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Fishing this past week in Florida Bay proved to be much better than the weather conditions would imply. Although it was windy and cool, the fishing leaned towards the hot side. We caught fish from Key Largo and Islamorada all the way to Flamingo and Cape Sable. We are getting in to our winter pattern of fishing, and so are the fish, which means you can catch just about anything that swims on a live shrimp. I prefer to present my shrimp on a ¼ oz. chartreuse Hank Brown’s Hook Up jig that I cast up current and slowly work back to the boat. This technique worked well for us everywhere we stopped, whether it be out on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico where we caught Spanish Mackerel and Lane Snapper, in East Cape Canal for Black Drum and Tarpon, or in Flamingo for Snook and Redfish. This method also works well for catching your basic “rod benders”, which include Trout, Jacks, and Ladyfish.
The ocean side flats can be good for Bonefish this time of year too as long as the water stays at a moderate temperature. I would recommend a live shrimp on a 2/0 hook and no weight. Make sure you use 2-3 feet of fluorocarbon leader. Bonefish can be extremely leader shy and will refuse even the best placed cast if they see your line. If you find yourself with an early morning falling tide, look for the fish to be tailing and feeding on their way off of the flat. Get your shrimp well in front of them and it should draw some attention. Until next time, good tides and keep the Sun to your back. |
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