Capt. Rick Davidson (grassflats2@yahoo.com), Editor
In spite of the unusually warm weather early in the month, the fishing has been excellent at Steinhatchee this January. Inshore, trout and redfish were available on the flats early, and were caught on just about everything thrown at them. Redfish were unusually common, found both on the flats in schools and also in some of the larger creeks. The grouper bite was consistent throughout the month, with the larger fish being found in slightly deeper water than usual, probably because of the higher water temperatures. However, when the major cold front paid us a visit in the third week, with morning air temperatures in the 20's, the picture changed. Inshore, the trout came into the river in excellent numbers, with boats right behind them, as you can see from the picture below. Limits were easily accessible, with the best fishing coming with live shrimp, Gulp-tipped jigs, or 52M Mirrolures fished slowly in the middle of the water column. At the same time, some of the larger trout began schooling in warmer locations near and inside of creeks. I've included a few inshore shots from this month.
FEBRUARY 2009 FISHING FORECAST
As always, February fishing is challenging. Trout are out of season for the month of February, and gag grouper season is closed from February 1 through March 31. Red grouper are closed from February 15 th to March 15 th . But there are still lots of opportunities. For the first half of the month, augment your red grouper fishing with some black sea bass filets. The spawning aggregations are plentiful, they're available in shallower water than gags, and some people would much rather eat them than grouper. All of our offshore guides can provide you with plenty of fish filets. Inshore, croaker and black drum are found fishing rocky holes in the river. Redfish will be plentiful, with their locations dependent on the water temperatures. Look for schools on the flats during warm spells, and remember that redfish are more cold-resistant than trout. Captain Thompson caught a large redfish on a topwater this month with water temperatures in the high 40's.
But the major attraction this month will be sheepshead. They have already been spotted on the flats, they're being caught in the river, and males have been seen on the Steinhatchee reef. When the spawning aggregations gather, so do the boats on the reef. Get there early, have live shrimp or fiddler crabs, and fish with a soft touch, because sheepshead can be a challenge because of their soft bite. The old joke is that you have to set the hook before you feel the bite. Calm seas make feeling the bite easier, but with light tackle you can easily bring home lots of tasty filets. For tackle, braided line has a great advantage over mono in terms of feeling every little tap. Redfish and trout rods work fine for most fish, although the ten pounders will give you a tussle. You can use either a standard fish-finder rig, or many experienced veterans use a ½ oz widegap jighead on a fluorocarbon leader, with no additional weight, as it provides a more direct connection and improves bite detection. There is a 15 fish limit, and each fish must be over 12 inches in length. Even though the amount of meat per fish is relatively low, please keep only a reasonable number of fish, as they are in spawning mode.
Captain Steve Rassell, www.lastcastrass.com , (352) 359-5902
Fish deep on the cold mornings; the holes in the river are producing some nice fish. As the water warms in the early afternoon, try on the shallows just off the deeper creeks and potholes. The Rocky Creek area is producing plenty of trout as well. Redfish are holding around the creek mouths. Both are hitting a variety of baits, including slow sinking Mirrolures and also live shrimp. Sea bass are also plentiful on the rocky bottoms from 5 to 10 miles offshore.
Captain Tommy Thompson, www.saltwateranglersguide.com (352) 284-1763
If you're interested in a 'catch-and-release hunting for big fish' trip, please give me a call. And if you're interested in some more in-depth information about fishing our beautiful Big Bend, take a look at my weekly Fishing4Cast on the Florida Sportsman Magazine website at http://www.floridasportsman.com/4cast/bb/index.html or at the Florida Sportsman Big Bend Action Spotter column beginning in the January 2009 issue.
Captain Steve Hart, www.legallimitscharters.com (352) 498-0299
The fishing in January has been great. You may have to go a little deeper to find good keeper grouper but it is worth the ride. My best fishing has been in the 68' plus range using a variety of baits. I am sure you are all aware that we now have new limits on grouper and a shorter season; please don't let this discourage you from coming. Even with the new limits, you still have plenty of grouper and can always top off a fun day with some Florida snapper, sea bass or maybe an amberjack or two, not to mention the occasional king or Cobia. Don't forget that sheepshead will be biting soon. I will be offering specials during this time so give me a call. Something new at Legal Limits Charters is that I can now offer two fishing options with my 25' Parker and now a new 34' Baja King Cat. For details you can go to my web site listed above or call me at 352-498-0299.
Captain Walt Carlson, (352) 498-3176
Well, this report is just about the same as last month's--with the weather going hot and cold, the fish have done the same. Trout have been in the mouth of the river and plenty being caught, with almost everyone catching a limit of keepers. Some who got in the right hole have had limits by noon or shortly after.
Offshore, grouper have been doing the best in deeper than 60 feet of water, with Florida snapper and black sea bass being caught in 30ft and deeper. With the closed season on trout and grouper starting the first of the month February will be slow. For those who just want some great fish filets, check with me for a special on catching Florida snapper and black sea bass.
Captain Brian Smith, www.bigbendcharters.com
The charter business has been slow, just like most everything else nowadays. However, on the trips we're making, the fishing has been very good. Our trip out last Saturday is representative. The mornings have been quite chilly, especially after leaving the river mouth and having it on plane in the open Gulf. Yes, I have an open boat which is wonderful when it is warm but during the cold months you have to dress to handle it. Sea bass, in large numbers, are outside the 30 foot depths, so I've been pushing out to 42-50 foot before stopping for a warming up sea bass festival. Any bait works but using light trout tackle puts the fun in the party. Long shank hooks make hook removal easier. A five gallon bucket or two is plenty for a fine fish fry. Sea bass are some of the best tasting fish in the Gulf; that's my opinion, but shared by many.
After the warm up stop I take a jaunt out to 62 foot or better. The water temperature is slightly warmer well offshore and it makes all the difference in the world. Trolling will produce some fish but bottom fishing is far better. As for bait, pinfish will get the stronger nod. This time of year it is better to buy them than try and catch them. Considering your time as money, it is cheaper to drop a few bucks at Sea hag than burn daylight trying to collect your own. Frozen bait works just fine if you don't want to fool around with the livies. Bottom with some relief is better than flat hard bottom. Expect to toss back some beautiful red snapper, they are out of season but plentiful. Furthermore, it pays to hang around a little longer than normal as the bite can be slow but more prolonged.
Low temperatures make safe boating more important than ever. Getting wet means getting cold and getting cold means bad, so if it is rough go golfing or clean up the tackle. If you get to go take extra clothes, such as a waterproof outer shell, shirts you can layer on, an extra pair of thick socks, bibs, ski hat, gloves and rubber boots (cold wet feet make misery) and a blanket. You never know when an overnighter will be thrown on you. Hypothermia is real yet preventable by proper preparation.
Captain Wiley Horton, http://tunersportfishing.com
