Cold water reds
Capt. Jeff Legutki
December 17, 2010
Ten Thousand Islands - Saltwater Fishing Report
Capt. Jeff Legutki
December 17, 2010
Ten Thousand Islands - Saltwater Fishing Report
Well the winter is on and so far December has brought some real cold weather. Not cold enough to harm the fishery, but cold enough to clear up the waters and push fish up onto the flats to warm themselves and feed.
I have had some GREAT days sight fishing for red fish in gin clear waters. This is one of my favorite game fish to chase. They go real shallow, and create the optimum shots for clients. Fairly easy to spot, and very willing to eat the fly. Sometimes they'll eat the fly several times before you get a good hook set and come for more.
Fish of the month goes to client Bill Pearse, a whopping 34" red that weighed 14 pounds. Around this part of Fl. that's a giant! Fish was caught in less than a foot of water and pounced on a crab pattern I use in the Keys for permit. A lot of over size red fish have been caught these past 2 weeks.
Click to Enlarge Photo
One cold, drizzling day, which I though was going to be a nightmare, turned out to be a day of catching multiple species on the fly, blind casting. Something I do not do a lot of. Since it was overcast, sight fishing was not an option. It was a super negative low tide and the air temp was in the low 50's. Chris Maintner from NJ was the die hard, willing to take on the miserable conditions.
We fished tiny holes and deep pockets with the heaviest flies I ever throw, and just crawling them along the bottom. I think Chris landed 12 redfish, 6 trout, 2 snook, a flounder, a whole mess of ladyfish, and a show stopping 5 lb. sheephead. Not to mention all the fish we missed due to the sweeping rod sets, huh Chris...lol. All in all Chris turned a miserable cold rainy day into a non stop rod bending day. I bet I jumped up and down off that platform about 40 times.
Just goes to show, you never know whats going to happen unless you go!
All in all fishing has been real good, and the warm stretches between the fronts have been providing some of the best red fishing I've seen in years.
It must have something to do with last years freeze, like a lot of the red fishes predators that feed on the row must have died from the cold last season, causing the reds to flourish in great numbers. And if that is a fact
then next year the population of 5-8 pound reds are going to be crawling everywhere!
Snook have been lethargic, yet we are still catching a few quality fish. Trout are getting more abundant with the cold weather.
Click to Enlarge Photo
This is the prime time for sight fishing, and I only expect it to improve. Good weather equals great fishing.
Go to my website www.naplesfloridaflyfishing.com and watch our movie on fly fishing the Glades called " High in the Lowlands" to get an idea what we do to catch our local game fish.
Season is upon us, call and book your trip to experience the greatest winter time fishery in the US.
Want to thank all my loyal clients for fishing with me this past year, and wish you all a Merry X-Mas and a happy New Year. Thank you for your support.
Ten Thousand Islands Fishing Forecast:
Cold weather brings great sight fishing. Red fish takes the spotlight for the next month or two with trout filling in right behind the reds. Warmer stretches provide some great snook fishing in the back country.
Target Species:
snook, tarpon, and red fish that l
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