One lone trip this past week produced an exemplary catch of sheepshead, redfish, speckled trout and black drum.
The Monday trip was on one of the only nice days of the week, and even then the wind was cranking out of the south in front of another cold front. Folks who are not taking advantage of the few nice days between fronts are missing out on a lot of top-notch winter action hereabouts.
As I have been reporting for weeks now, the redfish, sheepshead and drum have been found around highly structured areas in the local bays and have been feeding really well when the tides are good. Incoming tides have been the best producers and live shrimp have been the ticket for rod-bending action.
The speckled trout have been cooperating on a variety of artificial offerings and live shrimp in a wide variety of locales ranging from the open bay waters to backwater canals, channels and bayous.
The onset of yet another cold spell should reinforce this solid winter pattern for several more weeks. If only the "el meano" would relax its grip on our weather, the offshore reefs should catch fire with big sheepies, snapper, grouper, flounder, etc. The windy weather that has kept most small-boat anglers plying the inshore waters has left the reefs with little or no pressure for weeks on end, and when things settle the offshore structure should be hot.
Good luck and good fishing. Be careful out there.
Capt. "Zach" Zacharias
(941) 795-5026
E-mail: zachap@aol.com
Docked on Palma Sola Bay at Parrot Cove Marina/Sunny Shores
115th Street West and 36th Avenue, Cortez, FL 34215