Our offshore water temps should be dropping down from the 79 and 80 degrees to the mid to low 70s. This will once again move migratory species south. Big smoker kingfish will be on the beach, color changes and tide waters as well as up and down our 60-foot reefs. Large live baits like threadfins and blue runners work best, but you can also catch them trolling deep diving lures and strip baits behind a sea witch, on a down rigger or plainer.
Nearshore should produce schools of Spanish mackerel from the beach out to 50 and 60 feet. Look for the birds and surface action. Trolling spoons will usually always produce strikes. The cooling water temps usually produce some good catches of triggerfish in the 65- to 85-foot reefs. Keep a jig ready also for the cobia to pop up. I’ll also run a line in mid water with a live grunt or pinfish. This will often get you a shot at that cobia that’s too smart to show itself. The 80 and 90 reefs should produce some mangroves snapper, mutton snapper and lane snapper. Keep in mind that with the high winds and big swells that come with December cold fronts, expect to find some dirty water that’s gonna make the bottom bite to fall off, so it’s a good time to come prepared to run off in search of a color changes.
Trolling some ballyhoo down any edge where water goes from green to a clear blue green should give up some bigger dolphin, wahoo, blackfin tuna and sailfish. When you find a color change that also shows a degree or two in temperature change such as 77 on the west side and 78 or more on the east side is even more likely to hold fish.
If you find sargassum weed with flying fish or other small bait life stay with it—there’s going to be fish down that line either to the north or south.
Don’t forget it’s winter weather, not the calm days of summer. Take advantage of the rough days and go through your equipment. Not just fishing tackle, but the thing that keep you floating: bilge pumps and switches; radio and safety equipment. Polish makes her look good, but “Chrome Won’t Get You Home.”
As always be courteous to your fellow boater, you never know when you might need a tow.
Fish on…gotta go!
Capt. Terry Wildey
Big Easy Fishing Charters
(772) 538 – 1072
www.bigeasyfishingcharters.com
captwildey@bellsouth.net
