SWFL Fishing Forecast for January, 2021

Well fellow anglers it looks like were going to slide through 2020 scraped, bumped and probably bruised. The last part of the year has been very good to us. We’ve managed to put some very nice snook to the boat. Mother Nature was nice enough to keep the water temps warm enough to keep our warm water fish happy. So what happens if our water temps drop, and our warm water fish decide not to feed? Well lets go over some winter tactics that should help keep the rods bent.

Shrimp, that’s the bait we should all be focusing on this time of year. Every fish that swims in South West Florida feeds on these little crustaceans. The ways to fish these little guys depends on who you ask! I’ll give you some of the ways that I like to fish during this time of year. Without a doubt the most popular way is with a popping cork. This technique has been used longer than most of the people reading this column. The reasoning behind a popping cork is actually very basic. It comes down to the sound the cork makes when you swipe your rod tip to the side. Many fish make a popping sound when they feed on the surface. The reasoning for the popping cork is to make that same sound. The belief is that feeding fish will attract other feeding fish. Normally I like to fish a jig with a shrimp under my popping cork. The area and bottom plays a big roll in the depth. Normally I’m fishing this way over shallow grass flats, so I focus on floating my bait just above the bottom. If Mother Nature really hits us hard, we will have to really slow things down. Fishing on the bottom might get the better bites. A live shrimp on a jig head fished slow will get sluggish fishes attention. I often get asked what is my favorite color jig. Well folks it doesn’t really matter as long as its chartreuse or pink or white or red. I guess what I’m saying is it all depends on what you think will work. If you feel confident in what your doing, more than likely you will catch fish. The biggest thing about fishing fish during our winter months is to slow down. Our fishery is a warm water fishery. For the next few weeks we have to deal with cooler water temps. The fish are still here, you just have to adjust your technique, and approach.

If you would like to experience some of Charlotte Harbor’s finest fishing give me a call or send me an email. All of our trips are private and customized to fit you and your party’s needs.

You can also follow me on Twitter @ backbayxtremes for daily and weekly updates.

Capt. Dave Stephens
941-916-5769

Captain Dave Stephens * (941) 916-5769 * Back Bay Xtremes * PO Box 510746, Punta Gorda FL 33951

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