Winter Fishing for Redish, Trout and Sheepshead in Tampa Bay, Florida

Tampa Bay anglers will enjoy catching Redfish, Trout and Sheepshead this winter as Florida is expecting moderate winter weather condition through January of 2019.

Sheepshead are always among the most reputable targets in winter, and they will continue to be a leading bet for anglers who prefer tasty fillets. They're mainly pan-sized fish 12 to 14 inches long, nevertheless, they have a lot of vulnerable white meat on them, and with a restriction of 15 daily, it's possible to feed a big family numerous times on a day's catch.

Sheepshead are generally found in rocky domestic canals, business harbours and in ICW cuts in winter. They usually hang near difficult structures where barnacles, mussels and oysters grow given that those are their preferred foods. They utilize their sheeplike teeth to grind the shellfish off the pilings.

Fresh-cut shrimp in 1-inch pieces is all the bait required for sheepshead, though they also like fiddler crabs, mussels and tubeworms very well, for those who take the time to capture these baits. All are best fished on a size 1 to 1/0 circle or octopus hook, with just adequate enough weight to get the bait to the bottom.
Trout and redfish tend to be discovered in deep holes, property canals and bigger troughs on the flats in winter, moving even more inland if we get a couple of nights noted below freezing. When the water temperatures drop drastically a lot of these fish will be discovered gathering together near the power plants in Tampa Bay where there is a warm water source for them. In any celebration, this migration happens every winter.

One method of finding these fish is to slow troll the canals and much deeper locations of rivers like the Alafia, Manatee and Little Manatee with swimmer-tail quarter-ounce jigs about 4 inches long on trolling motor power. Where you discover one trout or red in winter there might be 50 more, so if you put in the time, you're more than likely to eventually strike it abundant.

Fish tend to collect in specific in turning basins at the end of canals, in locations where two canals fulfill, or where a canal has actually opened a spring flow undersea. In the rivers, the deep holes that frequently comprise on the exterior of a bend can be prime.

While casting jigs or little swimbaits like the 4-inch Tsunami split tail typically finishes the job on winter trout and reds, there's no concern that live shrimp does even far better. Tailhook a whole shrimp on a size 1 or 1/0 circle hook and stroll it slowly along the bottom in the holes, or where there's strong tide circulation merely let the existing moving it. A DOA 3-inch shrimp is a close 2nd to the real thing where there's moving water.

All this action is specifically attractive due to the reality that it's very simple fishing, with no special casting abilities required, so it's an exceptional family pursuit.

Nevertheless, for those who prefer a bit more trouble, wading the flats in winter can also produce all 3 types considered here. Both redfish and sheepshead "tail" in shallow water, particularly when northeast winds incorporate with a spring low tide around the new or moon. Virtually the whole east coast of Tampa Bay supplies excellent action when these conditions happen, as does the east coast of Sarasota Bay. There are comparable opportunities in the northern bays releasing Charlotte Harbor.

Trout do not tail, nevertheless, some big ones do prowl the holes and runouts in the flats in winter, and they gradually wreck plastic or live shrimp fished unweighted, as well as shallow-running jerk baits like the Mirrodine.

All of this action requires a terrific eye to recognize the fish and extraordinary casting abilities to put the bait near them without disconcerting them. But for those with a desire for the ultimate difficulty of the inshore flats, this is it-- and the clear water developed by winter chill produces the prime-time program to attempt it.
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