jigs tipped with shrimp are attracting a bite from these tasty fish. Rallies have yet to become frequent but catches of a half dozen are not uncommon. Some days are better than others. Also, there are plenty of bluefish, jacks, bonnethead sharks and whiting to fill the void on the slower days.
Dock fishing is another method of fishing that is paying off on these cold windy days. Black drum, sheepshead and redfish are being found and caught by using live shrimp on a knocker rig. All three of these species are worthy adversaries on light tackle and as a bonus are good on the dinner plate, too. Another advantage to targeting these fish around docks is that they are generally in sheltered areas such as canals or leeward side of a shoreline. This keeps you out of the wind and the cold.
Although conditions are not the greatest, don’t be discouraged. Get out and fish and you may be rewarded. After all, most cold mornings in central Florida generally begin to shape up as the day does on — hopefully fishing follows suit.
