December brings many surprises to anglers of Tampa Bay, and it all depends on the weather. If it’s a warm month, we can count on large schools of redfish around the many mangrove islands and trout on the shallow flats. A warm month can keep many species such as mackerel and cobia in our Bay waters. These are usually gone by early November.
A cold December is a different story altogether. Look for redfish around deep water docks using live shrimp with a 1/0 circle hook and a small split shot about 6 inches from the hook, as this keeps the bait close to the bottom where the water is warmer and the fish are most active. Flounder is another species you can count on around docks this time of year. For them, I prefer using a small jig head with a small live shrimp hooked through the tail (not the head) and dragged along the bottom. Cast the jig toward the shoreline parallel to the dock, and bounce it along the bottom until you reach the front of the dock. Continue this method on both sides of the dock going from one dock to another, as this allows you to cover the entire area around a dock where the flounder are waiting on their prey.
Snook would have made their way up the rivers and creeks looking for warmer water. Remember that snook slow down on their bite this time of year, so cut bait works great on the bottom. Live medium shrimp with the tail cut off is another great bait to use. I prefer, once again, to use a small split shot to keep the bait on the bottom and, in many cases, I will work the shrimp along the edges of the river or creek bed where the snook are most likely to be waiting for food.
The cold water means clear water, so you will need to drop down on the size of your leader and tackle to help increase the bite. I notice in cold water months, I have to down size my leader in some cases to 15 pounds in order to get the fish to bite. I would start with 25-pound test fluorocarbon leader and work down from there until you find what’s working for you. The lighter leader means you must take a little more time in fighting the fish, but the increase on the number of bites is well worth it.
Artificial baits like Saltwater Assassin P&V are a killer bait for speckled trout and redfish. Using artificial baits increases your chances of being able to cover more groundwork edges of canals and deep oyster bars. Don’t be afraid to change colors–one day Chicken On A Chain could be the hot ticket, the next day could be Pilchard. So, change often until you find the color that’s hot for the day.
Winter Hot Spots:
· A cut channel due north from Cortney Campbell causeway boat ramp.
· Old dredge hole by the 4th street Bridge, the interstate and the sunken barge that sits on the edge of Big Island channel same area in St. Pete.
· Hot water outflow both St. Pete and Apollo power plants. Some of the areas are out of limits, so be careful.
· Skyway Bridge pilings for large sheepshead using live shrimp on the incoming tide.
· Ledges inside Tampa Bay in 12 to 18 feet of water produce big sheepshead and mangrove snapper.
· Most artificial reefs inside the Bay will produce some large snook and mangrove snapper.