Winter brings cold weather, wind and rain

Winter officially arrives this week, and as I write this report it is raining and blowing again.

The El Nino pattern seems to be getting entrenched, with lousy weather punctuated by a real nice day or two. The weather gurus claim there is some pretty cold weather dropping in behind this storm.

It will be a mixed blessing as the really good action with mackerel, pompano, blues, bonito, etc., out on the open bay and Gulf waters should diminish with a drop in water temperatures.

So far, it has not been cold enough to run the bait out of here, and if the bait is still here so are the fish.

The lack of cold has also kept the sheepshead fishing from taking off. A good hard cold snap will bunch up and drop many inshore species into deeper, highly structured, dark-bottomed areas in the interior bays, canals, creeks and other waterways, where they will become easy prey. Once the snook, reds, trout, drum, sheepshead, flounder and snapper become accustomed to the cold water they all can provide some really top notch action when they decide to eat.

Hope y'all have a blessed Christmas and ask Santa for a little break in the weather for the holiday week. I do have gift certificates available for those wanting to give a really special gift to their favorite anglers. The certificates can be used any time of the year.

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