Wintertime Low Tide Fishing in and around Tampa Bay, Anna Maria, and Sarasota Bay

The low tides are here and so are the colder water temps. Fish such as Snook, Seatrout, Bluefish and Pompano roam the flats looking for shrimp and other crustaceans to feed on. No fish is more targeted than the highly sought after Redfish this time of year. The redfish is by far the most popular inshore species in the wintertime on the west coast of Florida. They don’t mind the colder water and they creep up ultra shallow to take up residence in potholes and ditches where an extra few inches of water makes all the difference in the world to their mindset.

Speaking of their mindset, stealth and ninja skills are a must whether you choose to push up to them with a skiff and a push pole, operate an electric trolling motor, or my personal favorite, jump out of that perfectly good boat and wade to them! Inshore fishing around our parts is all about how you position yourself in relation to the fish. If you decide to push hard straight upwind making as much noise as possible, you will be left with fish blowing wakes as far and as fast as they can to vacate the area. Take your time, use the wind to your advantage, and make sure your presence is not known. Kayaks are great for this as well, and I know guys with 32 ft offshore boats that steady yak fish this time of year. The right tools are what it is all about.

Speaking of tools, some of my favorite baits this time of year are the Mirrolure lil’ Jon in both the watermelon red glitter and Golden bream rigged on a 3/0 1/8oz or 1/16oz weedless jig head fished nice and slow through the potholes and edges.

I am also a fan of the new Savage gear Twitch Reaper. They make a suspending version and a floating version. I always opt for the floating version of twitch baits, simply because I tend to fish ultra shallow areas with depressions sprinkled around the turtle grass. I recently laid eyes on the new “Crush City’ baits from Rapala, specifically “the mayor” and “freeloader” baits. These are some of the best-looking baits we have seen come out in a while, and I can’t wait to try them. Other swimbaits that always produce are the Saltwater Assassin Sea Shad and the 3” swimbait from No Live Bait Needed. The Z-Man ShrimpZ and the Vudu Shrimp are both excellent shrimp baits for the west coast. These are designed to be fished nice and slow.

The gear is relatively simple for these shallow water outings. I prefer a 7’ to 7’4” medium fast action rod paired with a 3000 series spinning reel loaded with 10 or 15# braid. Don’t forget to tie on about 3 ft. of good fluorocarbon leader. I use 20# leader on a regular basis, but if its gin clear water 15# is not out of the question. This rig will allow you to make the long casts that are required to get to the fish. This can be one of the most rewarding styles of fishing we do in the wintertime, and if the shallow bite is slow, there are plenty of options out in the 4-7ft range to bend some rods.

Head on over to Premier Tackle in Lakewood Ranch, FL and they can get you set up! We offer guided trips, a wide variety of fishing tackle and Apparel, and have the best selection of gear in Manatee County.