Looks as if Winter is here

As I am sitting here writing this months forecast, the outside temperature is hovering around 40 degrees. Now for those living in the north that might seem like a mild fall day but for a life long Florida resident, this is cold. But one good thing about living in Florida is you can expect the weather to change for the positive before the week is out. I just checked the weather and it looks like by the end of the week, the temps will be pushing the mid 70's and next week near 80. So a little cold is not that bad. On the positive side, the cold will group up the trout and reds for an easy day of catching, if the winds will stay calm. Before I get to the fishing part of this article, I had to check the weather in Fargo, ND and after looking at their forecast for the following week, their lows are in the single digits and the highs not above freezing. WOW, I guess living in Florida is not bad at all.

Like I mentioned above, the trout are starting to group up in small schools and if you find one of them, you can usually hit that area and catch several.
Here is a trick to catching trout in the colder months in this area. Fish SLOW.
I know you have read this before but I really cannot emphasize this enough. When I talk about slow, this is just what I mean. Fish your bait so slow that it is almost not moving at all. Now the bite on this slow moving bait is a very subtle tap and then a heaviness to the rod, as if the bait was hung up on something. At this point, I gently lift up on the rod and if I feel even the slightest pull back, I briskly lift further on the rod and turn the reel handle. I rarely, rare back and set the hook this time of the year.

I am convinced, these fish are just mouthing the bait and if you rare back and set the hook, you will not catch that one. So, fish slow and you should, by the end of the trip have some nice fish for the dinner table. My lure of choice is and has been, since I started using it, is the Gotcha 4 inch trout grub. Colors would be all chartreuse for really dirty water and in cleaner water, my most favorite trout bait is the Gotcha with a white body and a chartreuse tail fished on a 1/4 ounce lead head jig.

The flounder are still here and one of my buddies, James Howard, that gigs them, is still sticking a limit every night and some real nice ones to boot. For the hook and line folks, try a finger mullet on a carolina rig or a lead head jig. If you cannot get any finger mullet, a big mud minnow will sort of work. But a better bait than a mud minnow is a strip of mullet.

When the big mullet start grouping up in the early fall, I try to cast net a big bunch of them and put them in the freezer, as back up baits when the finger mullet are hard to find. Take a big mullet and using you fillet knife, cut a fillet off of the side and them cut that into pieces about 5 inches long by 1.5 inches wide. This will work almost as good as a finger mullet and their are times I do believe it works better, because you now have the flash of the shinny mullet skin and a real strong scent. Give this a try and report back with your results. But don't tell everyone about this trick as this is kind of my secret. Ha. Ha.

This time of the year, redfish can be found in pretty good numbers in the shallows on the lower parts of the tides. You will find these beefy fish, cruising along the oyster beds in search of a bite to eat. When it starts to get cold, I like to scale down on the size of my bait for the reds. I like a Gotcha that I have had soaking in poggy oil or if this is a little messy for you, then try a mud minnow on a lead head jig.

When you are in the shallows, try to stay as far away from the area you want to fish as you can and still cast to it. In the skinny water the reds are real spooky and the slightest unnatural sound will alert them to your presence and either run them off or make them weary of your bait. If you see one pushing water try to cast about 5 feet in front of the wake and DO NOT move your bait until the fish gets within about a foot of it. Then sort of jiggle the rod tip or slowly move the bait away from the fish. This should result in a gentle tap then a tight line. I am sure you know what to do then. SET THE HOOK and turn the handle.

In the past couple of weeks, I have been able to scratch up a few nice creek drum in the 3 to 5 pound class. I have been using a dead shrimp fished on the bottom in water depths from 5 to 15 feet. I like to hook a shrimp on a carolina rig and send it to the bottom. I usually leave it in this spot until I feel the little bite. I have not found and big numbers in any one spot but usually a few fish in each spot.

The sheepshead should be stacked up pretty good along the jetty rocks and a fiddler will entice them to come to dinner with you. Other baits that also work on sheepshead are a small piece of blue crab, clams and shrimp. If you are real close to the rocks, a jig head works great or if you like staying a little farther off of the rocks, try a carolina rig with just enough weight to fish straight up and down. Bring more than one hook as you will lose a few to the rocks.

The poor old ocean fishing has been pretty good for grouper but because of the IDIOTS that are in charge of our fishing rules, you can hardly keep anything out there. But if you are wanting to stretch the string and come back with a few eating fish, you can wear out the snapper. You know, the species that is supposed to be almost fished out. I have been hearing reports from some of my offshore guides that catches of 100 or more snapper are common.

Capt Jim's Fun Fishing Inc.
Jacksonville, Fl
904 757 7550
www.hammondfishing.com
jim@hammondfishing.com