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Weather Forces Anglers Up The Creek
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Published: January 28, 2009
Consecutive freezes or near freezing weather in some areas last week had fish and anglers running for cover.
Water temperatures plunged into the high 40s in some shallow areas, which means anyone looking for fish warm enough to move their lips to eat would find them in the deeper holes in creeks and up rivers, or near warm-water runoffs.
Generally, most tackle shops reported a downturn or shutdown of fishing, as everyone opted to wait for things to warm up again.
This week should provide that opportunity, and fish that have been hunkered down and too cold to chase food may begin to come out of their cold-blooded slumbers with quite an appetite.
Logical strategies in these conditions include hitting creek and river mouths as water temperatures climb and fish start poking their heads out in search of a meal.
Artificials should be fished slowly, but it's hard to beat the king of cold-water baits, the live shrimp.
Top locations now include the Weeki Wachee River and the Mud River to the north, residential canals, the Pithlachascotee and Anclote rivers, as well as the Anclote power plant outfall.
An old trick in winter is to pinch the tail off a live shrimp to slow him down.
Cold fish have diminished energy, and a frisky shrimp, even on your line, may be too quick for a fish to catch. Depriving the shrimp of his tail is a sure way to make him easier to nab.
The shrimp can be free-lined or fished under a float. Use a torpedo live bait float if all you want to do is keep the bait off the bottom, or use a popping cork if you want to chug the surface and call the fish in.
The popping cork is designed to attract fish to the deep, gurgling sound of a popping cork churning water when it is tugged with the fishing rod.
Tackle shop roundup
Salonika's Bait and Tackle, 727-849-6377: The Anclote power plant outfall has been one of the only productive fishing spots, thanks to the cold water everywhere else in the wake of consecutive cold fronts last week.
Anglers have been using shrimp and landing trout to 18 inches, with a few larger. Silly Willy jigs in yellow and white are taking some pompano to 15 inches. Tipping the jigs with shrimp bits helps the bite.
Clearwater Bait and Tackle, 727-669-5455: Anglers have been making the trip to the top of Tampa Bay, where fish have moved in response to plunging water temperatures. An angler reported taking a couple of reds 22 and 24 inches fishing shrimp west of the Bayside Bridge, at the end of Bayview Drive.
A number of sheepshead are being caught at Allen's Creek. Fish have been running 12 to 16 inches. Live shrimp and crabs have been good baits, along with frozen sand fleas.
Pier 60, 727-462-6466: Sheepshead have been biting well, with fish to 4 pounds taking shrimp. A few mangrove snapper to 14 inches are being caught on shrimp.
Silver trout have been around in fair numbers. The cold-water species, along with whiting, are taking live and frozen shrimp and running 10 to 13 inches.
Nick Stubbs is founder and webmaster of Bitetracker.com, a fishing Web site specializing in daily fishing reports displayed on animated fish tracking charts.
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