Fishing Report – January 20th, 2024

Here is the January 20th, 2024 fishing report. My reports are published in the Tampa Bay Times every 4th and 20th of the month! Thank you for reading, and I look forward to getting you all out on the water soon! Capt. Brian.

As usual, the cold fronts keep coming, typical for this time of year. However, some fish have finally acclimated to the cold and are eating well even though water temperatures are hovering around the high 50s and low 60s in the northern Pinellas region.

A few weeks ago it was very difficult to catch even a couple of fish when the water temperatures dropped, but now trout are responding well to live shrimp in the St. Joseph Sound area. Copper colored and watermelon colored jerk worms with chartreuse tails are also getting strikes for anglers electing to use artificial baits. Short moves when stalking schools of trout are the most effective way to position yourself for success. Sometimes 10 or 15 feet forward can make all of the difference when trying not to scare a school. Often times I will see anglers moving their vessels too far ahead and scattering a timid group of fish that would’ve otherwise began to eat.

Lately, especially around the spoil islands, foraging dolphin will cause the trout to be very timid, holding tight to the shore or in one particular sand hole. Easing ahead a few feet and continuing to fancast the area until hooking one is a method I’ve used for years. Small redfish continue to be caught in great numbers around oyster beds, residential docks and seawalls. The current high numbers of these fish are encouraging for the redfish stock to rebound.

Recent regulations have been deemed necessary to allow redfish populations to increase and grow a healthy stock for future generations of conservation minded anglers.

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