On the Water: Cooler weather, strong winds make for slow bite
Last week brought us our first cool down of the season, plus wind, lots of wind. While it felt great and the weather was beautiful on land, the drop in temperature had an effect on fishing. A slow bite was common, especially with the strong northeast winds. For many days it wasn’t safe on the water unless you were fishing protected canals, creeks or back bays. So, as one would expect, reports were slim.
Anglers hunting redfish and snook found it took a lot of effort to find hungry fish. Working mangrove shorelines, creeks and oyster bar edges worked for reds up to 23 inches, plus a few snook around Saint James. Most were caught on live shrimp, pilchards, pinfish, or pearl-colored paddle or shad tails. Not in big numbers, but snook and redfish were caught in the Pine Island Sound from Pineland south to Regla Island.
As the water cools, reports of small or “rat” reds are on the rise. These are smaller redfish often running under 18 inches. Not sure where they come from, but they are around through the winter months and begin to show as the water cools down. About the time when the schools of large redfish disappear, the smaller guys show up.
Sheepsheads are beginning to arrive as well as several were caught over the week. Their numbers will continue to increase over the next couple of months.
As the inshore waters cool, small baitfish like pinfish will begin to disappear from inshore waters. Over the warm months, pinfish make it difficult to fish with shrimp for bait. They are everywhere and attack a shrimp on a hook like a school of piranhas. Over the next month, their numbers will thin out, and shrimp becomes the go-to bait.
It’s very common to come across several days of slow or inconsistent fishing. The first cold front of the season didn’t help as inshore water temperatures plummeted 10 degrees or more. Followed with endless winds that made fishing near impossible. Maybe once the wind settles down, good weather will return, along with fishing.
Keep up to date with fishing regulations by visiting the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at www.myfwc.com. Also, upload the Fish Rules app to your phone. It has current regulations with pictures to help identify fish.
If you have a fishing report or for charter information, contact us at Gulf Coast Guide Service by calling 239-410-8576 or emailing gcl2fish@live.com. Or you can visit us online at www.fishpineisland.com.
Have a safe week and good fishin’.
As a lifetime resident of Matlacha and Pine Island, Capt. Bill Russell has spent his life fishing and learning the waters around the Pine Island and Southwest Florida, and as a professional fishing guide for over 20 years.