Days spent on the water this month will be very cold…but it is February.  Redfish are still willing to eat!  We are having some really good numbers of Reds on live shrimp and artificial.  The bite has been a little slow when the winds pick up and water clarity is poor.  Most of the Red Fish we caught on live shrimp were slot Reds.  The artificial is the go to bait and produced some really nice Red Fish ranging from 9-13 lbs., that were sight fished on Fly and Spinning rods along the marsh grass or on a mud flat at low tide.  In February, we are into our winter weather patterns and cold water temperatures.  I like to fish when weather fronts pass through because sometime when the rain has stopped, the front stalls, and fishing can be very good.   The winds are much lighter when this occurs and you may be surprised how well the Redfish will eat!   Also, don’t forget to check out the first quarter moon when the tides are low in the A.M.  Most Reds we have caught are not as lethargic as you would think.  Here are some tips that may improve your fishing or sharpen your skills during winter time fishing and understanding weather patterns.

What are Wind and Weather Changes of a Cold Front?

The winds will come out of the south at fifteen to twenty knots or more and during the day, they will shift to the southwest. Rain may threaten for a part of the day and will probably start later in the afternoon.  Then sky will be overcast and cloudy, and the temperature will be a bit cool.  The boat ramp will be empty because most people stay home on a day like this.  But, you can catch fish on a day like this!

Fish Ahead of a Cold Front

Cold fronts mean not only cold air and water, but also high pressure. Biologists tell us that fish will “feed up” ahead of a cold front.  The reason they give?  Fronts generally mean winds and storms. Water is stirred and bait or food for the fish becomes harder to locate and catch. So the fish will feed more ahead of the front.  The relative pressure will drop as the front approaches. Every storm is a mini low pressure area of its own.  So as the rain and wind approach, the pressure drops, the fish sense this pressure drop and instinct tells them things are about to get sloppy.  They tend to feed more to last until the water clears.  Watch the weather and plan you trip a day or two before a cold front rolls through. In my experience, you will catch more fish during this interval.

Slow Down

Fish are cold blooded, as the water temperature drops, their bodies cool and they slow down, also.  They don’t feed as much because they can’t move very quickly.  Their feeding turns from aggressive pursuit to a slow ambush. Cold Sea Trout tend to semi-bury themselves in a muddy bottom seeking warmth or insulation from the mud. If, and, when they do feed, they will not move fast or far for food.  A slower bait presentation is needed.  If you are fishing artificial bait, crank baits or a jig fished on or close to the bottom, presentation should be slow and is a must.  Fish with lots of patience!

Watch the Tide Level

All creek mouths will have a shallow “hump” at the mouth.  Make a mental note of the depth of the creek at the mouth when you enter and watch the water level as the tide drops.  Be prepared to leave as soon as you know the water at the entrance has reached a critical point.  Some creeks can only be fished for about two hours before or until about two hours after high tide.  If you stay too long, you will be stuck there until the tide comes back in.  Know when to get out!  Move out to the mouth and set up there when the tide gets too low.  Try poling or use a trolling motor along with the tide, making blind cast with your lures on points and bars that come out a little off the main marsh bank.

Why the Small Creeks?

A small creek is a channel for fish that roam the surrounding oyster bars and flats used in exiting the flats.  Fish sense the water dropping and move into the deeper channel and eventually out into the ICW.   Baitfish moves out with the tide as well.  Sea Trout and other species like to hang in the deeper holes and feed on baitfish.  Sea Trout like to eat right at and after high tide for an hour or so.  Experience helps…. find the creek you have caught fish in on a good day.

Which Baits are good?

Top water baits, lipped stick baits, gold spoons, spinner baits and some suspended Mirro-Lures work real well.  Some freshwater lures will work (bass tackle and lures are good).  Soft plastic baits like swim tail grubs, jerk baits, and swim baits (paddle tail) work very well.  Switching baits sometimes can re-energize the fish to start feeding again.  I use a weedless rig for most artificial baits using a 3/0, 4/0, 5/0 hook with a hitchhiker.

Look for Shallow Flats

On sunny days, shallow water will tend to warm up from the sun as it reaches higher into the sky and baitfish will tend to migrate to this warmer water.  When this occurs, with cooler temps it makes some really nice sight fishing.  I look for mud flats and grass flats along the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) at high and low tides.   I like to fish a day when the high tide will be around 2 or 3 in the afternoon. That gives the sun plenty of time to warm the shallower water, and the fish time to move onto these flats.  Your lure selection can vary a bit on these flats because the water has warmed a bit, and fish are actively looking to feed.  The cold water can have these Reds slightly lethargic.  A lot of this will be sight fishing, and it will mean casting baits that match what the fish are feeding on in this shallow water – shrimp, crabs, and small baitfish.

The Bottom Line

The leading edge of a front can be awesome fishing.  It can also mean a lot of wind.  But, if you use these tips to plan your trip, fish in protected waters and just go with the flow.  You can catch fish that are hungry enough to feed, as the barometric pressure drops.  Cold water can turn off fishermen, but you can still catch fish in cold weather and in cold water.   I think the cold water turns the anglers away more than it does the fish.

Tight Lines…

Capt. Griffin Wood

captgriff@hotmail.com

www.jekyllfishing.com