February on the water -- seasons begin to change

Were back! Actually, we never left We were here on the island before, during and after Hurricane Ian We all know the devastation and loss Ian brought to our islands and its people. For that I am truly sorry. I never thought in my lifetime I would see a storm cause such destruction to our islands and its people If there is one thing I know about true island people, we are tough as nails and will prevail

It's time to get back to talking about fishing, this is the reason many of us choose this as our home in the first place

As we move towards the close of winter with spring in sight, we have a choice of fishing opportunities over the upcoming month While some fish are completing their spawning duties, others are just beginning February will bring us a few cold fronts followed with a warming trend in between By the later part of the month, cold days should become less numerous followed with a rise in water temperature Also, the month comes with extremely low tides, you will see where hurricane debris ended up and where new channels and bars formed Go slow and pay attention.

The winter run of sheepshead peaks as the larger fish complete their spawning duties Sheepshead school around structure with a good tidal flow inshore, around the beaches and nearshore They are the one fish that thrive in the cold with the best bite often coming over the coldest days Sheepshead are one of Florida’s tastiest fish and get a good deal of attention from anglers fishing from boat and land Public docks, piers and bridges offer excellent sheepshead fishing for shore bound anglers; however, many were damaged or destroyed from hurricane Ian Nearshore reefs out to 40-foot depths are yielding coolers of big fish on days with calm seas

As the month passes, warming waters and the return of schooling bait fish will mark the beginning to some of the

Capt Bill Russell On the Water

largest seatrout of the year

Large trout are locally known as “gators” or “gator trout” and exceed well over 20 inches, often pushing 30 inches

T h e y a r e m o v i n g o n t o t h e inshore grass flats, as well as oyster bars and deeper holes

Seatrout are sight feeders and prefer water with good clarity

These larger fish are often e g g - l a d e n a s w e a p p r o a c h t h e i r s p a w n i n g s e a s o n a n d should be handled with care and released after a good battle Seatrout are in season

The snook bite should fire off with the return of bait fish and warming waters In my opinion, snook are our top inshore sportfish They strike with meaning, fight hard and have the natural instinct to head to the nearest structure and break off Large or small, they are a blast to catch, full of tenacity and just a cool fish It’s easy to get addicted and catch snook fever Snook are ambush feeders that are found around island points, oyster bars, sand holes near islands and structure such as dock, bridge and pier pilings and riprap

While redfish tolerate the cold, their numbers, size and appetite increase as winter nears its end They range in size from little guys barely a foot long to well over 30 inches While snook have fast blazing runs, dramatic leaps from the water and head for the nearest structure, redfish are in a different category They fight like a bull, not fast but super strong and don’t know the word quit They will fight hard from start to finish Redfish are found in the areas previously mentioned for sheepshead, sea trout and snook, as well as under mangrove overhangs on the higher stages of tides

Anglers also choose to sight-fish reds as they are tailing and pushing wake as they hunt for prey over the shallow flats. Negative low tides offer the best opportunities for sight fishing, particularly early morning, and late afternoon Redfish are once again in season

In the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, fish are on the move as they follow the rising water temperature north King and Spanish mackerel, plus bonito or false albacore are off the coast and often in large schools Watch for feeding birds to locate the hungry fish

Cobia, a local favorite, which is often mistaken for a shark due to its similar appearance, may show up at any time around your boat offshore or inshore Bottom fishing around reefs could yield a variety including sheepshead, various snapper, grouper, permit and flounder to name a few Also, keep an eye open for triple tail sunning on their side around floating objects

The transition from late winter into early spring can

See FEBRUARY, page 19

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February From page 12 offer some of the best fishing as days get longer and water temperatures rise Of course, we can expect a couple cool fronts before months end that will affect the bite and fishing conditions for a few days, but spring is just around the corner Some are dealing with a lot trying to rebuild and others were more fortunate and fared better Some have been on the water fishing and boating while others are to busy rebuilding To much stress is not good for anyone and a day on the water or outdoors with nature is the best way to take a muchneeded break and clear the mind

To keep up on current fishing regulations, you can go to www myfwc com or