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Fronts Call For Different Tactics

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 9, 2007

GO FISHING is a daily look at the area fishing scene through the eyes of local charter boat captains and fishing guides. Today: Billy Nobles, left (with "Reel Animals" partner Mike Anderson).

As winter approaches and the cold fronts start to move through more frequently, the fishing can get tougher if you don't know how to handle it.

Right now, snook are in a transition stage, meaning they are between their summer and winter homes, much like the snowbirds stopping at a Holiday Inn on their way down from the Great White North.

The thing with fish, though, is they need certain things to stay alive during this period. I have heard horror stories about it turning seriously cold overnight, and before they could move to warmer water, snook were floating.

This time of year, we have had the most success on flats where there is dark bottom and deep water nearby. The dark bottom holds the heat and warms the water more quickly, and if it gets too cold, the fish can slide down into deeper, warmer water. Once the sun rises, the shallows will warm up, and the snook will move back onto the flat.

So once you start fishing in the morning you will need to determine the pattern to find out if the fish are on the winter or summer side of the transition. Once you figure this out, you are good to go.

Another good tip is to fish ahead of these fronts. As a front gets closer, fish can feel the approaching cold and know that it is time to eat. Sometimes, they will almost eat the paint off the bottom of the boat. Most times, the day after the front passes, it is better to just clean the garage because the fish will have lockjaw and just won't eat.

With all that being said, we fished with Mark Nichols in Stuart last year after a front passed through and the temperature dropped into the mid-30s. The next day, we had one of the best snook bites I have ever been a part of. Mark explained that we were deep-water jigging and the deeper water had not had time to cool. He also said the following day would be terrible.

So there you have it. Fronts or no fronts, it is still fishing, and we love it.

Catch captains Billy Nobles and Mike Anderson on the "Reel Animals Fishing Show" on Saturdays from 6:30-7 a.m. on WFLA, Channel 8, and on Sundays from 8-10 a.m. on WHBO, 1470 AM. To book a charter, call 1-866-GAMEFISH or visit www.reelanimalsfishingshow.c

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