February Redfish Dominating the Backwaters
Capt. Todd Geroy
February 8, 2015
Naples - Saltwater Fishing Report
One week into the month, I can report that we have had some truly fantastic winter season fishing so far, with just a couple of exceptions. Transition days between fronts this time of year can slow the bite down, but even those days are bringing some good fish to the boat. Trips that hit it right, with clear skies and cooler temperatures have been spoiled by some of the best action available this time of year!
Highlights of recent days include a couple of half day trips that produced as many 40 redfish. Not giant fish, but ranging in the 17 to 21 inch range with a couple ranging to 25″. I have been finding these schooling fish deep in the backcountry on low water phases in deeper pockets. I have been going "old school" offering 1/4 ounce Don's Pot Gut jigs in a chartreuse color tipped with a small piece of shrimp. We are patiently bumping this rig on the bottom to produce plenty of reds along with some small snook, monster sheepshead, mangrove and mutton snapper, black drum as well as a few gag grouper and juvenile jewfish.
Yesterday morning I fished with a couple of new clients from Arkansas. Jack Donahoe and buddy Tuck Chaffee hit perfect post-cold front conditions with cool temperatures and an extremely low tide. We penetrated into the shallow back country in the Willy Roberts skiff and found a bounty of action all morning long with countless redfish and a variety of other species all willing to take the jigs. That's winter-time fishing as good as it gets in SW Florida!
While fishing in February can bring chilly days, it also is not unusual to experience a bit of a warm up by the end of the month. We often experience a bit of a spring transition on the fishing front by the end of the month. Large tarpon and snook catches are not out of the ordinary during the warmer periods.
Naples Fishing Forecast:
The cool weather trend is expected to continue through next week with another front moving through Tuesday. Water temperatures should remain in the low 60's keeping fish congregated in backcountry holes and channels.
Target Species:
redfish, sheepshead, mangrove snapper, black drum
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