Week Spent Fighting The Cold

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

With Mother Nature literally breathing down our necks from the north, super low tides and water temps dropping fast, we set out this week to catch some fish. Many of the spots that were holding good numbers of fish last week were empty.

We managed to get things going a little bit in the deeper residential canals and also around the power plant outflows where the water was warmer than the air for most of the week.

Good numbers of 2- to 3-pound sheepshead have harbored up in residential canals. The canals also offer great protection from the wind. Just take some 1/0 hooks and some No. 3 split shot and go to town with some regular shrimp. Hold on tight though because sheepshead will put up a heck of a fight. Our biggest sheepy of the week was pushing 5 pounds. My clients also managed to catch some nice redfish and trout. We even did battle with about a 27-inch goliath grouper.

Captain Billy reports that the grouper trolling bite has been steady but not great. The recent windy trend has made it tough to get out there very often. We both agree that this cold snap should turn the grouper bite on in the Bay as well as light up the nearshore reefs and wrecks. The trout bite along the deeper flats should also pick up dramatically but remember that the trout season in the south region is closed until Jan. 1, so bring your dehooker and release those fish unharmed to be caught another day.

Catch captains Billy Nobles and Mike Anderson on the "Reel Animals Fishing Show" on Saturdays from 6:30-7 a.m. and Sundays from 11-11:30 a.m. on WFLA, Channel 8, and on Sundays from 8-10 a.m. on 1040 AM. To book a charter, call 1-866-GAMEFISH or visit