Capt. Dave Stephens
Well hopefully with spring around the corner things will start to level off a little bit. One of the toughest situations to fish, is changing conditions. After a cold front passes through our area the water temps drop. That is followed by 4 to 5 days of warm Florida weather. What this does is keep the fish confused on feeding patterns and locations. Some fish such as snook prefer the water temps to be above 70° to actively feed. Other fish like reds and trout don’t mind the cooler water, but it will change their locations.
Spring time to me means it’s time to go into snook mode. Like I said water temps can still play a role in how active these fish can be. It’s been a couple months that these guys have been dormant, so they’re ready to start feeding. During the early part of  spring I focus on deep water; areas such as residential canals will be holding good numbers of fish. I like to take things a little slower than I normally would, be a little more patient. Also, smaller baits seem to work better, baits such as pinfish, sardines and shrimp. As the water temps begin to climb and stay above 70° these fish will get more active.
Warmer water will also get the trout out on the flats looking for larger prey. Areas like sand bars adjacent to large flats will be holding fish. Normally trout seem to run in schools of the same size. So, if you’re catching fish in the 12”-14” range that’s mostly what you’re going to get. The larger fish tend to be in smaller groups, but will be much bigger fish. Oyster bars are also a great place to locate feeding fish.
Spring time is when a lot of our pelagic fish start to migrate through. These are fish that are on the move more and follow the warmer waters north. One of the most often caught in our area is Spanish mackerel. These toothy critters can be found all around the harbor where schools of bait can be located. Usually birds such as terns and sea gulls will give away their location. Small lures such as spoons and buck tails cast into or trolled through these areas do very well. I recommend using a small piece of wire or heavy leader, their teeth are very sharp. Another fish that will begin to show up are cobia. The local bars are a great place sight fish them. Also, the reefs and holes in the harbor are other places to locate cobia. The warming waters of spring will bring some exciting fishing to our area. So, get out and enjoy what our beautiful area has to offer.
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Capt. Dave Stephens
941-916-5769
www.backbayxtremes.com