On the Water: February often brings a change in fishing patterns
Winter in Southwest Florida is no comparison to the colder climates to our north. However, as a Florida boy that is not fond of the cold, I view February as the beginning to the end of the cold or winter season. Sometime this month the transition to spring fishing conditions should begin. It all depends on the weather, if warm it should begin the first couple weeks, but if we have a cold front or two of any magnitude it could push the transition towards the end of the month.
Inshore, look for seatrout fishing to get better and more consistent as the month progresses, plus we will see a notable increase in large fish. If the water remains relatively cold, bait fish will be sparse and trout at times sluggish; shrimp or shrimp imitations should be the bait of choice. If we have a couple weeks of warm weather then you can expect bait to move back into the area, but for much of the month it’s hard to beat anything that resembles a shrimp for bait.
Hooking redfish should improve in both numbers and size as the month progresses. By the second half of the month look for fish to begin feeding under the bushes as our tides will bring us higher water than previous months. Shrimp or scented artificials are the top baits; if you have the patience to soak cut bait on the bottom, one-inch ladyfish or mullet steaks are also deadly. Also target redfish in sand potholes on low water and feeding along sand and oyster bars with the rising tides. Extreme low tides this month give great opportunities for stalking tailing or waking reds in the extreme shallows.
Recent cold fronts dropped the water temperature to the point where snook lose their appetite. If you hit the right spot at right time you may get on a snook bite. Once water temperature stabilizes about 70 degrees the bite will improve.
In my opinion, snook are our top inshore sportfish. They fight hard, often with dramatic jumps, and have the instinct to head to the nearest structure and break off. Although season is closed, hooking into snook is a lot of fun and you can easily become addicted after a good snook bite.
Inshore and nearshore sheepshead fishing should peak this month as they finish up their spawning chores. Many of the larger fish are caught around the gulf passes, on the beaches and schooling around structure both inside the passes and a short distance offshore. A small sharp hook works best when rigged with a shrimp with just enough weight to keep it on the bottom. Be patient and bring plenty of bait, these stripped bandits are notorious bait stealers until you get the feel for the strike. If you do not have access to a boat, try one of the many public piers or bridges. Not only do sheepshead fight hard, but they are also outstanding on the table.
Anglers fishing the mentioned areas for sheepshead are sure to score with a few pompano. They feed off the bottom, often hang around the same areas and love shrimp. You can also expect to catch them in many of the same areas that attract redfish or trout. Areas like sand holes and sand bar transitions are feeding stations for pompano that often travel in schools. While a live shrimp is hard to beat and works great, those that target pompano often throw artificials to cover more ground. Small pompano jigs with white, pink and yellow the most common colors have been catching pompano forever. You can really enhance these jigs with a small piece of fresh shrimp. Hard-bodied crazy-style jigs in various colors have also become a pompano favorite. With these jig-style baits, a moderately slow retrieve with a jigging motion to bounce the bait off the bottom and simulate a fleeing crustacean is the key to success
To keep up on current fishing regulations, you can go to www.myfwc.com for the latest information.
Although it is still winter, if we put a week or so of warm weather behind us the transition to spring should begin. I might be jumping the gun early, but I am keeping my fingers crossed for an early transition, spring is my favorite time of year to fish.
If you have a fishing report or for charter information, contact Gulf Coast Guide Service at 239-410-8576 (call or text); on the web at www.fishpineisland.com; or via email at gcl2fish@live.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 Pine Island and Southwest Florida, and as a professional fishing guide for the past 23 years.