Welcome back to another edition of pro tip with Captain Jonathan Moss of Go Castaway Fishing Charters and the Fishing TV show, The Captain’s Log!
December is here which means we are quickly entering into our winter fishing pattern. Cold fronts have slowly shown up and will only increase over the next several months. During this month of December, you will begin to see less mullet/bait fish out on the flats and, instead, more shrimp! Typically, two or three days before and after the full moon will be our best wintertime shrimp runs. Pair that with a south wind and our Indian River Lagoon shrimp will be working their way north heading towards Ponce Inlet.
With that being said, my lures of choice are the D.O.A. C.A.L. Shad Tail rigged weedless with an Owner 1/8-ounce weight, 3/0 twist-lock hook and a D.O.A. gold shrimp either rigged with the standard J hook that it comes with or rigged with the same Owner twist lock hook to make it weedless.
Using this specific Owner hook allows me to skip either bait around docks and mangroves without fear of getting stuck or snagged. The 1/8-ounce weight that is attached to the hook helps with casting distance, provides quality sink rate around sand bars and dropoffs and also assists with skipping the bait.
To properly work these baits, consider the water temperature. As the water gets colder, slow down your retrieval and begin using a jigging technique where you work the lure in a up and down motion. This will help the bait swim or act naturally.
Pictured is Jessie from Idaho, on a recent fishing trip out of Titusville. She was using that exact lure/hook choice and catching multiple nice Indian River Lagoon redfish.
I hope all of y’all have a wonderful Christmas season, spending time, not only on the water but with your loved ones. I look forward to talking to you again in the new year! Be safe and stay warm!
Tight lines,
Capt. Jonathan Moss
Go Castaway Fishing Charters
www.gocastaway.com
(407) 760-8593