Fishing report for Captain Dave Mistretta
JAWSTOO PRO TEAM January 17th 2018
The effects of winter-like weather will dictate the quality of fishing for this month. This depends upon how many cold fronts are still in our future.When water temps creep down below 60 degrees, many fish along our coast will slowdown their metabolism, in order to survive. They require less food than the warmer months, making some days on the water a task. The cold front coming thru our state today will have definite effect on many species, since temps are supposed to drop into the30's in many parts of the state.
The best tactic to use at this time is pick your species of fish to targetproperly. Inshore fish like trout, red and black drum and sheepshead seem to be unaffected by the cold. These are the species you'll want to target in the bay and passes.
Offshore angling is a bit different. Closer to shore anglers can spot a few triple tail nearby crab buoys, seaweed lines and other floating debris. Alive shrimp is a sure shot way to get one of these tasty fish to grab your hook. They are quite strong for their size, making you earn the catch on light tackle.
Hog snapper, grunts and grouper will also be a bit more cooperative in the gulf , especially if you fish a bit deeper after a cold spell. Basically ,the deeper you go the slightly warmer water temps will help your catch. If you are forced to fish within 10 miles of the shoreline, be patient. Knowing that the fish are not as aggressive when its unusually cold.
