Here in the Southeastern part of the country we do not experience traditional winters. What we do see are a series of cold fronts. They usually begin around Thanksgiving and commence sometime around Spring Training.
You will recognize these weather patterns by a brief period of winter rain followed by cold air blowing down from the north. For the most part, no two fronts are exactly alike. Some are quite mild with only a small dip in night time temperatures. Others bring frigid air and tropical storm grade winds. Figure out how to use the fronts to your advantage. This will make the difference between a great winter season of catching fish or sitting home having grown frustrated by freezing your butt off while struggling to get a bite.
When planning your winter fishing trips make sure that you are in tune with NOAA. Look for the days where rain is followed by high winds. Now you have found the front. The best fishing usually occurs during the period just prior to the rain starting. The fish sense the change in barometric pressure and begin to gorge themselves. This can make for some of the best days on the water that you will ever experience. Days when the tides are at their lowest usually produce the most spectacular days of catching and the kayak is the perfect mode of transportation to take full advantage of the situation, as you may find yourself having to drag your kayak over large stretches of some serious muck to get to the target area, something you cannot do in a skiff. Extremely low tides mean that the fish will be trapped in the larger potholes. The proverbial, “Fish in the Barrel.”
Mack sure you target area where you see the most mullet activity. Happy mullet usually means foraging redfish and trout. The mullet stir up crustaceans off the bottom and the game fish get an easy meal. My setup of choice is my 7’3” TFO spinning rod with a Diawa 3000 reel. I use 10lb. Invisabraid with 20lb. leader this time of year. My bait of choice is Saltwater Assassin 4” sea shad in the Mud Bug color on a 1/8th ounce chartreuse Chicken On A Chain colored jig head. Bang! Redfish on! Observation often leads to better days on the water. Whether it is surveying the lay of the land or the bait your partner is using to out- fish you, a slight change can make all the difference in the world. This type of fishing is usually best if you can hope off your kayak and wade. This will allow you to use the wind and the sun to your advantage. Having the wind at your back, as well as, the sun will give you better casting distance and also light up the potholes.
As a front pushes through, the mullet will a mass exodus from the flats. During the cold fronts the mullet take advantage of high winds and rough seas to spawn. They move out through the passes and head up to a couple of miles off shore to lay their eggs in the turbulent gulf waters. Unfortunately, bluebird days with flats void of mullet make for a couple tough days of fishing. As the air warms and the winds subside the game fish indicators will return. At this point, the redfish and trout will move out hiding spots in the deeper channels and canals and back up onto the flats. The only problem is that they often reposition themselves. Now it is time to start your search all over again.
Try not to become discouraged when trying to fish around the cold fronts. Study the weather patterns and see how the effect the fish in the areas you target. Careful observations and a little note taking will make the “Winter Fishing” one of your favorite times to catch fish.
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