Wicked weather has been keeping us off the water for the past few weeks. It has been quite a while since I have seen such horrible fishing conditions, and this year’s weather has kept Captain Justin and I off the rivers as well as the near-coastal water for almost three straight weeks through the Christmas and New Year holiday period. Hopefully, it will stop blowing 20 to 30 knots every day as we transition into January.
January can be a very good month for fishing. That is IF we get consistent cold weather and water temperature readings in the upper 50s to lower 60s. Wind speeds of less than 15 knots are preferred if I can go ahead and put in my request to Mother Nature now. If we get the right weather pattern the redfish and black drum action should be very good during the mid-morning to mid-day periods in the lagoons. If the daytime weather warms into the mid to upper 60s and then drops into the 40’s or 50’s at night the fishing should be great. If it yo-yo’s around a lot, and gets too cold then switches up and gets too hot, they probably won’t bite very well at all. Only time will tell.
Along the near-coastal waters, this same weather pattern should bring us a good pompano and whiting bite. Throw in a couple of weakfish, sheepshead, and black drum if the water temps stay in the mid-60-degree range. If it raises into the upper 60-degree range we can usually find redfish, tripletail, and big bluefish up to 15 pounds or so.
It all depends on what we are dealt, but we are ready to go when the weather lets us.
Let’s Catch Your Next Memory!
-Captain Jim Ross
O:321-636-3728
www.finelinefishingcharters.
www.catchamemoryoutdoors.com Host-Catch a Memory Outdoors radio show
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www.floridasportsman.com Central East region Captain-Florida Sportsman Magazine weekly fishing 4-cast and podcast contributor.
