I don’t know about the rest of you, but we are ready for the “Super El Niño” effect to fade into our rear view and run full throttle into Spring. Coming off the best Summer and Fall that I can remember, the powers that be kept us land locked and out of the water for the majority of Winter. Funny how things seem to have a tendency to even themselves out. One or two day weather windows, between endless cold fronts, were all we got. This made fishing trips impossible to plan and diving not even an option, due to the lack of visibility. Time to leave that in the past and spring ahead to the possibilities that await us.
For the fishermen and women here on vacation, I’ve got a feeling it will be nothing but bent poles and sore arms, if the sample continues. We may not have been able to run many trips the last two months, but the ones we did were straight fire. Every one of them. Fish have been stacked up and hungry just waiting to get out of the surge and poor vis. March should bring calmer seas and cleaner water along with the start of our seasonal bait run. If you’re ever going to troll, now is the time. Macks, kings, cuda and bonita will be plentiful. The wrecks and springs out deep should have schools of blackfin nearby and maybe even a lost wahoo or two. On the bottom, all species will be chewing providing endless action no matter the duration of your trip.
For our scuba enthusiast, water temps dipped into the upper 50’s for a few days in early February. Thankfully, it won’t take many Florida March days to shoot that back up into the 70’s, There will be disco on the dance floor and partying under the blue. It’s still a bit chilly for some of us locals, but that’s perfect Summer shore water for everyone along the eastern seaboard headed our way to get out of the snow and sleet back home. Break out the underwater cameras or fish pokers, and do what makes you happy. The Gulf will be teaming with life.
With some good Irish luck, we will spend every day on the water and only visit the Spring training baseball diamonds after the sun goes down.