Fishing the Cold Snap on Florida's West Coast | Captain William Toney
With first true cool snap coming down the Big Bend region on the West Coast of Florida, we anglers can expect some changes in our fishing. One change, or lack thereof, that will save us a little is that our water temperatures are still very warm. So, it won't send the fish running up the rivers, just yet.
Look for the sea trout to start staging around the larger creek mouths with deep water. Suspending baits like the MirrOlure Mirrodine work well this time of year, as trout are looking for big meals with the cooling water. As the north wind calms down the sea trout will move back onto the nearby flats and that when a popping cork rig will work best again.
For redfish, they will continue to school up on the high incoming tide. Live pinfish has been my best bait. On the inside keys, try using a gold spoon like the Eppinger Rex. This is a fun way to catch redfish and also find them. A spoon cast a mile and you can cover allot of shoreline with one in a very short time.
The inshore grouper bite will get better with the cooling water, pushing them in a close as 6 to 8 feet. I like to use shallow running casting plugs. It's best to retrieve the plug just off the edge of the structure to get the grouper to swim out to strike it. Casting over the top of the structure can be asking for trouble because a big gag can rock you up in a heart beat, being that close to his house. High incoming tide will be in the morning this weekend.
Captain William Toney
In The Spread, Instructor
Homosassa Inshore Fishing
