With all the residential canals and inshore reefs, bay anglers are truly are blessed when it comes to fishing in December and it seems you never have to run far to find what you are looking for. Fish seem to acclimate themselves to the lower tides and feed all day with little or no concern of weather. Fishing around the grass flats also begins heating up, with plenty of respectable sight fishing. Live baits are occasionally unnecessary, especially with all the artificial lures available in today’s arsenal of fishing tackle, although it can be helpful when you’re looking for larger fish.

A few days either side of the full moon can be a great time to fish on the low tides, but navigation can be tough and even hazardous at times unless you know the waters well. This past weekend’s full moon along with some winds from the northeast blew Tampa Bay waters out to negative lows greater than the predicted levels, forcing fish into potholes and into channel edges.

Thanks to successful spotted seatrout management, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted Nov. 16 to increase both commercial and recreational fishing opportunities for the popular fish.

"What we are trying to do is be fair in a fishery that is in abundance, and in some cases, way in abundance," said Chairman Kathy Barco. "We are dealing with a success story."

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on Thursday in Key Largo approved St. Augustine's proposed boating ordinance for the anchoring and mooring pilot program coordinated by the FWC. However, the approval was contingent upon the city changing the length of stay for anchoring to 30 consecutive days in any 45-day period.

Local governments for the five communities participating in the pilot program are responsible for soliciting public input for their ordinance-development process. Since the June Commission meeting, when the final participant was selected for the program, FWC staff has been attending the sites' public-input meetings to provide information on the pilot program.

The old myth that Snook shut down during cold weather holds true when the water temperature drops down below 65 degrees.  Capt. George Jonah, a good friend,and part of the S & I Charters group, has a technique on how to catch them during the cold months.

Capt. George  invited me along to go after some big winter Snook using his technique, and before he could finish his invitation I asked him when and where. I suggested we bring along the camera crew and film it for a TV show. We set a time and place, agreeing not to show any of his favorite fishing spots.

Largemouth bass angler Rick Clark of Crystal River, Florida, recently went on the fishing trip of a lifetime to Northern Michigan, guided by none other than BoatUS Angler member and outsized television fishing show personality Mark Zona. Clark’s girlfriend, Layne Lowrey, also of Crystal River, won the fishing trip in a contest for members of BoatUS Angler, and gifted the prize to Rick, proclaiming herself the “best girlfriend ever”.
 
Of course Rick agreed (as would any wise angler), and while fishing with the “Awesome Fishing Show” host in the backwoods near Traverse City, Michigan, Clark said he learned three important things:

With all the residential canals and inshore reefs, bay anglers are truly are blessed when it comes to fishing in December and it seems you never have to run far to find what you are looking for. Fish seem to acclimate themselves to the lower tides and feed all day with little or no concern of weather. Fishing around the grass flats also begins heating up, with plenty of respectable sight fishing. Live baits are occasionally unnecessary, especially with all the artificial lures available in today’s arsenal of fishing tackle, although it can be helpful when you’re looking for larger fish.

This time of year you never know what kind of fishing trip you may have. The weather can change at any time with the cold fronts arriving. It’s normally better before the front and things can shut down after the front. I would say that most trips we do manage to have a great time and catch dinner.

Recreational anglers targeting Red Drum in northern Florida can soon take home more of the popular fish, thanks to a change approved Nov. 16 by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The decision came during the first day of the two-day November Commission meeting in Key Largo.