On the Water: February brings the start of season, fishing changes
The waters around Southwest Florida affords a choice of fishing opportunities as we move towards the close of winter with spring in sight. While some fish are completing their spawning duties, others are just beginning. February brings cold days followed by a warming trend. By the later part of the month, cold days become less numerous, and the average water temperature is on a steady rise.
The winter run of sheepshead peaks as the larger fish complete their spawning duties. Sheepshead school around structure with a good tidal flow inshore, around the beaches and nearshore. They are the one fish that thrives in the cold with the best bite often coming over the coldest days. Sheepshead are one of Florida’s tastiest fish and get a good deal of attention from anglers fishing from boat and land.
As the month progresses, warming waters and the return of schooling bait fish will mark the beginning of some of the largest seatrout of the year. Large trout are locally known as “gators” or “gator trout” and exceed well over 20 inches, often pushing 30 inches. They are moving onto the inshore grass flats, as well as oyster bars and deeper holes. These larger fish are often egg laden as we approach their spawning season. Enjoy the battle, snap a quick picture while handling them with care and return the big girls to the water. Then they can continue to their spawning duties to ensure fish for the future. State law allows anglers to keep one seatrout per boat over 19 inches.
The snook bite will fire off with the return of bait fish and warming waters. In my opinion snook is our top inshore sportfish. I am often asked, “If you could only target one fish what would it be?” Snook is always my answer. They strike hard, fight hard and have the natural instinct to head to the nearest structure and break off. Large or small they are a blast to catch, are full of tenacity and just a cool looking fish. It’s easy to get addicted and catch snook fever. Snook season is closed, please take measures to assure a safe release.
While redfish tolerate the cold, their numbers and appetite increase as winter nears its end. They will range in size from little guys barely a foot long to well over 30 inches. While snook have fast blazing runs, dramatic leaps from the water and head for the nearest structure, redfish are in a different category. They fight like a bull, not fast but super strong and don’t know the word quit. They will fight hard from start to finish.
Redfish are found in the areas previously mentioned for sheepshead, seatrout and snook as well as under mangrove overhangs. Many anglers chose to sight fish reds, as they are tailing and pushing wake as they hunt for prey over the shallow flats. Negative low tides offer great opportunities, particularly early morning and late afternoon.
In the Gulf of Mexico, fish are on the move as they follow the rising water temperature north. King and Spanish mackerel along with bonito or false albacore are off the coast and often in large schools, look for feeding birds to locate the hungry fish. If you are lucky you may hook into a blackfin tuna as well. Cobia, a local favorite that is often mistaken for a shark, may show up at any time around your boat while fishing offshore or inshore. Bottom fishing around reefs could yield a variety including sheepshead, various snapper, grouper, permit and flounder, to name a few. Also, keep an eye open for triple tail sunning on their side around floating objects. If you’re looking for the bigger red grouper, the best bet is to head out to depths 70 feet and deeper.
The transition from late winter into early spring can offer some of the best fishing the area offers. As days get longer and water temperatures rise, hungry fish of all sizes invade coastal waters. We touched on some of the most popular game fish for anglers, yet there are many more we didn’t mention. Up until now this winter’s weather has been cold, wet and windy. Let’s hope this month begins a trend of better weather.
Stay up to date with fishing regulations by visiting www.myfwc.com. Also, upload the Fish Rules app on your phone. It has current regulations and seasons with pictures to help identify fish.
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.