Winter catches worth wading for

Astronomers assure us there are perfectly logical reasons for the tides to be lower in winter than in summer. But for those of us who view calculus much like the barb of a stingray, as something to be aware of but to give a wide berth, it suffices simply to know that the lowest tides of the year occur on our coast in the colder months.

And that's not counting on the help of a strong northeast wind, which frequently visits on the days following the passage of a cold front. A sustained 20-knot blow can push an added foot of water out of Tampa Bay or Charlotte Harbor and expose thousands of acres of bottom that are normally fully submerged.

Fish gotta' swim and that means they need water, but less water is more in this case. When most of the water on a flat goes away, the fish are funneled into the remaining deep spots, and that creates a fishing bonanza for those who go to the trouble of getting to them.

When much of the water is ankle deep, even the shallowest-draft powerboats don't stay afloat. Airboats, kayaks and simple wading are the only means of access. (And though many of my friends are airboat fans, they are such an obtrusive means of transport that I can't recommend them anywhere outside the remote backcountry of the Kissimmee Plains, where there are few trout and reds.)

Many sections of Tampa Bay welcome wade-fishing. The Clam Bar and the South Shore flats are some of the best-known areas, but there are dozens of smaller zones where firm bottom, abundant grass and numerous runouts welcome wade-fishers. Long Bar in northern Sarasota Bay is another dependable wading area.

Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound can be more challenging in many areas because of thick mud underlying the grass, making wading tough. Fortunately, a kayak allows easing over the gooey spots to find the intermittent rock outcrop or oyster bar, and these are usually excellent spots to start fishing. Turtle Bay and Bull Bay, on the north side of Charlotte Harbor, have numerous spots like this.

Best fishing usually occurs on the last two hours of falling water, when the funneling effect is at its strongest. Reds tend to get into foot-deep water and root through the grass to find remnant shrimp and crabs, which causes their tail and dorsal fins to show through the surface—a perfect flag to target the angler's cast.

Trout often gather in the remaining potholes. These holes are usually the result of tidal scouring where water passes around an island or between bars, so any location where two pieces of land "squeeze" the water are good spots to look for these holes. Make use of Google Earth to view areas like Cockroach Bay or Bishop Harbor and you'll see lots of likely targets. Some of these holes may be only a foot deeper than the surrounding water, others are 6 to 8 feet deep—probe them all. The larger holes tend to hold more but smaller fish, while the smaller ones sometimes hide lunkers.

Larger trout also cruise the shallowest flats along with the redfish, and sometimes run down the slough where grass stops and sand begins. Both species stack up on the deep end of the slough as the last of the tide slips out.

The challenge in fishing this shallow is that the fish are extremely wary, and so a slow, silent approach is a must. So is a long cast with a light line.

"Stealth" lures like Gulp crabs and DOA Shrimp are the go-to lures when the water is clear and calm and the fish have been pressured by other anglers. Make the presentation about 5 feet ahead of the fish and allow them to swim up to it before giving the bait a few tiny twitches.

In stained water, when there's a ripple or cloudy sky, more aggressive lures can be effective, and topwaters are the most fun. The Rapala Skitter-Walk or X-Rap are good choices, as are the MirrOlure 5M and 7M. The MirrOdine is another killer where water is at least a foot deep.

Stingrays, the bane of warm-water wading, are nearly absent in winter—though it only takes one in long-johns to ruin your day so keep your eyes open. Wading wet is common when p.m. temps approach 80, but on chilly mornings or wading deeper you'll definitely want chest waders—neoprene is the warmest and most comfortable.