APALACHEE BAY
Otto Hough (Facebook @myhometownfishing) says, ” As nice as this past weekend along with the week prior was, Ma Nature is shifting gears, again. With the wet, windy frontal system that began to slip across the waters late Wednesday, skinny water temps that had been in the upper 60s are now slowly sliding downward towards the low 60s. That drop created by the overnight radiational cooling will begin to push the trout, along with other species back into the rivers to seek out a degree or two of warmth the deeper holes, cuts and spring boils provide during the winter months. Worth noting, the transplanted snook from a few past hurricanes have found the warm river springs to their liking. After wintering, this species will again provide some awesome springtime topwater fun next year in our neck of the Big Bend.
“Given the current weekend marine forecast, backside frontal winds will primarily be stiff off the hill out of the northwest Friday, hopefully diminishing somewhat through the remainder of this three day stretch. Coupling those northerly winds with morning temps in upper 30s/low 40s will definitely bring back layered up fishing apparel rather than the shorts many were wearing last week. As that skinny water chills, so will the aggressive strikes anglers were enjoying last week. The metabolism rates for the trout and reds will be slowing. Expect lethargic strikes as feeding tendencies slow, so drop those offerings on down in the water column while working ’em slowly. Soaking a lively shrimp on a Carolina rig or tipped on a jighead, then slow retrieveed in a deep river or creek hole should find takers. Another good offering in the holes is a Z-man NED rig. If the preference is plugging, try tossing an old fashion sinking Mirrolure or HeavyDine, each lure twitched slowly during the retrieve.
“Outside, the smooth seas enjoyed while chasing gags this past weekend will be but a fleeting memory. Those smooth seas allowed many anglers the opportunity to limit out when slow trolling for gags, though not the real monsters in close, but still quality gags. However, the return of the colder nighttime temps will serve to get the bigger spawning gags slipping back towards the shallow water rock piles. If winds and seas do allow for some outside fishing this weekend, expect to enjoy the start of a good bite from now to the end of gag season, December 31st. The best bites have been pretty steady during the tidal swings. Y’all know me by now, slow trolling shall be in full gear these last two weeks of the season. Get those Rapala CDMag14s, Yo-zuri 3-D Deep Diving Crystal Minnows and/or Mann’s Stretch15s working in a range of 4.5 to 4.7 mph over live or rocky bottoms in 12 to 20 feet of water. Firetiger, chartreuse and pink plugs have seemingly been the best liked given the awesome water clarity.
“Remember, hypothermia happens all too quickly in the winter months. Layer up and wear that auto-inflatable PFD. I’m most happy to report that a few of my angling friends have finally acquired auto-inflatable PFDs thanks to “early” Santa deliveries. If still looking for a gift for the hard to shop for anglers in the family, these devices make for a great gift! As always, before dropping in the hole, make certain to file a float plan with someone on the hill. Again, layer up, boat safely. Just FISH!
ST GEORGE ISLAND
Captain Russ Knapp (850-653-5072) reports, “Well anglers, if the weather forecast is correct this may be a good weekend to get ready for the Holiday’s instead of fishing but you never know so don’t give up hope yet.
The current forecast has seas on Saturday starting at 2 to 3 feet and then building to 2-4’ feet in the afternoon with a NE wind increasing to 15 to 20 knots. Sunday looks even worse with winds 15 to 20 from the North and seas running 3-5’ feet and high temperature of 55 degrees.
The tides at the Cut this weekend are interesting as Saturday starts with a .4 low at 4AM — than a .8 high at 9:30 AM followed by a 2:30 PM low of .4 and closing out with a 1.3 high at 9 PM. Sunday features a 5AM .1 low , then a .8 high at 11:30 followed by a .6 low at 3:30 PM and closing out at 10 PM with a 1.4 high.
In the bay, Capt. Dan Fortunas (850 980 0101) reports the Cut has been hot with way over slot hungry Reds cruising the area and happily eating Capt. Dan’s offering of finger Mullet. If you’re looking for a fish dinner Capt. Dan has been catching nice Silver/white Trout on the hard bottom just West of the low rise of the SGI bridge while fishing with “Fish bites” on a small hook with a light lead . Sheepshead can be found hanging around the bridge pilings and deep cuts in the oyster bars and would love for you to offer them a fiddler crab of small live Shrimp. Be aware that by the time you read this we will have been visited by a strong cold front and the fish may or may not have moved to warmer water so if you go out this weekend be ready to look around a bit.
