As I write this, we just had two days with lows in the 40s. The seasons are definitely changing! As the seasons change so does the fishing. From my experience that is good news! With cooler temperatures there is more oxygen in the water. And, the fish become more active.
The downside is that the fish can be comfortable almost anywhere. The consistent weather that we experienced for several months is gone. For the next few months there will be cold fronts and windy days.
For the small craft boaters, it’s a bit of a double-edged sword. With comfort and safety in mind the smaller craft need to move to the back waters and canals. The good news is that you often are fishing in areas all by yourself, no speed boats, jet skis or cruisers to knock you off the flats.
Please, check your tide tables before you start your fishing trip. Winter here in Southwest Florida is known for its negative tides which are lower than the average low tide. They are predominating during new and full moons. When combined with strong winds the water depth can drop dramatically.
Also, watch the wading birds as they are NOT walking on water! Areas that had three feet on a high tide could easily be dry with a negative tide. This is a great time for the shallow draft boats, kayaks and wading. The fish are often trapped in the deeper holes. This can be like shooting fish in a barrel if you find such a spot. If you have a larger fishing boat this is a great time to do some exploring.
Make notes about where you found exposed oyster bars, the end of sandbars, cuts between islands, anywhere that can provide ambush or feeding locations during a normal tidal flow. If you haven’t already purchased boat towing insurance now is the time!
A single tow off a sandbar more than pays for itself. It is very easy to get caught up catching fish only to realize that the tide has dropped and you are stuck!
With the cooler weather we get some new, great eating fish to catch.
First on my list would be Sheepshead. If you have ever looked at their teeth, you know they feed by crushing their food. This can make them challenging to catch. My suggestion is to downsize your hooks. I have used hooks from size 4 to 1/0 with a split shot a few inches above it.
You do not need to use a whole shrimp; half a shrimp is plenty. If you can find fiddler crabs, they are sheepshead candy. I tend to set the hook at the first twitch while others wait for the bait to get ingested.
It will probably take you a lot of failed hook sets before you find out what works best. You will find them around old dock pilings, rock piles and even in the mangroves.
The other great eating fish now in the area is the triple tail. Tripple tail like to hang around channel markers, crab trap buoys or flotsam. They love shrimp! This is run and gun fishing. You will have to keep moving until you find them. They are not typically boat shy.
This means you can move close enough to put the shrimp in front of their faces.
In summary, this is a great time to go fishing, weather permitting. The Reel Anglers Fishing Club is a great place to meet up with other fisherman, share some fishing wisdom and become a more successful angler.
Men, women and children are all invited. The December meeting will be our holiday celebration. Our regular meetings will resume on January 14th at 6 PM at the Cape Coral Power Squadron. Our website is reelanglesfishingclub.com.
Come as a guest to your first meeting. We combine fishing with a great social environment. I hope to see you on the water!
Dan Carney
President
Reel Anglers Fishing Club
www.reelanglersfishingclub.com
