Venice Inlet and the Gulf of Mexico
Capt. Dave Pinkham
January 2, 2007
Venice - Saltwater Fishing Report
January Gulf Fishing Forecast
With the New Year of 2007 here, my mind reels with anticipation of what the future may hold. The fishing action over the last couple of months of 2006 has been decent with no real threat of red tides.
Good water quality is paramount to the continual success of our oceans as well as our fisheries. Hopefully the year of 2007 will be the year that we all make decisions that will move us a forward toward resolving some of the issues that have created these problems.
Fishing out on the Gulf of Mexico during the month of January and actually right on through the rest of the winter promises to offer local anglers some excellent action. The reason I’m so optimistic about the fishing this winter is that last month during December the gulf seemed to come alive with baitfish showing up all over the place. Not only that, but the fishing has been really good with decent catches of all the normal species that run this time of the year.
Following is a short fish-list of several of the species that can be targeted in the month of January. One more thing to keep in mind while fishing this time of year is to keep a close eye on the weather conditions. Approaching cold fronts will push wind and seas up. Being proactive will help anglers avoid getting caught offshore in dangerous conditions.
Gag and red grouper action should be picking up now that we’ve had a taste of winter. The same cold fronts that pushed the king mackerels south of here will often help bring fresh shows of both the gags and reds. To catch either species of grouper I suggest you locate some sort of hard bottom such as a ledge, an area of coral, a shipwreck, or one of the artificial reefs. Once you find hard bottom try to get your boat anchored over the structure. Now, using live and or cut bait drop your rig to the bottom. It's really that simple! A good stout rod with fairly heavy line such as 50-pound test should be used. Grouper tend to hit hard and then run for the nearest cover, so hang on and crank the handle!
Mangrove snapper should fill the gap if the grouper don't want to cooperate. You'll find these tasty snapper at the same locals where you’ll be fishing for grouper. When targeting snapper be sure to use a lighter rod. I prefer a 20 to 30-pound rig. Snapper will hit just about any natural bait when feeding.
Greater amberjack should be showing up in decent numbers on the deeper wrecks. The best way to get them feeding is with live baits. If you can see schooling amberjack in the water but are having a tough time getting them to feed you may need to lighten up your rigs. When you do figure them out and get them feeding, be ready because these are some of the hardest fighting fish on the gulf. Don’t be too surprised if you hook into a blackfin tuna in these same areas.
Cobia could also make a decent showing this month. Cobia are a migratory species, and as the gulf's water temperature drops they should be heading south to their winter-feeding grounds. There is always the possibility that there may still be some cobia hanging around on some of the offshore artificial reefs. Depending on how hard the wind is blowing you can either drift fish these reefs with live baitfish, or anchor the boat down. If you do decide to anchor while fishing, one method that seems to work well is to anchor the boat directly over or just up wind of the structure. This proven technique will help put the odds in your favor for catching fish. If a school of cobia pops up, be ready to cast your bait out in front of them.
Well, good luck and good fishing. Remember if you're too busy to go fishing you’re just too busy. Get out and go fishin cuz' it's good fer ya! Happy New Year!
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