Winter is certainly here and as I type this forecast in early January the temperature at dawn is hovering around 35 degrees. A factored in wind chill of 26 degrees means Iâll be hiding inside for several more hours and possibly all day.
Cold fronts always affect our fish and by extension our fishing. Anglers who truly love hunting redfish, black drum and huge spotted seatrout in the shallows know these fish are fickle by nature. We also know their fickleness is accentuated by the severity of each and every cold front passing through their area.
The day before a front will usually offer exciting fishing here and sometimes the few hours ahead of a front offers legendary activity. The fish often seem to be âfeeding upâ as if they know they will not feed again for a day or two and maybe longer. Try to time your trip in advance of a front.
Fish the warming trend after a front pushes through. As water temps rebound the critters at the bottom of the food chain become active. Active foodstuffs trigger active predators.
Shrimp rule as a bait in the winter and LIVE shrimp consistently catch more fish on the flats than any other bait. Of course crabs both live and cut are excellent choices IF you can find them. Also, I rely heavily on cut mullet and consider it a necessity when âbait-fishing.â
While youâve been told often to target sand spots across the flats and you should, donât rely on them entirely. Often dirty water with a dark and muddy bottom is the first to warm after a cold front. Youâll find this type of bottom in backwater coves, creeks and some nondescript shorelines. When sheltered from a strong wind, but able to absorb sunlight these areas can and do harbor feeding fish.
Some of these âspotsâ are so shallow it will be tough to access with all but the shallowest drafting vessels. This factor in and of itself means these areas are seldom fished. Find a few of your own and reap the benefits of this overlooked pattern!
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