Key for anglers in cold weather is Strategy: "I would love to have some good, fresh fish," the Indialantic resident said. "But it's been too cold for my son to go out."
And so the story has gone for anglers throughout the area who were either unwilling or unable to spend time on the water in temperatures that dipped below freezing, with higher than normal waves. But local fishing guides and experts say that although business has not been the best, a little information can go a long way and good catches are there to be had.
"The cold weather actually helps with species like flounder and bluefish. You find a ton of bluefish in the cold weather. The pompano pushes through, too," said George Silva of Whitey's Bait & Tackle in Melbourne Beach. "Fishing slows down after the temperature drops to 68 degrees (Fahrenheit) or so because the fish go south, head to warmer waters because cold water is hard on their metabolism."
"That's true inshore, too," said Chuck Levi of Titusville, a veteran angler and fishing guide. "As the winter progresses, the water temperature drops and the fish go to find warmer waters. At night, they huddle together to keep warm. Otherwise, the sun is not high enough to keep them warm. They try to find sandy spots to lay in. . . . And the water is full of oxygen because it's cold, so they undergo a major change of forage."
Captain Rob D'Andrea of Satellite Beach, who operates Hooked on Fishing Charters, said prized species, such as redfish, trout and snook, tend to push into shallower canals and creeks when the water is colder and that means "there are a lot of opportunities out there. You've got to know where to find them."
Doing so means a little knowledge and more weather-hardiness than Florida anglers normally require.
"People don't realize that if you get out in the evening of a cold day, the fishing can be good. For example, if you see deep-water docks along the Indian and Banana rivers -- the ones with the lights -- there can be great trout fishing around those docks. You just have to be patient and put up with the weather," D'Andrea said.
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