During the winter we target Speckled Trout and Redfish along with laid up snook. When a cold front is a day or two out, prefrontal fishing can be very active. Savvy anglers learn that watching the weather this time of year is just as important as knowing tide movement and moon phase. With winds at higher velocity this time of year you must learn the affect it has on tide length, the flood and Eb tide and what that means. Here are some insights.

Winds affect the turn and duration of the tide. With an east wind and falling tide in the Glades and Ten Thousand Islands we can have a longer duration falling tide and as much as a foot or more less water than your chart says for that day. The wind will add time to the falling tide and will delay the turn to begin the flood cycle. Another factor is atmospheric pressure. High pressure will ad surface pressure and can affect both tides enhance the wind affect more. Where the inverse, low pressure allows more water to stay and give you a higher flood tide.

Use the Knowledge

Taking in those factors, Speckled Trout and Redfish targeting in winter has some science and planning involved. Along with snook they will be searching those flats on flood tide. Search the mangrove shore line, oyster bars and deep edges on the falling tide for a morsel or two. Take your time approaching a flat or target area. Don’t run full speed instead stop a few hundred feet away and work a search bait like a Zman Jerk Shad or paddle tail. Once you get to your area give it 10-15 minutes. If you’re not at least catching ladyfish or other critters, move on. Have a plan to follow the tide. Don’t just go to areas you have had success before.
In the next blog I will talk about post front. Know when the temps drop and the cold wind is cranking.

Capt. John Pfeiffer

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Redfish and the tides are like peanut butter and jelly. The importance is to recognize that these fish love the tide especially the falling tide. It is the conveyor belt of a buffet as the water falls out on the estuaries, mangrove shoreline, bars and flats. But you must learn your area taking time on negative tides to note where these areas are. A negative tide can be an opportunity for fishing but your observation of staging areas is worth the time. I’ve alway said it’s best to totally learn area well. Keep them close to home and you will produce the results you wish.

Now what should you use in your lure or bait presentation? Well there are many options. Once you have discovered the areas you think will hold fish you have decisions. My gig is all artificial. So that is hair jigs, Zman jerk shads, Gulp swimming mullet or shrimp patterns. For sticky areas such as very grassy or lots of oysters try a weedless type hook with 1/8 oz such as Mustad twist lock. If you want to go a bait route a good hair jig with a wide gap hook tipped with a small piece of shrimp can be deadly. Make sure your piece of shrimp is small enough so your jig does not spin. Small tips are best. You don’t need much. Buy of course a live whole shrimp on a circle hook is always a presentation that fish can’t resist. Remember it’s a circle hook. You get a bite you just wind down until tight. 30 lb leader is normal but if it’s clear 20lb will produce more bite but remember it 20 so no horsing the fish.

Don’t forget redfish, snook, speckled trout and sheep head all are in the same area. Don’t be surprised if after some good recon you catch a slam.

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Winter negative tides can be some of the best fishing. Low clean water, cooler temps all make sight fishing more exciting. Snook and redfish look for the darker bottom where the sun warms up the water a bit more. The savvy angler understands even a one degree difference from surrounding water will hold fish. They seek it and will stay there until the adjacent area warms up. Take your time. If it chilly leave a bit later in the morning. Snook and redfish can be a little spooky in the skinny water so stop well before the flat and start long casts.
Low and slow presentation is essential to success. And don’t be afraid to drop down to lighter leader. I’ll drop from 30lb to 20lb during winter negative tides. But don’t be concerned. You will be on a flat and you will control the line just fine.

Remember to search the area slowly during winter negative tides. 10 ft forward at a time and you can cover the area by broad casting in an 180 degree arch. I like using Zman jerk baits or other small baitfish or shrimp presentations. No more than 1/8 oz as you need to be quite and just off the bottom. The tendency during negative tides is to move fast but truly you need to move slow and be methodical. Speckled trout especially upper slot and over love sitting right on the edge of these darker bottom areas and attack just as your presentation move over lighter bottom.

So in closing Winter Negative Tides can be to you advantage if you just follow the low and slow method.

Capt. John

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Marco Island snook fishing continues to be strong. Despite a few cold fronts the water temps continues to recover quickly. Searching for slight temperature changes in the backwater bays has been the ticket to finding eager snook to bite properly presented offerings. Snook are ambush predators. They don’t venture far from their ambush area. In winter sunny shore lines, dark bottom flats and oyster bars near deeper water are good place to look. Marco Island snook fishing takes patience. There are many islands and cuts around Marco Island to explore. Going with a professional fishing guide will be very helpful. Don’t pay attention to the actual spots but instead absorb the surroundings. Tide, structure, direct sun play into the game but that is just part of it.

Let’s talk about presentation when snook fishing Marco Island. Quiet and gingerly placed soft plastic such as Zman Jerk Shad on 1/8th ounce jighead allow stealthy presentation. Light tackle 7 foot rods with 30 lb leader gives you an edge that is necessary. 10 or 15 lb braid give you the distance you need.

Let’s talk about calendars. We all know weekends have more traffic. Don’t be afraid of negative low tides. Most anglers are afraid of that low water but embracing it gives you a major advantage. Take it. Remember to take note of where structure is exposed as this will come in handy on flood tides as you will know what is covered.

I’ll be happy to tailor a trip for you. I’ll give you best tides and time available. You’ll be using the best tackle and the newest proven lures by Zman and Nomad Designs. If you have a child I will personally fish with them and show them how to become a great angler. Teaching kids is very satisfying for me.

