By Steve Hobbs
February has now come and gone and the weather is still the story. Extreme temperature changes and several inches of precipitation have kept the fish on the move, in and out of the creeks and rivers. With constant change in water temperatures as well as salinity levels, we’re fighting a tough battle. Schools of big redfish are cruising the shoreline of the bay looking for bait, which have been scarce so far. The trout are staying in tight groups so if you find them, the action can be steady, but move off a short distance and it can turn into a dead zone. The sheepshead bite has been another prominent story so far this winter and catches in the 6-7lb range have been fairly common.
Offshore, the black sea bass are eating everything that ventures into their water column. We have caught them in a number of ways: trolling near structure and hard bottom with diving lures, jigging softbaits, feathers, spoons or just soaking cut bait. Take your pick. Any technique will work to fill a cooler with those sweet white filets.
As the bait fish start showing up at the end of this month, the flats should start to wake up and work into an explosive spring pattern. This is what we live for as inshore anglers; it’s what we’ll all be looking forward to.
Remember to take a kid fishing and show them the excitement of the outdoors!
Captain Steve Hobbs
SkeeterBite Fishing Charters
skeeterbitefishingcharters.com
Splopscapt@gmail.com
Call/Text 850 363-0527