This is my favorite time of year to fish! You can’t beat the winter negative tides. This time of year, you can consistently target black drum, sheepshead, flounder and mangrove snapper. The reason I mention those species in this article is that they are all legal to keep and take home for a meal! Be sure and check www.myfwc.com for size and bag limits. We have all struggled with having to throw back our three favorite inshore fish with this continued closure. But, now you have a great chance at bringing home some good meat!
Fishing the negative tides can be very rewarding. Whether it’s wading, yaking or using the trolling motor on your boat, try to get to the deeper pockets an hour or two before the outgoing tide stops. You will find all these different species set up in the deeper pockets.
I prefer shrimp, cut ladyfish and fiddler crabs for bait. Black drum and sheepshead are my two favorites to go after. If you’re in a deeper pocket, use a 1/0 to 2/0 hook with a split shot or two to get your bait down. If the fish are there, it will almost be a guaranteed hit! If the current is moving too fast, just free-line your bait and wait for the bite!
Catch em up!
