Thanks to that bright yellow ball in the sky, the end of February is shaping up quite nicely for Big Bend coastal anglers. With light winds and balmy, spring-like temperatures, the fish will be feeling comfortable. Combine that with the full moon tides and you have a good recipe for success.
The biggest unknown will be water clarity. Thanks to the recent monsoons, draining is still on-going. So looking for the clearest water will be paramount. That means getting away from the coastal rivers and larger tidal creeks. Small waterways, especially those with limestone piles and rock grass, will be prime spots to prospect. Trout haven’t moved fully on to the flats just yet, but they will be staging in close proximity and move according to tidal flow. Redfish will also be in the creeks, around oyster bars and shell bottom.
Depending on clarity, noise, scent and contrast will be important. Pearl and chartreuse stand out in cloudier water. Gold, glitter and pinks variations pop in depths tinted with tannin. A generous squirt of Pro-Cure Bait gel in shrimp, mullet or menhaden tickles the smell sensors, while lures with internal rattles or suspended under clacker corks helps fish hone in on the offering.
Pompano are in the Panhandle surf already, so be sure to watch for flashes around clear sand bars and troughs. DOA shrimp, bucktail jigs and the venerable pompano jig bounced slowly along the bottom will entice these tasty jacks. Fly-rodders will score with Pompano Rockets and similar flies.
It won’t be too long for the Spanish mackerel to return. Watch for jumping fish and showering bait to pinpoint where these speedsters are congregating. Small silver casting spoons on heavy monofilament or light wire leader is tops, with a fast retrieve. Christmas tree rigs or small tube lures trolled about 1,000 to 1,200 RPM will also put Spaniards in the box. Bluefish are likely in the mix as well.
Because of Saturday’s full moon and the extreme negative low tides right after daylight, deep-water ramps like Shields Marina or the fort ramp in St. Marks are recommended. The Lanark Village Boat Club ramp remains closed with the basin being dredged.
Prime times will be the first hour of incoming and the last two hours of the mid-afternoon crest. More than three feet of water will flood in before peaking, so the solunar predictions are off the chart for the whole weekend.
Copyright 2021, Capt. Dave Lear. All rights reserved.