By Capt. Bill D’Antuono:
Well here we are again with the cold temperatures approaching. All it takes is one or two cold fronts and we are forced to suit up in thick wetsuits. There is a very nice silver lining though, as the fish will be moving around with every cold front. Also, the water tends to clear up a bit closer to shore so the shallow water spots become dive-able.
Cobia will be popping up here and there and gag grouper will move back into shallow water. This gives you a great shot at landing some great table fare. For this reason, the winter is still a viable time to spearfish local waters.
The window of opportunity to get offshore will shrink, so it is advantageous to learn the weather patterns. Between fronts is the optimal time to go offshore. But as you can guess, this means cold water. Suit up with a 5mm suit with a hood and you’ll be good to go. I go from wearing a rash guard during warm months to my 5mm suit which I use 6 months out of the year, so it is a good investment. Use an app like Windfinder to plan your trips. You might have to use up some sick days to get out during the week for all you weekend warriors.
Staying warm on the water is key. I have seen people take an old garden hose and plug it into a Yamaha 4 stroke water exhaust adapter which provides for instant hot water (also beneficial for lionfish stings). This tactic is not advised but can be done easily if you know what you are doing.
Don’t discredit winter time spearing. All you need to do is time it out right, be prepared and the fish will be in your boat guaranteed. Scubadventures can suit you up correctly. Contact me if you want to get out there on a charter and I will put you on the fish! Email us at offshorenaplesllc@gmail.com.