Anglers confined to back country due to cold and wind

With many cold and windy days, Anna Maria Island anglers are finding themselves confined to fishing the back country in order to find a bite.

Migrating to areas such as the Manatee River or the far east sides of the bays to the north and south is proving to be effective to find some action and take shelter from the chilly winds we are experiencing.

The transition from using shiners as bait to live shrimp is definitely taking place as cooler water temperatures are causing the species we target to change their feeding habits to more opportunistic methods opposed to vigorously chasing down a bait. This requires the angler to adopt a more patient approach and some changes in location to find the best bite.

Finding areas where water temps are slightly higher is a good place to start. The more comfortable the fish are, the more apt they are to bite. Targeting snook and spotted seatrout during these cooler conditions can be challenging as these fish tend to slow down their metabolism during stretches of cold weather. A good option is to target species that are more tolerant to the cold such as redfish, black drum, pompano and especially sheepshead. Plus, these fish particularly enjoy feeding on crustaceans such as live shrimp. Fiddler crabs and sand fleas as bait are also enticing these fish, although they require slightly more dedication by the angler as they typically need to be caught instead of being bought like the live shrimp.

The time of day may also play a factor on the water. Many days during winter in Florida tend to start off cold but halfway through the day will shape up nicely warming into the mid 70s and even low 80s. These warmer afternoons can trigger a bite on many species by just warming the water a couple of degrees. The angler can be pleasantly surprised by getting a “late start” as they find the bite quite good during the warmer period of the day.

As a recap, finding success on the water during the winter months can be achieve by observing a few simple rules. Trying to find warmer water, use baits the species you’re targeting can easily acquire and pick your times to go fishing around the warmest parts of the day. And, of course, packing a little patience and know how isn’t a bad idea either.