Trout fishing picking up after a slow summer
It’s easy to tell the locals from visitors these days. Locals are wearing long pants, socks and coats, and red-faced snowbirds are in shorts and T-shirts wondering why these other folks are wearing coats in Florida.
My Christmas tree is up and as usual, heavily decorated with lures of every conceivable size, shape and color, which, of course, isn’t recommended if you have small kids or tree climbing cats.
Trout fishing has recently been very good after a slow summer and this longer-lasting cold front should really get them moving.
Top artificial lures are soft plastics jigged off bottom or swimming right above the grass in 3 to 6 feet of water.
Many anglers use mismatched jig head plastic body combos causing the paddle tail not to paddle or swim, especially on the drop portion of the hop and drop retrieve, due to the jig head not being heavy enough. DOA paddle tail grubs are a good example of that because they are made from a stiffer material compared to a Z-MAN soft plastic or others.
If you’re a beginner fly rodder, now’s a great time to get on the water to practice. Big schools of trout, Spanish mackerel and ladyfish will keep you busy perfecting your distance casting, strip striking, line and wind management and learning to get the line on the reel without hog-tying your own ankles first and falling off the deck.
A 6-weight rod is a nice all-round choice for trout and ladyfish, and honing your fly rod skills on high jumping and powerful ladyfish, the “poor man’s tarpon,” with a lite rod, will begin to get you prepared for handling your new 12-weight Christmas rod and your first triple digit tarpon this spring, just 24 weeks away!
This past month we’ve caught quite a few mostly “rat” reds up to 5 pounds along mangrove shorelines with these same lite-tackle soft plastics being used for trout as most of the reds over 32 inches or so have moved offshore. As the winter progresses and the water clears even more, a quiet presentation, a push pole and patience will still put resident reds on the hook.
If we have extended cold, like trout, redfish will hole up in the river, deeper creeks and canals as well as marina basins as the deeper water offers thermal comfort.
Sheepshead fishing will get better as it gets colder and using a thin wire, ultra-sharp hook will usually get a good hook hold between those human looking teeth.
Premium sheepie bait? Hands down, fiddler crabs with small morsels of fresh shrimp in second place.
This fish will test the beginner’s hooking skills as they are notorious bait robbers, so become a line watcher and “feeler.” When the line jumps or “ticks,” set the hook. Keep the line over your finger. Feel any pressure set the hook.
It’s an excellent eating fish but tougher to clean. Using an electric knife and gloves makes the job easier.
Baked stuffed sheepshead filled with scallops, crab and shrimp! Amazing! Who wants turkey?
These cold fronts will slow the snook bite and the Cape’s many miles of canals offers sanctuary for them where a live shrimp on a jig head slowly fished across bottom can be a good choice.
When the winds die, reefs will still hold grouper and plenty of delicious mangrove snapper.
If lure or fly fishing is your passion, remember to slow your presentation as it cools down. Added scents help stimulate a bite as well as lighter lines in ever-clearing winter water. Downsizing lures also helps.
Exploring up river for warm water power plant action these next few months for jumbo jacks, redfish, snook and resident tarpon could pay off.
For information on guided trips or for our popular two-hour, total beginners, saltwater fly fishing school, please contact us.
Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday from Flying Fins Sportfishing here in beautiful Southwest Florida!
Capt. George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide. Contact him at 239-282-9434 or captgeorget3@aol.com.