Capt. Dave Stephens
Happy New Year!! Wishing everyone a great 2020. It looks like Mother Nature has finally pushed her way into Southwest Florida. We have seen some temps drop down into the upper forties. Well fellow anglers when this happens it is time to put up the cast nets, and get out the jig heads. Water temps play a large role in our fishery, and this is when you need to slow things down. This time of year our fishery can be a roller coaster ride of emotions. We may have a week of warm weather followed by a cold front. Luckily for us our fishery keeps going year around. Some of the species that we overlook during the warmer months of the year take center stage. The biggest mover will be sea trout. The cooler waters will have these guys moving into deeper water. The past few months trout have been out on the flats trying to get ready for winter. Shrimp will be the best option to get these guys to bite. One of my favorite ways is a shrimp and jig head on the bottom. A slow presentation will normally fool a hungry trout. The bonus, when you find one you’ve probably found a good school. Another fish that has been looked over as long as I can remember, Its been marked as a trash fish due to its name. Many names come with many faces. Yes, I’m talking about the sheep head. The fish that is often mistaking for a freshwater fish that lives in the great lakes. Sheep head that live in our coastal and near shore waters come from the porgy family. Over the years local anglers have shortened the name from sheep headed porgy, to sheep head. In my opinion these striped bandits are not only one of the hardest fish to catch, but possibly one of the best eating. Living on a diet that consist of mostly crustaceans ensures a nice flaky white meat. Catching these guys can be a lil tricky, I promise they earned those black and white stripes. A downsize in tackle will help. Another key to locating these guys is structure. Since crustaceans is on the menu, areas that hold their food source is a must. Locating old docks and rock jetty’s will get you in the right direction. Probably the best advice I can share is, set the hook about a half second before the bite.
Cooler water temps doesn’t mean that our fishery is not active. It just means that you need to adjust your style of fishing to fit our fishery. Just remember to slow things down, and you will be surprised at the outcome.
If you would like to experience some of South West Florida’s finest fishing, give us a call or send an email. All of our charters are customized to fit you and your party’s needs.
Capt. Dave Stephens
941-916-5769