It’s not even Valentine’s day and we are experiencing temperatures around 80 degrees all week. These warm temps, along with sunny afternoons, drive the water temps up a little each day. Two weeks ago the snook fishing was non-existent, and now if has exploded. The first rites of spring bring a voracious bite after the long winter in the backcountry. Every sardine in the water is met by a hungry snook, redfish, trout or jack.
The snook right now can be found in a number of spots. Many of the fish are still back in the canals and creeks, but the forward populations have moved onto the flats where they will reside all spring. The snook are being joined by big trout, redfish, and big jacks. A good strategy in early spring is to start all the way in the furthest backcountry areas and fish your way back out to the head water flats. That way you can gauge the migration of the fish. Some spots will hold fish for just a few days as the water is warming fast. Other spots will be good for a month, as more and more fish make their way out of the back.
Who knows how long this bite will last, but the next 7 days show no signs of cooling off. At this point on the calendar, we are probably done with winter-time fishing for the season. Yes we will have cold front all the way thru April, but the overall trend will be warming from here forward.
Capt. Kyle
