by Capt. Dave Stephens
As the end of the year gets closer, the season for our fishery changes. The cooling water temps have our fish on the move. Some of our local fishing will go into more of a dormant stage, while others will take a front row seat for the next couple months. Over the past few days the amount of pompano that I have seen has been unbelievable. The outside of the bars on the north end of the harbor have had many large schools of these guys. One of the bonuses about these fish is, you don’t need live pilchards. Pompano are a fish that feeds on crustaceans, so you can grab a few dozen shrimp and have a great time fishing. One of the easiest ways to locate these guys is look behind your boat. When pompano are startled they will skip through your wake. Turn around with a stealthier approach and make a few casts and you should be good. Just remember to keep your bait in contact with the bottom.
Another fish that will begin to school up with the passing cold fronts is seatrout. As long as the water temps stay in the mid 70’s, focus on the grass flats. I prefer to fish areas that have a mix of sand and grass. If the winds are calm, drifting is a great way to locate fish. Just remember to not fish the area you just drifted over, keep your baits in front of you. On the lower tides, these guys will move to the deeper water, so potholes will be where you’ll find fish. Look for an area that is a couple feet deeper and you are certain to find hungry fish. For you artificial guys this is a great time of year to throw soft plastics. As the baitfish become harder to find, lures become very effective. Water color plays a major factor in the color choice of lure. If you are fishing water that has good clarity, I would recommend a lighter colored lure. Colors such as pearl and chartreuse will be very effective. If we have a front that passes and we get high winds, we could have stained water. In these conditions I would recommend a darker color. One of the best ways to locate fish is to cover a lot of water. If you’re not having much success in the area, don’t be afraid to move. This time of year the fish will be moving around a lot. The good thing is when you locate them, you will find a large number of feeding fish. This time of year our fish are in a transition period. If you’re finding you’re having a hard time locating fish, don’t get frustrated, it’s normal. Just keep grinding, and stay moving. I promise when you do find them, you will be well rewarded.