Capt. Jim Ross
We had plenty of cold weather last month and that brought our near-shore waters down to near 60 degrees, before warming up slightly toward the end of the month. The good thing about this is that we should see good pompano, weakfish and whiting catches this month. These species prefer water temps that range from 64 to 70-degrees along the beaches. Live shrimp, cut shrimp or clam, and sand fleas will be great natural offerings for these three species. You can fish these on a standard 2-drop or 3-drop surf rig with good success. Many anglers enjoy trying their luck by casting jigs tipped with these baits or using pompano style jigs without baits on them when casting into or on the back side of the surf break. “Goofy” style jigs seem to be the most popular of these and pink, orange, yellow, and chartreuse colors are usually very effective. If we have water temps in the upper 60-degree range anglers may find tripletail and cobia in the 20 to 60-foot depths, especially around floating debris or ships channel markers. Live shrimp can be a great lure for these fish as well. Bluefish are usually a given along the beaches this moth so be prepared for the wrath of these toothy critters when targeting the other species mentioned. Over-all it’s a great month to get out and do some fishing when the weather permits, so get out there and enjoy!
Capt. Jim Ross
W-321-636-3728
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