Capt. Rick Grassett’s Fly Fishing
Forecast for January 2009
Although January can be one of the
tougher months to fish, there are still several good options to catch fish. If
you have the flexibility to choose when you fish, try to fish ahead of
approaching cold fronts. Fish will feed more when the barometer is falling as a
front approaches and less after a front pushes through and high pressure
settles in. There will be “windows” of good fishing between fronts as the
barometer and water temperature stabilizes. Snook season remains closed this
month and trout season reopens in the south region (south of the Pasco/Pinellas
county line) on the west coast.
Snook are one of the more temperature
sensitive species that we have in our area. I have experienced good fishing in
the winter months with water temperatures down to 60 degrees. However, if it
gets lower than that I won’t target them due to the stress that they are
undergoing. Night snook fishing in the ICW from Sarasota to Venice can be very
good this month. Since they feed on small baitfish (glass minnows) and shrimp
during the winter, flies work very well. For the best success choose a night
when you have good tidal flow and cast small flies like my Grassett’s Snook
Minnow on an intermediate or intermediate sink tip fly line up tide of shadow
lines. A sink tip fly line is easier to handle than a full sinking line because
you can tell where the end of the fly line is and pick it up off the surface of
the water easier. I’ve also had good success with a Gurgler, tied to look like
a shrimp, when snook are chasing shrimp on the surface.
You’ll
also find snook in rivers, creeks and canals this month, particularly areas
with a dark, muddy bottom. Fish the
outer bends of rivers and creeks which should have deep water. You might also
find snook venturing out onto shallow grass flats close to these areas on warm,
sunny afternoons. They will feed on larger baits, such as finger mullet, in
these areas so use larger profile flies like Deceivers or Enrico Puglisi flies.
Lower Tampa Bay, north Sarasota Bay and Gasparilla Sound in Charlotte Harbor
are all good areas for winter snook fishing.
Reds and trout are both more tolerant
of cool water than snook, so they will be less affected by changes in water
temperature. You find them concentrated in potholes when the tide is low or on
shallow grass flats on warm, sunny afternoons. I like to work weighted flies
slowly along the bottom of potholes for reds and trout. Reds may tail on
shallow grass flats of Gasparilla Sound when the tide is very low. When fishing
shallow grass, I use flies that suspend or lightly weighted flies with weed
guards. The key to catching tailing reds is to cast close to the fish when it
is tailing. Don’t move your fly until the tail disappears and the fish is
horizontal in the water column, otherwise their head will be buried in the
grass and they’ll never see your fly.
You’ll
also find trout on deep grass flats, up to 7’ or 8’ deep, when the water is
cool. I like to cast weighted flies on an intermediate or intermediate sink tip
fly line ahead of my drift to locate fish. You might also find blues, jacks, ladyfish, pompano, flounder
and more in these same areas. A popper/dropper combination consisting of a
large popper and a smaller fly about 30” behind it can be very effective and is
a good way to locate fish. It is the sound that makes this work so well.
Another
good area to fish during January is around docks. I like docks that are old and
crusty with lots of barnacles and oysters growing on or around them. Tide is
important, so docks that are on points or along seawalls that get a good tidal
flow are good choices. I also like deep water under a dock, so look for large
powerboats or sailboats anchored nearby to find deeper water. Sink tip fly
lines and weighted flies will work well in this situation. Be respectful of
owner’s property when fishing around docks. Don’t tie onto anyone’s dock or
walk on their dock. If I should snag a fly on a dock I try to remove it, if I
can reach it from my boat, before leaving.
There
are lots of things to do in January, particularly if you can be flexible with
when you fish. I usually let conditions and the fish tell me what is the best
thing to do. One of my favorite things to do this month is to wade along a sand
bar or shallow flat and sight fish reds and trout in potholes with a fly.
Whatever you choose to do, remember to
always limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
(941) 923-7799
E-mail snookfin@aol.com