North Pinellas, Stewart Ames

Fishing in December is best described as unpredictable.  One day may provide outstanding fishing and then, a day or two later, a weather change just shuts things down.  Tides and weather patterns play a major role in determining which days will ultimately be productive.  Within just a few miles of the beach, large kingfish can be blasting schools of thread fin herring.  Other species, such as large Spanish mackerel, bonita and blacktip sharks will likely be mixed in.  This activity can be exceptional when near shore waters are clear and water temperatures linger in the high sixties to mid seventies.  One cold front arriving can dirty the water, push temperatures down and shut off this bite as fast as a light switch being flipped and activity may or may not return depending on the weather to follow.  Without some sustained warm weather in the near term, it’s likely that these fish may be gone from near shore waters until spring. 

Inshore, snook, redfish and seatrout all represent viable options during the fall season and fishing for these species can be exceptional as well. The first of these fish to become more difficult to catch as waters cool is the snook.  Temperatures at 65 degrees or below make these fish much less cooperative.  Redfish and trout will eat in cooler water but, they too, need time to recover after cold fronts arrive. Usually, after 2 – 3 days, these species are receptive to eating again.  With this said however, expect everything to get much harder should temperatures push and hold below the 60 degree mark. Significant warming trends can bring snook back to life but, once winter settles in, little time is spent targeting these great gamefish. Large seatrout, the best of the year, dominate winter action and become the number one species targeted inshore along the West Central Florida coast.  Catches of 20 – 30 seatrout over 18 inches in length are not rare on a 4 hour Tampa Fishing Charter.  As a general rule, the best days for these trout will be those immediately preceding a cold front, having strong tides and with water temperatures in the mid sixties. If a cold front has just come through and winds are strong, save your fishing day and get some yard work done.

Captain Stewart Ames
GONE FISHING CHARTERS
P.O. Box 541
Crystal Beach, Florida 34681
727 421-5291
https://Tampa-Fishing-Charter.com