It’s that time of the year where we in Florida welcome our northern neighbors to our lovely state. Some of those visitors take this opportunity to hit the water for some fun activities including fishing. Economy Tackle/Dolphin Paddlesports has some winter fishing tips not only for visitors but for regular Florida residents as well.
Winter fishing is a little different than the regular fishing most fishermen are used to during the other season of the year. Most people would expect Florida to be immune to this change in weather, however this is not true. Our waters change temperature towards the colder side and so the fish react accordingly to this new environment. Here a few winter fishing tips from your friends at Economy Tackle/Dolphin Paddlesports:
Follow Warm Water
Seek out warmer spots for your fishing as fish will tend to congregate in these areas to seek the warmth. Fish are cold blooded and so have a limited ability to regular internal heat temperature. All things being equal, like us, they prefer being warm to being cold.
Warmer areas can be spotted by looking for darker sand/mud/plants as they absorb and radiate heat to the surrounding water. Smaller bodies of waters such as river or ponds also tend to run warmer than open waters as they are closer to the ground and so pick up heat on their way to the larger bodies.
Pick up a fishing thermometer at your local tackle shop to pinpoint these warmer areas more accurately.
Slow Down your Lure/Bait
Due to their cold blooded nature fish tend to slow down their movements in colder temperatures. Slower movements mean less heat expenditure on the fish’s part therefore conserving a lacking resource. So slow down your lure or bait as fish in these colder waters will prefer low effort prey. Prey that is easy to reach and catch, therefore expends the least amount of energy conserving heat.
Find Deeper Water
Find and prefer to stay in areas of the water where the water is deep. Deep waters are more resistant to temperature changes and so provide a much needed oasis for fish. Try to touch the bottom of the water and remember to move your bait or lure slowly to have the best chance of catching that next fish! A slip float from your local bait or tackle shop should help increase your ability to gauge the water depth.
Call your local experts, Economy Tackle/Dolphin Paddlesports, at (941) 922-9671 or send them a quick message for more fishing tips!