STEINHATCHEE

You Don’t Need as Much Ice in the Fish Box

With “one” being best, I’d rank fishing in January a solid eleven, just ahead of February.  That doesn’t mean the fishing is terrible, I’m just not cold tolerant.  Also, cold fronts from the north make offshore conditions iffy most of the time.

Of course, grouper are closed in January.  On the off chance, we get a bluebird day, we are prohibited from catching and keeping grouper.  A random grouper trip would give a brief relief from cabin-fever and stimulate the economy of a small coastal community. A much-needed touch-bump during winter dump. Imagine a fresh grouper dinner with friends and family.  I guess I should be careful with my words; the rumor could spread and I may be impeached from fishing forever!

However, on a bluebird day, one doesn’t have to venture too far offshore to gather a handsome cooler of delicious Florida snapper, sea bass, and a few flounder.  Simply manage to get any bait down on hard bottom, and the bite is instant.  Get a group of people cranking up fish after fish after fish, after fish after f…, people soon get tired of catching.  Remember, you have to clean all those fish too.

When the weather turns brutally cold, relative to Florida, not Minnesota, anglers flock to the Steinhatchee River to mop up on trout coming in for thermal refuge.  Remember, the vast majority of the fish you touch, die of disease due to removal of their protective slime layer.  As for the best bait, call the local tackle shops and marinas and ask.  Also, ask if there are some still in stock.