Rick Davidson (grassflats2@yahoo.com), Editor
"The RedManiac"
It’s a tough month for fishing. Not only is trout season limited to catch and release, but grouper fishing (in Federal waters) is closed from February 15-March 15. However, there were lots of successful trips earlier in the month and for those targeting redfish. Unfortunately high winds kept most fisherman off the water much of the month, at least on the weekends. When the weather does comply, there is still excellent fishing.
We’d also like to welcome a new guide to the Sea Hag, Captain Alex Winnett of www.reelfloridacharters.com. We’ll look forward to reports from Alex beginning next month; he’s busy with his brand new baby this month. Congratulations, Alex.
Captain Tommy Thompson, www.flanaturecoast.com/capttommy
Ordinarily February is a very slow month for inshore charters because of the closed trout season. I’ve been fortunate this month to have a number of writers who wanted to explore the area, so this month I’ve taken out writers from American Angler magazine, Florida Fishing Weekly and Coastal Angler magazine. I also took out a fly fisherman from Seattle who has always wanted to catch a redfish on fly, and we were able to connect with a nice one for him. We’ve had some success in very shallow water in the afternoons, as the bottom warms, but the weather has made this a challenging month. Much of the time I’ve been writing, and I was pleased to have two articles in the current Florida Sportsman magazine , including the lead article about fishing Gulf springs. There’s actually a picture in the article of an inshore spring that was taken in the Steinhatchee area….but, NO, you can’t have the location!
Captain Rick Bouley, www.naturecoastflatsfishing.com/
I’ve been patiently waiting the arrival of my new Texas-built skiff, but have made a few runs out in my back-up eco-tour boat. The afternoon incoming has definitely been the action tide the last couple of days. I have found large numbers of trout and reds in the creek holes and along the shorelines on the higher water. The fish seem to be highly concentrated, so when you find a few you may find a lot. However, it may take several stops to find them. Fishing with one of my regular partners, .the productive baits were DOA Terror-eyz in gold and black, chartreuse and root beer, as well as Corky Mullet in red with orange tail....and the "old stand-by" 1/2 oz gold spoon snared several reds. The water temperature is varying as much as 10 degrees from the morning to afternoon, with excellent water clarity.
Captain Wiley Horton, www.tunersportfishing.com
My last few trips have seen the bottom bite slow markedly, but the fish are making up for it by nailing anything trolled within striking distance. "Striking Distance” depends on water clarity and can be a surprising amount of real estate for a grouper to cover. In the clear water we get in the late winter/early spring, it's not unusual for a fish to come 20-30 feet off the bottom to hit an enticing plug or lure. Thirty feet may not seem like much but in 60 feet of water, it represents 50% of the water column. Immediately following the re-opening of grouper fishing in Federal waters, I expect the fish to still be thick and hungry...don't forget to add a trolling plug to your arsenal.
Captain Walt Carlson, www.captainwalt.com
While this is usually the time I fish for grouper, I’ve also been taking out a few folks in my airboat to take advantage of the great shallow water fishing this time of year. These are some pictures of a trip just completed. We found 20 trout and 1 short redfish in just a three-hour trip. I’ve been using my favorites, especially Gulp shrimp fished on jigheads, working the bottom of creek holes. This is a great time of year to own an airboat!
Captain Brian Smith, www.bigbendcharters.com
During cold snaps trout, often the big mama trout will ‘hole up’ in the Steinhatchee River and deep areas in the local creeks. The action can be out of this world, like the proverbial shooting fish in a barrel. “But why would I go trout fishing if I can’t keep them?” some may whine. I thought we went fishing because it was fun while we went grocery shopping to get things to eat. Just a thought.
Red fish are steady in the creeks. If it is cold, fish around the darker mud bottoms around mid-day and fish a bit slower than normal. The old stand by, shrimp under a cork, is a great choice now since the pin fish population isn’t there to peck the shrimp off the hook the moment it lands in the water. Fishing natural bait also makes you slow down.
Buck male sheepshead will be seriously staging up for love on the Steinhatchee reef from mid-February through the end of March. The big females will join them starting in March. The spawn is a vulnerable period in any fish’s life cycle. If you harvest a mother, you have harvested millions of “could have been” sheepshead. Please exercise restraint and good judgment when enjoying the winter sheepshead fishery. It is an excellent time to prove to children that you do care for their future fishing by showing them catch and release. Offshore fast action fishing for grunts and sea bass can make you forget about the grouper closure. Those fish are excellent table fare and fun to catch on trout tackle. The grunt fillets freeze well so you can take the opportunity to stock up some fish for later fish fries. Spanish mackerel will be showing up in hordes later in March. When mass schools display themselves crashing through the bait pods it is a hoot to toss or troll small spoons into the mix. Furthermore, those speedy and abundant gamesters can educate the young and old about what a reel drag is and how to use it to your advantage. Remember to tie in a short section of number 1 or 2 single strain wire leader to prevent cut offs. Spanish mackerel don’t freeze well so are best eaten fresh.
Captain Steve Hart, Legal Limits Charters
January fishing as always is debatable, primarily based on the weather and the ability to get offshore. If you were lucky enough to get a good day, the fishing overall has been pretty good. The primary key this month is flexibility, that being between bottom fishing and trolling or a combination of both provide you with a good catch of grouper. Along with grouper you can always find two of my favorites, pinks and black bass, this makes for a nice addition to any box and can’t be beat for a good fish fry.