Offshore, Capt. Clint Taylor (850 370 6631) is finding the water temperature still holding around 75 degrees and with that temperature there are still some Kings and Mahi in the area so don’t forget the flat line. Capt. Clint reminds you Gag Grouper season is open till the end of the month and they would be very happy to eat a large live bait hooked on the end of your line.
Tip of the week — winter is here and it’s a great time to call your friendly local Dermatologist and make an appointment for a skin check as the life you save may will be yours. Most Skin Cancer is easily cured if it is caught early and treated properly so while we all hate to go to the Doctor getting checked is something you absolutely do need to do at least once a year.
KEATON BEACH
Capt. Pat McGriff, (onemorecast@gtcom.net) reports, “Trout were finicky until it was time and then it was on. I took Waverly Britain of Gray, Ga. out Tuesday and we struggled for two trout from 11:30 a.m. until 4:03 p.m. (high tide was 5:23) Well, the last place I stopped, after trying 8 or 9 set-ups, Waverly put three of six trout in a row in the cooler and it was every cast until we quit at 5:00 p.m. with a limit of trout to 18.5 inches and a 14.5″ black Sea Bass. Waverly’s largest –to –date. We caught all our trout but two on live shrimp under a Back Bay Thunder except one which hit a PFSBG MR27 MirrOdine and one which took a Candy Corn Eel by Assassin. (Bet y’all don’t remember the eels which are out of production; but I just happen to have a few) We were in 3.5 to 3.9 ft. of water. and caught a slew of shorts but it was a blast there for an hour.
I won’t play weatherman but expect the trout to take a shock, as the temps drop to the 30’s we should see water temps fall 10-15 degrees in a couple of days and with air temps in the 30’s three days in a row I would guess it will be tough. The good news is this cooler weather will move trout and bunch them up…. just not sure if they will be hungry after their trips?
MEXICO BEACH
Capt. Kevin Lanier of KC Sportfishing Mexico Beach, Fl (850 933 8804) reports” Weather windows are the key right now to great fishing. Now is the time to hit the shallows for Gag Grouper. From Keaton Beach to Apalachicola many anglers are pulling a big-lipped diving plugs in less than 30 feet of water and catching keeper sized Gags. Meanwhile in the deeper water these fish are hungry and fall prey easily to a large live bait.
The east wind over the last few days has slowed the bite but watch for that wind to shift back around. This fishery closes at the end of the year so just a few more weeks.
Inshore fishing has meant Red Fish for sure. These fish are on the prowl and feeding. Use live bait whenever possible and watch for signs. Look for tailing and wakes in the water. Cast your baits in front of these and hold on.
There is only about 2 weeks of Grouper fishing remaining before it closes on December 31st so if you get a weather window try and get out
BIG BEND KAYAK REPORT
Salt strong coach Matt Lanier (Matt@saltstrong.com) tells us, “I hope everyone is doing well and getting ready for the holidays! It looks like we may have a cold winter after all. This past week has been very reminiscent of fall, and the fish haven’t stopped their feeding activity! The bite has been on fire these past couple weeks, but we could very well find the fish in a completely different pattern after the cold front this weekend.
Fish have been feeding heavily as they are looking to fatten up right before we get into these long colder months when their metabolism slows down.
With this current warming trend, and light winds this past week, you could still find fish in their Fall patterns, and their related ambush points. Points, drains, feeder creeks, and even docks with good current flow, have been great places to target for our favorite inshore species.
Now that the temps are dropping again, the fish will be pushing into those creeks and rivers in the area. The fish will be looking for warmer waters and so should you. Remember, dirty water means warm water.
Redfish will be found around oyster bars or hard bottom near shallow areas where the heat will hold better in the cooler part of the mornings. Be sure to use a weedless presentation (like a Hoss Helix Hook) when fishing the oysters though, as hang-ups and break-offs can be frustrating!
Trout will be holding at depth changes and deeper structure while feeding. Find the current coming around points in feeder creeks and creek mouths, and you can find the fish.
