The winter doldrums have set in on the flats of the Florida Panhandle. Extreme negative lows, chilly water temperatures and a lack of bait have made conditions challenging. There are targets available, but they are super-wary and hard to feed.
Although clarity is exceptional right now, the earlier cold temperatures chilled the water considerably. The range was a little over 61 degrees late morning and only rose to 64.4 by mid-afternoon during a trip this week. The absence of bait doesn’t help. There are no pinfish or mullet around right now. The main signs of life are regular and cow-nose rays, with a couple hardhead catfish thrown in. Small crabs and marine worms likely comprise most of the redfish diet right now.
Anglers have been doing fairly well on speckled trout in the coastal rivers recently, where deeper havens exist. Twitch baits like MirrOlure MR17 lures in the trout pattern are producing. Paul Brown Corky or the Unfair Lures Rip-n-Slash are other good choices for winter fishing. Trout season is closed until March 1, but catch and release is still allowed.
Sheepshead are another possibility right now. Live shrimp, fiddler crabs or fresh dead shrimp will fool the convicts. Using a shovel or rake to scrap barnacles off pilings for chum will turn ‘em on. Docks, seawalls and bridge pilings are all places to prospect for sheepies.
The early part of the weekend doesn’t look too promising, with wind gusts predicted up to 25 knots on Friday and Saturday. It’s expected to lay down by the Sabbath. Sunday marks the full moon, so expect negative low tides mid-mornings. The peak solunar periods will be right at dawn and again from 11 to 1 pm with the moon down.
Now is the best time to get the boat, outboard and trailer serviced for the upcoming spring. Don’t forgot about tackle, either. Grease/oil reels, re-spool line and check rod guides for damage. Organizing tackle boxes/bags is another worthwhile endeavor on cold and windy days.
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