Send an email to captbigjohn@yahoo.com or call at 908-675-6700.

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Fishing negative tides in winter is something you must do. Taking in account for wind and high pressure fishing negative tides can be your friend. If you look at some of my captain’s journal you will see low tide features in the background. Negative tides exposes shoreline, structure, drop offs and oyster bars. These are all features to take note of for flood tide conditions. In essence this fish have no where to go except along the depressions and deeper sides.

Working these areas slow and methodically. using search baits such as Zman.com jerk shads or paddle tails will give you a good idea where the fish are staging. Work your way to your target area working the area 180 degrees every 10 feet. You are searching but slow and methodically.
Consider leaving the dock mid morning instead of early. Allow the sun ti warm the water up. Even 2 degrees makes a big difference. slso fishing the calmer areas during cool sesther is helpful. The wind adds more surface area and exposure to the cold air. Fishing negative tides will open up another world for you.

Naples, Marco Island and the Ten Thousand Islands present many opportunities no matter how low the tide is. You just have to take the time to learn.
snookhookerfishing.com is your resource and I will answer your questions and advise you. Give me a call. A few dates in Jan and Feb are available.

Capt John

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Fishing the tides is essential during the winter months. Snook, Redfish and Seatrout all like moving water. The time of day is only signifficant when a cold front comes through the area. It is then you mustb try to coordinate your time on the water with tide and sun. I have found if you are in the back like in the third bay back fishing the falling tide is best. Fishing the outside I like flood tide.

When the water cools look for darker bottom as that will absorb some heat from the sun. Even 2 degrees makes a huge difference in activity. Remember that low and slow is the ticket when temps drop. Fish are slower and presentaation is everything, Search baits like Zman Jerk Shads work best to find the fish. Then you can change up your presentation.

I have some dates left in january and February. Lets go fishing.

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Snook, redfish and seatrout all react differently to cold fronts. Fishing cold fronts you have to slow down when water temp drops and be patient as the bite will not be aggressive. Look for darker bottom. Dark bottom warms up fast than light bottom. 2 degrees can make a huge difference. wait until 10 am to depart as the sun is higher and will radiate the water faster. Slow down your presentation and use search baits. The bite has been pretty consistent. The spotted seatrout have been very active as well as some redfish and snook. The other suspect like ladyfish and jacks keep the action good. Zman and Nomads have worked well. Let’s get you on the schedule. Snookhookerfishing.com or call me 908-675-6700

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The snook bite has been very good. using artificials and shrimp has been the ticket. Clients are getting many shots a day. We have not seen any red tide in the Ten Thousand Islands.

We are also seeing the redfish crawling the shore lines and they have been eager to bite jigs and plastics. I am booking now for the new year so get in on some great fishing

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The first cold front of the 2020 fall season is upon us. This means the fish will be moving back into the 2nd or 3rd bays. I actually cant wait as this means predictable activity.

This past week has been very good fishing at the right tides. It seems that the falling tide has been best but there are fish to be caught all day. Snook, Redfish and Sea Trout have been active and willing to bite our offerings.

For the snook we have been using free lined live shrimp and also soft plastics like the Zman Dark and Stormy 4 inch jerk bait. It seems the shrimp work best when tide flow is slower but as the tide picks up throwing the Zman right at the mangrove roots it the ticket. The first cold front coming in today may slow things for a day but quickly recover by Wednesday.

Redfish and seatrout have been getting more active and with this first cold front they will enjoy the cooler water temps. After we get past this full moon the turbidity of the big tides will subside. We will have some great action. Right now for the redfish and sea trout we have been using Gulp Shrimp in New Penny color. Also you cant beat a brown bucktail 1/8 oz tipped with a small piece of carefully place shrimp.

I am now booking for the 2021 season and January has been very active. If you want to fish on a true backwater fishing trip contact me. Please be patient when you call. I am on the water everyday so I usually return calls after 4pm.

FISH THE TIDES NOT THE CLOCK

Capt. John

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Backcountry snook have been very aggressive. Its been some of the best I’ve seen in many years with over slot snook released almost every day. My clients have been ecstatic. These fish are hitting soft plastics and top waters during the first part of the falling tide right to the bottom of the tide but we are pushing the envelope some days. It seems the extreme low water is holding the bigger fish and sometimes we only get an hour or less to target them in some spots. The bigger fish have been laid up 4 to 8 feet from the mangrove but also smaller fish are tight to the edge.

Redfish have spiced up the trips and are eager to also hit the soft plastics especially the Zman 4 inch jerk shad in purple. These fish are very aggressive and you barely get your bail closed before they are all over your offering. We have also been getting good bites on gold spoons and shrimp.

Big gator trout have been on the prowl on the outside grass flats. Its been really great fishing and fills in when we can’t get into the back. Big jacks have been coming in with the tide with the bait fish and some are in the 10lb range. Great fights on the light tackle.

I will try to do more reports here on my website but you can always go to Instagram @captjohnpfeiffer or on Facebook at snookhookerfishing.com.

Just a note> Due to the Covid19 Pandemic I am follow all the sanitization and cleaning recommended by the CDC. I have wipes on board as well. I am sanitizing the rods with hospital grade disinfectant after every trip. so get down here and fish. The summer is some of the best of the best.

So the photo is my client Maura with her personal best snook. Just under 40 inches. Incredible.

FISH THE TIDES, NOT THE CLOCK!

See you soon.

Capt. John

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