Happy New Year everyone! Typically we have only one real problem to deal with during our winter fishing season; cold fronts! This simplistic factor can wreak havoc on us shallow water anglers in many forms. Dropping water temperatures bordering on frigid, extremely high (or low) barometric pressure, rain and gusting winds will attempt to stand in our way. Some days one or more of these factors will shut the fishing down completely. Most of the time though a persistent fisher can overcome these negatives and find success even if measured in only a fish or two.
Cover water quickly if you are not seeing your quarry. I like the Aqua Dream line of weedless spoons for this purpose. Using the gold color first and foremost and throwing pinfish and mullet patterns as necessary. Another good search bait option is the Exude Dart rigged weedless. The Dart is completely versatile and can be fished as quickly or slowly as the angler deems necessary. While I obviously use many more lures than the two mentioned I always keep these offerings rigged and ready.
Don’t forget the live shrimp. Unless you are a purist and only use man made “baits” keep a rod handy and rigged with a circle hook. Tail-hook a live shrimp to it and add a small split shot just above the knot if needed. The live shrimp will almost always be greedily eaten by any sighted redfish, black drum or seatrout as long as the angler does not spook the target fish with a bad cast.
For the artificial lure only gang the same circle hook rig works well with an Exude Shrimp. Tail-hook the lure and add a nail weight to its nose. The nose weighted lure falling head first to the bottom offers a fine representation of a live shrimp swimming downward! Yes, any scented shrimp imitation will work this way. Keep in mind the Exude Shrimp is fatter and heavier than most of the other artificial shrimp on the market. On windy days this added size and extra weight allows for longer casts and better casting control.
Downsize your leader a bit. I use twenty pound fluorocarbon most of the year, but downsize to sixteen or even twelve pound as the water clears. Cool winter water can be extremely clear and the finer diameter leader tends to be less visible in this scenario.
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