# The chill is here, how do you adapt?



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

2 weeks ago it was hot as anything out on the flats, now it's in the 50's in the early morning hours. Might go out tomorrow and hit the flats east tampa bay, maybe around cockroach. 

Typically as it gets cooler I use mostly shrimp, and pop them much slower. Maybe some cut bait near the mangroves or under a dock. I'm not a fly guy, and only use artis occasionally but have been known to walk my spook across the flats here and there.

What do you guys like to do?


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## BrownDog (Jun 22, 2019)

Power fish search baits, then when water temps really drop, bait is gone, and fish are very slow its time to bust out the ned rigs.


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Fish S-L-O-W! Their metabolism slows down with cold water temp's so they don't want to waste energy chasing bait. They'll eat, but it needs to be in front of their face.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Find active bait, slicks, birds, fish accordingly. As it warms up during the day they don’t mind a normal fast retrieve. Colder water is generally more oxygenated and once those fish warm up over mud and shell they get very aggressive. I’ve caught some of my biggest trout when the water temperature was below fifty degrees. One morning the water was 45 and my buddy and I caught two trout back to back that were over seven pounds and proceeded to catch fish for the next six hours. I like to mix it up and toss conventional/artificial until the sun gets up and then switch to poling and sight fishing with conventional and fly then end the day with plastics again.


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Head offshore...for some reason the bottom fish and pelagics don't care.
They get down below the thermocline and appear to be unaffected.
My best trips are on the crisp blue days after the front.
Wind has died down, water is crystal clear, excellent time to hunt structure/fish.


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## spc7669 (Apr 15, 2015)

I switch from salt to freshwater stripers. They don’t care about the cold either. Makes for some long, cold days in the boat.


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## rickc (Nov 7, 2018)

Here in North Florida my main winter target is reds. I find them in the back of creeks and in the river. With a big low tide around mid day and good sunshine, not unusual for Temps to get in the 70's in the afternoon, those exposed mud flats get warm. As the tide floods it is not uncommon for the reds to follow the tide into that warming water. They will be so shallow their backs will be out of the water. Bait is usually thick too and those fish will go on a feeding frenzy. I always try to fish those big low tides. Just the reverse of fishing those flood tides on the Atlantic side.


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## LtShinysides (Dec 27, 2018)

Sleep in a couple more hours before hitting the water.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Those mud flats hold heat all night and in the morning fish will still be hanging out on them since they are retaining heat. Shell reefs with mud are the best areas to target first thing in the morning.


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## karstopo (Nov 28, 2019)

I tend to follow a seasonal pattern. In November and December and into the rest of the winter, I’ll be fishing in mud and shell large drains and drop off edges of flats or guts with mud and shell and out on nearby mud and shell flats. Some of the local creeks and rivers will get stacked with redfish and speckled trout along the edges and where oyster reef is fringing. Bringing a paddle tail or something like weighted redfish crack over the shell margin and letting it fall along the edges is a proven fish getter. Fish like redfish, sheepshead, speckled trout and even flounder will come up on nearby shallow shelves and the exposed/barely flooded reefs to chase bait and those are some sight fishing opportunities. In my experience, fish can really be concentrated and focused on a certain depth and narrow structure and it might take a bit of trial and error and careful observations to dial in the payoff zone and a specific presentation, but in the end it can be worth it. I do a lot of small readjustments repositioning/stake out or anchoring changes and many of these areas are tough to wade with the abundant shell, mud or drop offs so it‘s from the boat or in the kayak fishing.

Patterns such as Tan, Olive, Chartreuse, White Borski sliders, Redfish Crack in Olive, Rootbeer, Orange, Black and Tan and White are favorites. I like Gartside Soft Hackle Streamers in Chartreuse and white or white and black or white and red. Steve Farrar Blend Baitfish in Chartreuse, Olive and Black over white.

Paddle tails on Black over white, Hammertime, Tequila Gold, Panhandle Moon, 

Topwaters, I like Chrome, Speckled Trout and Pink. 

Probably a lot more about the presentation and targeted casts than the specific lures or colors based on past experiences and fishing a structure with multiple people all fishing the same fish with the same or different lures or flies on the same structure. Right lure, right location, wrong presentation, no fish. Right lure, right presentation, wrong location, no fish. Any reasonably similar sized and comparably buoyant lure or fly, right location, right presentation, = fish.


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## rickc (Nov 7, 2018)

Where I am winter fishing is just way too easy. I have got holes in the creeks and rivers that just stack up with reds and sheepshead on the right tide. No challenge. That is why I prefer chasing tailing fish on those mud flats. Much more challenging and exciting.

Just like when the water gets cold the trout come up this spring fed river because it is warmer. I wish they would close trout season in January and February. People just rape and pillage them in the river.


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