It’s trial and error time for Big Bend coastal anglers. This week’s cold snap dropped water temperatures significantly, but the expected warming trend by the weekend will moderate things somewhat. That means it will take time searching to dial in the fish. Feeding windows will be shorter as well, so it pays to optimize the opportunities.
The long holiday weekend provided action with reds, trout, flounder inshore. Oyster bars, tidal creeks and flooded shorelines were the best places to prospect. Rock grass patches were also productive, but expect those to die back with the cooler water.
The variety of effective baits could stock a tackle store. Topwater plugs like Rapala Skitter Walks and Heddon Super Spooks proved enticing to trout and reds. The venerable Aqua Dream weedless spoons were also pounced on eagerly by red drum. With the bait getting scarce in the shallows, consider downsizing to the 1/4-ounce spoons for more subtle winter presentations.
Soft-plastic minnow lures like the Z-Man minnows, DOA 4-inch swim baits and similar offerings are also a good choice for the next few months. Use only enough weight to cast easily and let the buoyancy of the plastic do its thing. The Paul Brown Corky Mullet in gold/black and orange is deadly in the winter months with its slow descent and seductive profile. For all lures in cooler water, remember to slow the presentation and retrieve. Cold-blooded fish won’t expend more energy chasing down a meal than they can metabolize.
Sheepshead are really becoming numerous. These wary convicts are best fooled by fiddler crabs and live or fresh dead shrimp. But they will occasionally eat a bucktail jig or crustacean fly for those with patience.
Water temperatures dipped into the mid-50 degree range earlier this week, but expect some warming with the return to more seasonal conditions. After forecast showers on Friday, the rest of the weekend looks favorable, albeit with weak tides. Highs will crest before sunrise and fall throughout the mornings, bottoming out at negative levels around lunch. So be cognizant of water levels if you get a late start. Shields Marina, the St. Marks City Ramp and the public ramp at Shell Point are all good spots regardless of tides.
Following the negative lows, water will slowly ooze back in during the afternoons, cresting at dusk or later. With the moon in a quarter phase, water movement will be less than three feet, however. The peak time to fish will be the hour sandwiched around the daytime low.
Copyright 2020, Capt. Dave Lear. All rights reserved.