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Anything But A Typical December

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 26, 2007

GO FISHING is a daily look at the area fishing scene through the eyes of local charter boat captains and fishing guides. Today: Ray Markham.

Amid the Christmas rush, fishing was on the calendar. Mild weather helped water temperatures rebound from last week's cold front, which took the fishing from mediocre to very good from a December perspective.
Snook chewed in Terra Ceia Bay surrounding the full moon. Linesiders peeked out of canals, heading back to the warming waters on the shallow flats. Good morning action on the extreme low tides was seen while working potholes on the flats. Our largest snook measured 28 inches. It hit a night glow colored CAL Shad tail jig in about 3 feet of water.

Typically, December water temperatures dictate a slow presentation, but this is anything but a typical December, and fish are responding to a quick retrieve with erratic twitches of the bait, creating a reaction strike.

After releasing several redfish and snook that were caught in the deep potholes, we went to look for trout. While we caught and released a few trout in the smaller potholes, the tide had turned to come in and we concentrated on channels and larger depressions near the mouth of the bay.

During the early portions of a turning tide, areas like mouths of bays where barrier islands are close together form a funneling effect, increasing the water flow. Currents will move more quickly at the first part of the tide change than in other parts of the bay.

We targeted these areas for an hour or so, catching and releasing trout on Clouser Deep Minnow flies and jigs with barbless hooks that make the release of the fish easy and harmless. Some fast action was also had by schools of ladyfish and marauding jacks that came through the passes.

Ray Markham co-hosts

"Florida Sportsman Magazine Radio Live," Saturdays from

8-9 a.m. on WWBA, 1040 AM, and can be reached for charter at (941) 723-2655.

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