The red tide that gave us so much trouble during last fall and even in January has finally decided to go away. I don’t know where it went to other than with all of the rain water and cool weather, it just disappeared. The inshore fishing is rebuilding rapidly and should be good in February. The speckled trout and red fish that managed to stay away from the red tide are getting very hungry.
Inshore fishing in bay waters and particularly on the nearshore artificial reefs are loaded with trigger fish, amberjacks and other inshore reef fish. They appear to be real hungry and will take almost any bait you put down. You cannot bring home any of those large red snapper until June but they will take your bait right now before it gets to the bottom to catch a red grouper.
Offshore fishing is limited during February and March in that we cannot bring home any of the shallow water grouper. We can bring home any of the deep water grouper which includes warsaw and speckled hine. But there are plenty of trigger fish, amberjack and other small jacks. Also the traveling fish could be showing up before the end of February if the weather stays warm as it has been all winter. Indications are that we are going to have a better year and the only problem I see is the limits that will be placed on us by our government fishery managers.
Don’t forget to file a float plan, and let somebody know when you are going to return.