With the current Twilight Zone weather we’re experiencing, tulip trees and azaleas are blooming in town and cow-nose rays and cannonball jellyfish are on the flats. Water temperatures are in the mid- to upper 60s. And it’s the middle of January. To confuse the fish even further, the outlook is calling for another cold snap next week. What’s next, cobia on Ground Hog Day?
The unseasonably mild temperatures have been producing some impressive catches. Trout and redfish are the primary focus of late. When the water is moving, just about anything cast has been working, including live shrimp and artificials. Fake shrimp, touts, jerk baits and weedless spoons top the lure line-up. The blue crab pattern in the 1/4-ounce Aqua Dream spoon is fooling redfish in the murkier, stained water.
The flooded grassy shoreline, creek mouths and nearshore shallow flats were the hot zones prior to the expected front. After the heavy rains this past week only the lower sections of the coastal rivers are holding many fish. That could change if the cold lingers. Run-off from the St. Marks Wildlife Refuge is also pouring out the dikes like Deep Creek. As a result, better reports are coming from the eastern portion of Apalachee Bay. The water to the West is clear, but the negative lows during the daytime hours have made the fish especially wary. Dense fog the last few days hasn’t helped, either.
Breezy conditions are predicted for the long holiday weekend, which will likely trigger small craft advisories. With the waning crescent moon, tidal movement will be limited. The early morning highs followed by mid-afternoon lows will exchange less than a foot of water. The best time to target will be the couple hours before high tide.
This weekend will be a prime opportunity to get ready for the up-coming season ahead. Boat and trailer maintenance, tackle organization and studying charts are all good ways to prepare for when the fishing really turns on. If the engine needs annual service or the boat needs other repairs or upgrades, now is the time to schedule that before the service department really gets busy.
Copyright 2020, Capt. Dave Lear. All rights reserved.