By Jimmy Tomazinis
mail@floridanewsline.com
Although the calendar says it’s March, it might as well be April because it seemed like we skipped February. I can’t believe how many 80 degree days we had last month. We’ll see how much that jump starts spring fishing for us.
Specks are still biting, but expect them to be more scattered as those that are done spawning return to deeper haunts and a few late to the party will occupy the shallower waters. You may have to put in some time searching for them as you fish shallow and deep until you find where most of them are. I like using jigs for this since you can cover the whole water column.
Bass fishing is also a good bet this month. I typically start transitioning to bass fishing in mid- to late February as the speck fishing gets tougher and the big female bass start moving to edges waiting to bed. Whether you like throwing artificials or shiners, it’s a great month to catch a giant.
Smaller redfish and sheepshead are showing up in the river, so you definitely have a reason to venture out to the main river. We caught shrimp in March last year, so it might be worth throwing the net a few times to get some bait until the season closes at the end of the month. Docks, shell beds, and points are good places to try if you find some shrimp.
Surf fishing is picking up and as soon as the beach water temperatures get 65 degrees and warmer, pompano will be back in the picture. Whiting will be too, but a lot of them have stuck around through the winter. Target clean water with high quality bait like clams, sand fleas, and the freshest shrimp you can get for best results. I’ll buy live shrimp from the bait shop and use that.
Hopefully the 90 degree days hold off just a little longer so we can enjoy some great fishing in comfortable weather. Tight lines.
