by Capt. Rachel Cato
The best fishing plan is to have no plan. You can look at the forecast and then plan accordingly but if you can it’s best to look at the weather the day of. I’ve canceled trips based upon the forecast day before and then wake up and after a couple hours decide to go and it turns out to be a great day. Let’s hope we can kiss those strong cold fronts goodbye and welcome in some warmer winter weather. This month is one of the best months to fish due to the variety of species to be caught. Usually by February winter temperatures will begin to stabilize and remain consistent so fish are pretty much where they’re going to be for the next few weeks. The two top reliable winter species are sheepshead and black drum and are caught in great numbers using live shrimp.
Snook and redfish will begin to leave their winter homes as the water temperature rises. Live shrimp will do well around structure and reefs until water temperature gets into the 70s. Whitebait works better on the flats, fishing the mangroves and grass.
There are many days where tides are really low, the key is to find deeper water where fish are forced to move off the shallows. I have found deep holes just by watching water depths and being aware as you travel through areas. Just because one month there’s no fish there doesn’t mean the next there won’t be either. Some of my best days are had on days when the tide and wind are not ideal.
Winter time can be frustrating because there aren’t fish everywhere you want them. There are often specific reasons why fish are at one canal and not the other, or at one dock one day and then gone the next.
To increase your successful days try to figure out what draws fish and what doesn’t.
Captain Rachel Cato has been a fishing guide out of Palmetto since 2005. She is on the pro staff with Evinrude through Gulf Coast Marine in Port Charlotte and specializes in catching many species year-round with live bait for up to 6 anglers. To book your next fishing adventure call (941) 524-9664, go to captainrachel.com, or find her on Facebook at CaptainRachelCharters