Greetings to All
December was one of the most challenging months this year. With the uncontrollable winds that were ever so common on most days, sight fishing was pretty much hit or miss. During the cooler months with the low water conditions in most areas, finding the ideal place to target fish often required us to spend more time locating prime areas that held fish. Once we found them the bite was pretty good, as most of them were concentrated in these areas. In the NIRL while targeting Redfish we had several 10-15 fish days typically with a few trout to 4lbs as a bonus.
We had some really good trout action on the flats with 2-4' of water and landed quite a few 4-6lb fish on Riptide soft plastics, Mullet and Mud Minnow fished with an 1/8 oz jig head. While targeting trout in these areas we also were rewarded with a nice bonus of Flounder to 7 lbs on one of the days. When the wind was calm there were a few days we occasionally would target Overslot Redfish and found plenty of action as these fish are pretty active this time of the year and fairly easy to locate.

With winter in full swing now, the biggest concentrations of fish will be found right where the water starts to drop off. Flats and shoals that have fast access to deep water will be the most productive areas to target. Once the water warms a bit and the baitfish start roaming the flats the fish will not be far behind. The fish will usually be on the bottom in areas with soft bottom and grass that will hold warmer temperatures longer. Listening to what the fish are telling you is one of the most important communication skills an angler can master. This skill can turn a 1 fish day into a 20 fish day. Learning to to listen to what the fish are telling you is not as simple as reading this report or article, it's something you get from spending a lot of time on the water. The quickest way I have learned to eliminate unproductive water is to use a lure that will cover a lot of ground focus on the areas mentioned above and work the entire water colum from top to bottom, once I locate the pattern the fish are holding in. The Riptide Shrimp with a woodies rattle is an excellent choice tyhat combines sound and realistic lure combination

January has started the beginning of the most exciting time of the year for Gator Trout fishing inshore. Large females will be lying in and or around sandy pot holes and tucked into the grass besid them. Dont Overlook a pothole because it appears to be empty. The water clarity is almost crystal clear in the Mosquito Lagoon and NIRL and sight fishing the flats for tailing Redfish is one of the most exciting highlights of the month. Nearshore we will continue to target Tripletail, when conditions allow, around structure as some of the largest fish are typically caught at this time.

Until next time
Tight Lines
Capt Pat