Paddletails are a great option to use to target these speckled fish. Be sure to use the appropriate weight to get your bait down in the water column where those fish are. Popping corks with shrimp imitation or paddletails are working well for trout as well.Redfish may still hold shallower early in the mornings and move around some as the water temps warm up some in the afternoon, and with all the shrimp that is in the water now, a live or artificial shrimp (like the Salt Strong Power Prawn, or VooDoo Shrimp) is a great option. During this colder transition the fish may seem a bit lethargic so if you aren’t getting bites on those larger sized profile baits, it can often help to downsize to a smaller profile (like the Salt Strong Slam Shady 2.0 Or FRED Paddletail on a Ned Rig) to entice a strike from those lazier, slower to strike fish.
This past weekend was a good one for fishing, and it was a great one for some local anglers. Locals, Scott Pritchard & Davis Dodson, made the drive to fish the HO HO HO Fishing For Dough In Ozello, Florida this past weekend and came home with a First and Second Place win, respectively. They competed against 100 other kayak anglers in some tough conditions, and they brought home a win back to Tallahassee. Way to go guys!
The CCA Annual Eggnog was also this past weekend, and it was a great event! Some solid fish caught and weighed in at the Sea Hag Marina in Steinhatchee, and a great time was had by all! I managed to bring home a Second-Place win against some tough competition and even tougher conditions from Mother Nature. A great event to help a great cause! Congrats to all anglers that competed and placed in both tournaments this past weekend! It was not easy and hats off to anyone who put in the work! Looking forward to seeing everyone at next year’s events!
Be sure to fish in areas with good current flow! That is important when looking to locate fish! If you find yourself on the water and fishing in a spot where you haven’t gotten a bite for the last 15 minutes… it’s time to move. Keep looking for the 90/10 zone where those fish are holding. Don’t waste time in unproductive areas. The fish are moving and so should you!
To get the kids on some fish quickly, a live shrimp or GULP! under a popping cork in creeks and/or rivers, is a solid producer of fish. And the best part is you never know what you’ll catch because everything eats shrimp… EVEN ME!
If you plan on getting out this weekend, always make sure you check (and double check) your gear and the weather. But most importantly… STAY SAFE & HAVE FUN!
LAKE SEMINOLE
Capt. Paul Tyre reports, “The Bass fishing on Lake Seminole has been excellent in November and is continuing into December! The Bass, Striper, and Crappie fishing will get even better when the colder weather begins!
The big Largemouths have been feeding heavily on Bream, while the schooling Bass are feeding on Shad. The Hybrids and Stripers have started their annual Fall feed and will last through January!
We have been catching Bass on a variety of lures from Spinnerbaits and vibrating jigs to jerk baits. A Double Willow Leaf Strke King Premier Plus 1/2 oz Chartreuse and White has produced very well. This bait works well at fast speeds to generate a reaction strike. The new Strike King Thunder Cricket has been very productive this Fall and I expect it to continue to produce through the winter! The Strike King Thunder Cricket has incredible action to it and a built-in trailer keeper that works great!
Jerk baits have worked well this Fall and will continue through December. The key has been working them fast and at a erratic pace. As the water temps continue to drop, slow the pace down. The Strike King KVD jerk bait in the 200 series and the 300 series in any Shad color has also worked well. The Strike KVD series is one of my favorite Jerk Baits because of it’s cast ability and action.
The Hybrids and Stripers have been exciting to catch and we been averaging over 30 each morning by 10am! When fishing for Stripers and Hybrids, the right action rod and a 6:3.1 gear ratio reel is important. I prefer a Temple Fork Outfitters rod in the Professional series, it’s a 7’6’’ Heavy action rod and is ideal for catching big Stripers and Hybrids on an Alabama rig. It is a fast action rod but is moderate enough to handle the strong surges that you get when fighting big Hybrids and Stripers. On the business end of the A-rigs, I prefer the Bass Assassin 4 and 5 inch Die Dapper rigged on a Saltwater Assassin jig-head.
The Crappie fishing has also been very good, we have been catching them on Jigs in 10 to 15 feet of water. December is an excellent month to catch some BIG Crappie!
For a Lake Seminole Fishing Adventure give me a call to check availability at 850-264-7534 , follow us on Instagram @ Capt.paultyrefishing or email me @ paultyrefishing@yahoo.com.
Cliff “JR” Mundinger holds up another big gag grouper caught while slow trolling near-shore in front of St Marks. (Boatsticks photo)
