I will say that so far this has been one of the coldest Decembers in recent memory. Fishing in the rivers for mangrove snapper, sheepshead, redfish and trout has been good and warm. Live shrimp is the best bait but throwing soft plastics along rocky points on the north shoreline is good for reds, trout and snook. I like the north shoreline because the southern sun warms that bank pretty much all day. Offshore the gag grouper bite has been good with most fish being caught on live pinfish. With the dropping Gulf water temps be patient at each stop to get the bite. Cold water will make gags and most all fish sluggish. One fish that will bite during the coldest of waters is sheepshead. I’ve caught most of mine in the rivers but soon the nearshore rock will have plenty of them.  At this time there is one type of fish that no one needs a pole to catch or bait but is very good eating and fun to get. It’s a shellfish named oyster. In my youth grandpa, dad and I would go oystering around Homosassa. We would pick big fat ones and eat our share while we worked at it. Back home we would shuck them and have everyone over to eat them fried and in a stew, it was always a fun day. At this time areas along the Big Bend  including Citrus County are open to harvest. Before you go make sure to check out the regulations at MYFWC.com about gulf coast oysters. Incoming high tide will be in the afternoon this weekend. 

William Toney
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