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Enjoy Warm Weather While It Lasts

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By FRED EVERSON

Published: January 28, 2009

It looks like we'll have another cold front arriving this weekend. It probably won't be as severe as last week's, but it's going to get cold again.

I put my canoe in the water at the mouth of the Little Manatee River on Tuesday and had no trouble finding redfish in front of Sand Key. As soon as I entered the bay, I began to see fish scooting around the canoe.

After seeing a dozen fish, I dropped the anchor and got off to wade. The water was still cold, even with waders, and it didn't help that they leak. The air temperature was near 80, however, so it was comfortable fishing in a short-sleeved shirt.

I hooked one redfish that measured 18 inches on the nose, but I released him and hoped for a bigger fish. That one ate a 2-inch plastic crab fished on a 3/8-ounce jig head. I never saw another red all day, but I did see quite a few sheepshead.

Boat traffic on the bay has been light, and that probably has more to do with the economy than the quality of the fishing. My past two times out I found plenty of redfish, and many of them were near the top of the slot or over it.

Water clarity is currently as good as it ever gets on Tampa Bay thanks to the sudden drop in temperature last week. It plunged to 58 degrees almost overnight, but it has already climbed back to 63 degrees.

Enjoy it while it lasts, as it is probably going to drop again this weekend.

For charter information visit Fred Everson's Web site at tampabayfishingguide.com, or call him at (813) 830-8890.

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