Now that we have seen a cold front or two come and go, the fishing on the Treasure Coast will begin to heat up. The sail fishing off our coast in the month of January has the potential to be the best in the nation. January is the month the Pelican Yacht Club Invitational Billfish tournament is held and in three days of fishing, hundreds of sailfish will be released by a field of only 20-to-30 boats. If you are looking for other gamefish, there will be mahi-mahi, blackfin tuna, and wahoo around to catch as well.
In these winter months the best fishing is from 100-to-400 feet of water. Live bait is hard to come by, so I would recommend getting out your favorite skirt and trolling ballyhoo to catch the mahi-mahi. Remember to look for weed lines, temperature changes, or floating debris when targeting mahi-mahi. A cedar plug will also be a very good lure of choice when trying to catch any blackfin tuna this time of year.
If you’re going to be targeting wahoo, I recommend fishing a lure or bait down deeper and using a wire leader, so you do not get cut off.
As far as a bottom fishing bite, the mangrove and mutton snapper fishing will be very good in 60-to-90 feet of water if the weather permits. A lot of bigger fish will be roaming the reef.
The guys at Whites Tackle in Fort Pierce, Vero or Stuart will be able to answer any questions you may have. Remember to be watchful of the weather in the winter as the ocean can get a little rough with those strong winter winds.
Good luck and tight lines!
FORECAST BY: Capt. Colton Hester
Sonna Girl Fishing Charters
(772) 293-5342
colton@sonnagirlfishing.com
www.sonnagirlfishing.com
