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Hooking Up Anglers Since 2011.
December 2012 was filled with highs and lows from the fishing perspective. The highs were the incredibly warm weather that extended well into the month. The result of this was excellent near shore fishing for grouper and kingfish. As the holidays approached however, dropping temperatures and a mini blitz of cold fronts sent a firm reminder that winter was, in fact, here. West Central Florida is blessed with a variety of game fish species to catch but once winter truly arrives, Tampa Fishing Guides shift their attention to big seatrout, with redfish and sheephead playing secondary roles. Interestingly, trout fishing was not delayed by the warmer than average temperatures as fish showed before Thanksgiving. This would support the theory that these trout show up for two reasons...because water temperatures are falling but also as a result of the shortening daylight hours. It seems that the latter must have played a significant role in their arrival this year as fish showed while water temperatures were higher than average. Large trout fishing early in the month was nothing short of spectacular, with fifteen to twenty fish (18 - 24 inches) days almost expected. With large white bait still available, Tampa Fishing for these bigger fish was like taking candy from a baby. After the second front in three days came through right around Christmas however, the whitebait was gone, the fish became less cooperative and winter fishing was here. With the castnet now stored, it's time to brake out the wallet for the remainder of winter to secure the best bait...select shrimp. These baits can be rigged three different ways...under a slip bobber or popping cork with just enough line below the bobber to get the bait to within a foot of the bottom, free lined on a 2/0 circle hook...very effective during a strong moving tide and lastly, with a small split shot 6 - 8 inches up the line...sometimes an effective approach when the trout are lethargic and not willing to move too far. More important than anything however, is being on the water when the bite is most likely to happen. Although seatrout are abundant and will bite on any tide, the big ones like moving water so target the times of day where current is the strongest. Also, pay attention to the weather. Look at the five day outlook and determine when the next front is coming through. Tampa Fishing for trout is best on the days immediately preceding these fronts.
For the first half of the month, kingfish and grouper remained in close proximity to shore. Tampa Fishing Guides expect to still see grouper in close at this time of year, but water temperatures usually chase the kings off by early December. On a Tampa Fishing Charter for grouper during the first week of December, kingfish were seem skying out of the water in a chum slick set up for grouper. A quick switch to heavy spinning rods with 20 lbs braided line, tipped with a stinger rigs immediately produced....with three kings to 30 pounds coming to the boat. Several trips over the next few weeks produced more kings...with all fish coming from 25 feet or less of water...a great early winter bonus. As with most high metabolism, predatory fish though, when the whitebait goes, the kings follow. So, at least in near shore waters, Tampa Fishing for kingfish is over until next March.
There are still a few other interesting alternatives near shore however. With redfish a little scarce right now, some anglers are looking for another fish to put on the dinner table and one tops them all...Black Seabass. Many local anglers catch seabass as by-catch when fishing for grouper and quickly toss them back....not knowing two things....that seabass are, in fact, a grouper and that they taste even better than their bigger cousins. The problem with seabass is that they are often very small and can't be kept. Fishing Regulations call for seabass to be 10 inches to be harvested in the gulf of Mexico but most Tampa Fishing Guides won't keep fish that can't be effectively filleted...12 inches or longer. It is during this filleting process that it is most apparent that these fish are grouper as they possess the same snow white, soft flesh of a gag grouper. They are usually caught in the same areas that grouper inhabit and will eat most baits. Tampa Fishing Charters targeting bigger seabass always have a supply of silver dollar sized pinfish as the undersized fish have a hard time choking one of these down. Use an inshore spinning rod with a large split shot and drop the bait to the bottom. As there are many smaller fish around, ignore the light taps until one pulls hard enough to bend the rod. Strike the fish and reel it up. Over the last few weeks, Tampa Fishing for seabass has yielded some of the largest fish ever. Catch a half dozen of these larger seabass and it will provide a fantastic meal for two. With thier excellent flavor, don't mask it by frying them. Simply season them with garlic salt and pepper and pan fry them....a simple and great recipe.
It's quickly becoming prime season for the most cold tolerant species of inshore fish in our area...the sheephead. Although many Tampa Fishing Guides don't typically target this member of the porgy family, four or five nice Sheephead on top of a few big winter seatrout can make for a nice day of fishing. Feeding only on crustaceans, the select shrimp, or a piece of one, that are purchased to catch trout will serve as excellent bait. Using 15 - 20 lbs flourocarbon leader and a 1/0 or 2/0 circle hook, place a small shrimp or shrimp "chunk" over the hook...covering it as best as possible. Next position a small split shot 8 - 12 inches above the hook. Sheephead hangouts include dock pilings, oyster bars and bridge abutments...any place where oysters, barnacles and small crabs are in abundance. Cast the bait in tight to the structure and wait. A sheephead bite feels like one strong thump. When using a whole larger shrimp, they'll often grab the portion of the shrimp that doesn't have a hook in it and bit it clean off. Hopefully, whatever size piece of shrimp is being used, it will be inhaled. Their are two schools of thought used by Tampa Fishing Guides when setting the hook on Sheephead. Some feel that an immediate hook set following the strike is most appropriate. Others feel that reeling down (especially with circle hooks) until the fish is felt swimming off with the bait, and then setting the hook, is the best approach. Try both and use what works best. With a diet of pure shellfish, sheephead are also an excellent eating fish.
So yes, winter is here but there are still some good fishing options out there and some of the warm winter days represent our most beautiful days of the year on the water. Goof luck and good fishing.
This Fishing Report was submitted on 6/5/2013 11:10:43 PM by and last updated on 6/5/2013 11:10:43 PM.
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