INGLIS/YANKEETOWN

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. January is one of the best times to be on the water. Not only do you get to try out all the new fishing gear you got for Christmas, but the fish are packed in tight and should be very easy to spot. This time of year brings clear water and low tides that will force the fish into pockets and make locating them much easier.

The redfish will look for darker bottom or rock, anything that will hold a little more heat than the surrounding area. It might only be a degree or two, but it will make a big difference. I really like the puzzle this time of year as well. I have had days where the fish wanted a fast-moving bait, and days where you had to crawl a bait on the bottom to get a bite. If I could only choose one bait for January, it would be the Paul Brown Devil in chartreuse glow. This is a redfish and trout killer. The slow suspended walk-the-dog action has always produced big numbers for me. Most of your strikes on this bait will come on the pause. If the fish are not reacting very well to the Paul Brown, switch over to a mirrolure mirrodine. It is a smaller profile bait and you can vary your retrieve speed to get the fish to strike.

I would also keep a few shrimp in the boat with me this time of year. I always see good numbers of sheephead when I am bouncing from creek to creek. A free-lined shrimp will get some of these excellent table fare a ride home in your live well.

If you are new to the area, you will definitely need to pay attention to the tides. This time of year with the low water situation, you can get stuck very easy, and you do not want to have to get out and push your boat in 50 degree water. Until next month, have fun, be safe and take your kids fishing.

Capt. Craig Spitznogle
www.floridaflatscharterco.com