December Fishing Forecast for Clearwater Fl
Capt. Gary Burch
November 27, 2012
Clearwater - Saltwater Fishing Report
December Forecast 2012
Fishing in Clearwater Bay and St. Joseph Sound during December will take a lot of patience and a great deal of searching. There should be many good fishing days in and around the cold fronts that pass through our area. Keep in mind that the water temperatures will most likely be around 60 degrees. This cooler temp will make your targets sluggish and slow to bite. If you are fishing with artificials, slow the action down.
Put to use that new fishing rod you got yourself for Christmas, I know you bought one early. If you have not purchased and early gift, go by Barracuda Bob's Tackle on Dunedin causeway and look at all the cool stuff they have in the store.
Trout will be one of our top targets this winter as the big gators will move into the bays and back waters. Start searching on the numerous grass flats that stretch from north Dunedin to Clearwater. Look for the sand holes that dot the grass areas and start drifting as many as you can. Most of the flats with this type of bottom structure will hold fish. When you find the area that is producing the biggest fish, work it hard. There may be a big 26 inch gator trout lurking. Remember, you can only keep 4 trout per person. One of those 4 trout can be over 20 inches.
Finding the redfish in the winter months, will take some searching. Use the high tide to look up around the mangroves and grassy flats with sand areas mixed in. Don't forget to investigate docks during the winter. A lot of dock type structure throughout Clearwater and Dunedin bays will hold fish. All docks are not created equal, so keep moving.
As the water temperatures cool down into the 60s and even into the 50s on occasion, the white baits become very hard to find. Shrimp under a float will work fine for the winter trout. Bring out your favorite artificial baits because they can catch as many fish as live baits this time of year. You can cover a lot more ground throwing fake baits.
December fishing is here so get on board, grab a jacket and let's get fishing. Santa Clause may bring you a record catch.
Merry Christmas.
Capt. Gary Burch
Clearwater Fishing Forecast:
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