Hello anglers! February can be a tricky month to find fish inshore. As the cold fronts move in and out, the water temperature will fluctuate weekly, and almost daily, if the cold fronts are close together. If I had to choose one of the best times to fish around these weather patterns, I would choose the day before the front approaches the area. This is the time that most fish have established predictable patterns due to the length of time since the last cold front, and typically winds and seas are much higher during and directly after the front passes.
Trout and redfish will be mostly snuggled up in creeks and bayous. Use shrimp imitations and live baits slow and low in the canals, bayous and creeks because this is their normal habitat and food source this time of year. Don’t forget to check any docks in the area; I often find schools of slot-sized redfish hanging around docks. They tend to spook easily, so sneak up quietly and make long casts. Plan your approach ahead of time, and use the wind to your advantage by drifting in, anchoring a good distance away and casting downwind. Light spinning gear is perfect for casting distance and accuracy. I use 15 pound braided line and a 20 pound fluorocarbon leader. I’ll increase to a 30 pound leader if bigger reds are around. Always adjust your hook size to bait size and consider the strength needed to handle the fish. For inshore I prefer 2 to 2/0 sized short shank hooks, depending on the size of bait I’m using.
Big redfish will be off and on in the pass. Big black drum will still be caught around the bridges and seawalls. Buoys and other deeper structures in the bay will produce some decent sized black sea bass right now as well. Sheepshead will begin their annual movement and will become more plentiful as we get closer to March. Keep a variation of baits on your boat like live shrimp, any crabs you can get your hands on, and a few live bait fish as well. Drop a variation of baits in multiple locations to maximize opportunities. Remember, always fish with the lightest lead, line, and leader you can get away with. You will get more bites!
In the Gulf, nearshore reefs will be holding many snapper, amberjacks, grouper and triggerfish, but if you want tasty filets, fish bull minnows on the bottom for flounder. To fill my cooler, I set up slow drifts around the outer edges of the structures with a lip-hooked bull minnow on a slip sinker rig. Smaller finger mullet will work as well, but I prefer bull minnows. Always keep an eye on the surface, there will be some stray Spanish and king mackerel caught this month, and maybe a lot if the weather is unseasonably warm. I look for birds bombing and surface activity every time I wet my boat.
Thanks for reading. Good luck and Fish on!
CAPT. JASON SHINGLER
Adrenaline On H20
Panama City, FL
(850) 348-2282