[dropcap]B[/dropcap]rrr.. Enough of the cold weather already! January was a cold month. The fishing was hit or miss depending on the weather. The trout were showing up in some of their winter places in the deeper spots in the Mobile River, Dog River and Fowl River. The redfish are still thick in West Fowl River and along the coast. They are hitting the Voodoo shrimp fished under a popping cork or live shrimp if you can find them. The trout have been hitting hard baits, fished slow, or grubs on jigheads. A rattletrap also has had some success bringing in some nice trout. The normal colors for winter time are catching the trout, opening night or root beer colored grubs from Saltwater Assassin are my personal choices.
The gladshad mirror lure in silver and black or the chrome with black or blue back rattletrap, were colors of choice. The trout seemed to be more active as the water temps stayed in the 50 degree range. When the hard cold nights would drop the temps in the 40’s, the trout would shut down for days until the water would warm back up. Target those areas that are full of mullet activity. These areas seemed to be holding the best concentrations of fish.
Remember to dress in layers because the mornings are extremely chilly. The temps on the water are about 10 degrees colder and can be quite harsh on the body. With February, the most overlooked fish is starting to show up thick around any and all structure. The bay snapper or sheepshead are starting to school up and spawn. Live shrimp or hermit crabs are deadly bait for those toothy, yet excellent table fair. The rigs down in the lower bay should also start to hold swarms of these fish. Dress warm and hope to see ya on the water!
Captain Andrew Carter