It’s probably not a surprise to anyone that the last week of 2020 featured difficult fishing conditions. Some quality fish were landed, but many more had lockjaw due to the full moon and chilly water. And the prospects for the first few days of 2021 will center on the weather.
Despite the warmer temperatures the last few days, coastal waters have yet to rebound from the severe cold snap earlier. Temperatures have struggled to approach 60 degrees and when it’s that cold the fish don’t feed often or only for brief windows. Water a few degrees warmer can make all the difference in the world. So can underwater features. Mud flats, dark bottom and oyster bars that absorb solar radiation are often magnets once the tide covers them. They are also havens for small crabs, bait fish and marine worms that comprise the winter time diet. Planning trips later in the day after the sun bakes awhile is another option.
The coastal rivers have been the most productive zones lately for the reasons mentioned earlier. Deep channels and steady thermoclines offer sanctuary from the chill. Finding where the fish are actually holding requires a methodical approach, however. If the bites are scarce in one spot, don’t be afraid to try others. Mixing up baits is another proven tactic. Slow-sinking presentations are essential and so are slower retrieves. Fish will not expend more energy chasing down a meal than they can gain eating one. With finger mullet and mud minnows prime forage, lures like the Corky Fat Boy, MirrOlure Catch 2000 or Rapala Twitchin’ Raps are good choices. Soft-plastic jigs or shrimp lures are less expensive if you end up snagging on the many rocks and obstacles on the bottom.
In the live bait department, live shrimp pinned to light jig heads is the standard offering. Fiddler crabs (or shrimp) are great for sheepshead and small live minnows will fool trout and reds. Or you can add scent to lures with the Pro-Cure line of real bait gels.
Flounder, black sea bass and mangrove snapper are also winter options. There haven’t been any reports of cold-tolerant silver or sand trout this past week, but they are scrappy, taste good and provide lots of action. They’ll usually congregate in deeper holes.
The current moon phase won’t be generating super strong tides this weekend. Lows will be mid-mornings (good for heat collection), followed by moderate highs just before dusk. Average solunar periods will occur the first hour after the afternoon crest.
Copyright 2020, Capt. Dave Lear. All rights reserved.