[dropcap]D[/dropcap]ecember brings a definitive chill to the water and air which signals the onset of true winter weather along the beaches of coastal Alabama. The two sides of that coin are the warm, windy and often wet days that precede the periodic cold fronts and the colder, dryer, clearer days that follow the fronts. If there are enough days between the weather systems, we are provided with a day (or two) of pleasantly mild and often sunny weather to pursue the fish which remain in our waters even as they cool well into the lower 60s.
Once the blustery north winds have blown the surf flat, the water usually clears along the beach enough for whiting to prowl about in relatively shallow water looking for an easy meal. Savvy anglers ply the beach âholesâ and âwashoutsâ in search of whiting schools during theses periods of calm water with FRESH shrimp, sandfleas (mole crabs) or beach ghost shrimp. Light tackle should be employed as these fish are spooky in the shallow, calm water, often being chased by loons and anhinga (water turkeys). Weights of Âź to ½ ounce are all that is needed in calm surf and a small light wire Aberdeen type hook such as Tru-Turn #4 or #6 when coupled with light or even ultralight spinning tackle is excellent for catching the typical 3/4# to 1 ½# whiting along the beach. And they hold up well enough to land the occasional bigger red or black drum anglers hook into. All it takes is a bit more time and patience (and a light drag setting) to wear them down.
As the winds increase from the east or southeast, the waves correspondingly build in the days leading up to a frontal passage, making fishing directly from the beach more difficult if not virtually impossible. Also the water gets increasingly dingy as the waves build, so finding a protected area to fish is often the key to angling success. These are the days when the jetties, inlets and piers should produce intermittent runs of bull reds as they move back and forth along the coast in search of prey. They are usually caught by anglers soaking a chunk of FRESH cut mullet or a live pinfish or croaker pinned on the bottom utilizing long rods and 2 to 6 ounce leads. Occasionally bluefish or even bonita schools may also suddenly appear as they pursue schools of bay anchovies (locally referred to as âred minnowsâ), so itâs always a good idea to have a rod rigged with a small jig or spoon that can be cast to these transient marauders. Last winterâs weather was so mild we occasionally even saw small spanish mackerel remain at the Gulf State Park Pier and Perdido Pass jetty throughout December, but that is usually not the case.
Typically, whiting and sheepshead are the primary catch at those locations in December along with black drum, and the occasional flounder, speckled trout and redfish or even pompano. Live shrimp is the bait of choice for these fish when fishing from the seawall or rocks at Perdido Pass and Ft Gaines now that the waters have cooled into the 60s and sent the pinfish away until warmer times. The presentation should be light so as to allow the shrimp (hooked in the head at the base of the horn) to drift and swim naturally in the current with just a BB splitshot a foot or so above a #4 or #6 bronze singlehook. And at times when a school of speckled trout, redfish or bluefish is located, lures like the 4â Fin-s on a Âź ounce jighead can be just as effective as live bait.
By choosing the proper time and place and presentation, anglers still have an excellent chance to catch some really nice fish along coastal Alabama in December.
See you out there!
David Thornton
http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com