Extra low tides and windy weather define February in southwest Florida. Charlotte Harbor fish still have to eat regardless of the cold and wind and with some patience and diligence you can have some great fishing.
On this particular day, we had a cold morning with a warming afternoon with temperatures reaching into the 70’s. An incoming tide late in the day presented an opportunity for fish that have retreated from the shallows to again return to feed. Leaving the dock at noon allowed the waters to warm and the tide to rise. Our method of fishing was basic using a bait holder hook, with splitshot and a shrimp rigged weedless (Texas style). As the afternoon progressed we cast around the perimeter of mangrove islands, sandholes, creek mouths and any depression that provided a foot or more of depth over the surrounding waters. Fishing in less than 3 feet of water on high tide is not a confidence builder but that is what it takes. Friend Ken Ice and I methodically cast and retrieved the shrimp very slowly with occasional pauses to allow the shrimp to fall back to the bottom. The best method of presenting the bait is to raise the rod tip to move the line then dropping the rod tip to take up the slack. The fish will almost always take the shrimp as it drops back down into the water column.
If your are patient enough to cover a lot of water sooner or later you will find a group of redfish and that is when the fun starts. This time of year expect that most fish will be under 20 inches so using a light action rod makes these fish feel like monsters. Our first hotspot produced 5 redfish before things went quiet which led us to move to other mangrove islands probing the shallows with medium sized shrimp. Not every spot produced for sure. A strong bite on one island met with a dogged fight and a fish pulling drag. About a minute later a monster sheepshead came boatside. Sheepies in shallow water are fun and there are more on the flats then you might think!
This time of year you won’t see sheets of silvery white bait flicking around and pinfish flashing in the grass. In fact, you won’t see much activity in the shallows but small mud minnows, shrimp and crabs are hiding and the fish know it! Redfish, trout, sheepshead, flounder and a host of other species sulk in the depths of the harbor only to return to feed when the water gets deep enough to search the grass flats and mangrove backcountry. As our day progressed we hit one spot that produced 20 redfish and at times we had two on at a time! The spot was not much to look at but small mud minnows were scurrying around a creek mouth where we found these fish which we guessed was the attraction. Interestingly, some redfish were reddish in color and others were silver. My belief is that the silvery redfish are ones that just came out of the deeper, cooler water of the harbor.
Patience, confidence and persistence are more important than technique for colder weather fishing. Approach the shallows with stealth and you will be surprised at all the fish you don’t see that bite your line!
Capt. Chuck Eichner operates Action Flats Backcountry Charters and can be reached at 941-628-8040. Come live the waterfront dream. Boating, fishing, sailing….its all a way of life!
To see an in print version including pictures and modified by the editor, go to www.WaterLifeMagazine.com
