Fishing Reports
January 2012 Fishing Forecast
SouthShore Tampa Bay
Capt. Danny Guarino
January is here and hopefully the nice weather will continue. January weather can be one of the biggest hurdles to cross when fishing the Tampa Bay area. Winter in Florida can bring cold and windy weather. Both can be detrimental to fishing Tampa Bay
However, as I stated in last month’s forecast, follow a few key rules and you can improve your catch ratio through the winter months. Slowing down your presentation both with artificial and natural baits is one of the most important factors. Because of the slower metabolism of the fish, the need for fish to chase down bait is diminished. Picking your day to fish is the other key factor. I like to fish 2 days after the passage of a cold front and fish right up to the passage of the next cold front. When a cold front passes the fish seem to feed less. This due to barometric pressure changes or lack thereof that effect fish and there feeding pattern.
The snook action on the Southshore has been much better than expected. Snook seek out warmer water such as springs, rivers and power plants. Look in deeper spots that hold warmth as the surface water cools. The snook bite will continue tough throughout this year due to the low number of survivors from the 2010 cold snap, but things are looking up. If you catch a snook please handle with care.
Trout have been very active this past month. Look for them in the deeper grass flats and some of the deeper spots of the Manatee and Little Manatee Rivers. Try fishing trout with some of the soft plastic artificial baits. DOA makes some very good plastic’s one of my favorites is the DOA shrimp. It works well this time of year because you can fish it very slow. Trout season opens January 1st.
January is the month that sheephead make a big showing. Find structure in deeper water and most likely you’ll find a number of sheephead hanging around. Shrimp combined with a little weight a # 2 or # 4 hook will do the trick. Remember the old saying if you feel the bite, it’s too late to set the hook. Sheephead have a very light bite so be ready.
One of my favorites this time of year is to target the small black tip sharks that populate the warm water run off near the area power plants. These sharks are usually between 2 and 3 feet long and provide a good fight on light tackle. I use shrimp suspended under a bobber. You can usually see the shark as it hits the bait. It’s fun fishing, but that’s what it’s all about.
If you can, get out and enjoy this great place we live in. The Southshore has some of the best fishing Florida has to offer but remember it’s not the number of fish you put in the fish box that makes a successful trip. Measure you’re fishing success by the number of smiles you receive by going fishing.
Be safe out there.
Capt. Danny Guarino
D.R. Guarino Charters
813-956-2010
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http://www.fishingguidetampabay.com
