ishing Captain Favorite's Weekend Fishing Forecast: March 5, 2015

BRADENTON –  NOAA is predicting a cold front will move into Florida later tonight or early Friday, stalling across the state through the weekend. FWC officials urge beachgoers to leave nesting sea turtles alone. Snook season has opened. FWC commissioners are holding public workshops on a proposed change on red snapper season. 

• Do not disturb Florida’s nesting sea turtles
  It can be thrilling to watch a sea turtle crawl onto the beach at night and dig a large hole in the sand to lay dozens of eggs. Just remember that “Do not disturb” is the best behavior to follow when observing a nesting sea turtle.
• The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) asks people not to get too close, shine lights on, or take flash photos of nesting sea turtles.
  Spring is the beginning of sea turtle nesting season in Florida. From now through the end of October, thousands of sea turtles will land on Atlantic and Gulf coast beaches to lay their eggs. With Florida hosting one of the largest loggerhead nesting aggregations in the world, this becomes an opportunity for residents and visitors to play an important role in conserving these long-lived reptiles. People can help by taking turtle-friendly precautions on the beach.

• Snook to reopen in Gulf state waters
  The recreational harvest season for one of Florida’s premier fish, snook, reopens on March 1 in Florida’s Gulf of Mexico state and adjacent federal waters, including Everglades National Park and Monroe County. The season will remain open through April 30.

• Commission directs staff to hold public workshops on Gulf red snapper season
  At its meeting Feb. 5 in Jacksonville, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) directed staff to host several workshops prior to the April Commission meeting in an effort to gather additional stakeholder input on the 2015 recreational red snapper season in Gulf state waters.
  The 2015 season preferred by the Commissioners that will be discussed at workshops would start the Saturday before Memorial Day (May 23) and run through July 12, resume for all of Labor Day weekend (Sept. 5-7) and finish with Saturdays and Sundays throughout September and October, with the season ending Nov. 1. This proposed season would be 70 days.
  The 2014 season began the Saturday before Memorial Day and remained open through July 14 (a total of 52 days).
  Once finalized, a list of workshop locations, dates and times will be publicized in a news release and online at MyFWC.com/Fishing by clicking on “Saltwater,” “Rulemaking” and “Public Workshops.”

Fishing Forecast

Patchy areas of sea fog will continue as a surface ridge across the waters provides a moist southerly flow into Thursday. A cold front moves into Florida later tonight or early Friday, stalling across the state through the weekend.

Thursday
South winds around 10 knots. Seas 2 feet. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Areas of fog in the morning...then patchy fog in the afternoon. Thursday night will bring west winds around 5 knots then becoming north around 5 knots after midnight. Seas 2 feet or less. Bay and inland waters smooth. A slight chance of showers after midnight.
2015/03/05 Thu 12:02 AM 1.76 H
2015/03/05 Thu 07:07 AM -0.06 L
2015/03/05 Thu 12:52 PM 1.49 H
2015/03/05 Thu 07:03 PM 0.36 L

Friday
Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots then becoming north around 15 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Friday night will bring northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop.
2015/03/06 Fri 12:36 AM 1.71 H
2015/03/06 Fri 07:29 AM 0.05 L
2015/03/06 Fri 01:05 PM 1.58 H
2015/03/06 Fri 07:37 PM 0.24 L

Saturday
Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Saturday night will bring northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop.
2015/03/07 Sat 01:10 AM 1.63 H
2015/03/07 Sat 07:50 AM 0.16 L
2015/03/07 Sat 01:22 PM 1.7 H
2015/03/07 Sat 08:13 PM 0.13 L

Sunday
Northeast winds around 10 knots. Seas 2 feet. Bay and inland waters a light chop.
2015/03/08 Sun 01:47 AM 1.54 H
2015/03/08 Sun 09:12 AM 0.27 L
2015/03/08 Sun 02:44 PM 1.81 H
2015/03/08 Sun 09:52 PM 0.05 L

Solunar Forecast