January is almost over and it has been one challenging month. With cold fronts and windy days, it has been a difficult month. Fishing has remained good when you can cope with the conditions. February will bring similar conditions, but hopefully a little better for us. Water temperatures have ranged from the high 50's to the mid 60's. Yesterday, it had reached 68 degrees and that was nice for a change. Plan your outdoor adventures around the weather.
I had Captain Pat Wells and his sons, Dalton and Ethan, down from Cocoa Beach to fish one morning. The boys did most of the fishing. We had a good bite with the ladyfish and sheepshead with a nice drum added to the catch. A fun trip was had by all. Tim and Carol were out on a windy morning, but we had good places to fish and stay out of the worst of it. Sheepshead, snapper and croakers were the best bite of the day. Tim added a nice trout to top off the morning. It was one of the few days I got to wear shorts this month...
Any structure will likely hold sheepshead, snapper and drum. Live or dead shrimp always will get you plenty of bites. Our trout have been coming in three to five feet of water. You can find lots of fish in the shallows this time of year trying to warm up. Pompano have been in deeper water on the flats, channels and cuts in the river. I haven't see lots of quantity yet, but we are getting some nice sized fish. Redfish will be hanging around docks and mangroves this time of year. Try a DOA shrimp for both redfish and trout. Fishing will continue to be good in February with many species to target.
Remember, fishing is not just another hobby....it's an ADVENTURE!
Thanks and Good Fishing!
Captain Charlie Conner
www.fishtalescharter.com
captaincharlie@fishtalescharter.com
772-284-3852
