It is hard to fathom how quickly the holiday season has arrived. It is once again time to reflect on our many blessings, and to look forward to what December has to offer.
In the St Johns River and connecting lakes, look for the speckled perch (crappie) bite to continue strong with anglers using both slow trolling long lines and vertical jigging TTI Blakemore Road Runners tipped with live minnows. The speckled perch bite should improve on both the new and full moon phases, with the American shad starting to arrive around Christmas.
Inshore saltwater, both redfish and sea trout will remain in the skinny water as long as the water temperatures stay in the 70-degree range. Inshore fishing is best once the sun warms the water a bit, so sleep in and enjoy a good cup of coffee before heading to the ramp. Fish in protected areas and sunny spots and look for fish to be holding in sand pockets until the sun gets overhead. Around and in the inlet passes of Ponce De Leon, Port Canaveral, and Sebastian, concentrations of breeder redfish will remain, steadily feeding during periods of slack and falling tide. Along the beaches, look for pompano to begin moving off the inshore flats to the deeper troughs along the beach in search of sand fleas (mole crabs) their favorite winter food.
