January 2024 - Wintertime Fishing at its Best

With the coldest weather of the year setting in, winter fishing patterns were fully established. The sheepshead bite remained red-hot, with plenty of fish caught on docks, piers, and bridges using live shrimp or fiddler crabs.

Black drum were another wintertime favorite, with some fish reaching 30+ inches, making them an exciting catch. Speckled trout continued to bite well on warmer days, especially during mid-morning hours when the water had a chance to warm up.

For offshore anglers, amberjack season opened, providing a thrilling fight on deep wrecks in 100+ feet of water. Red grouper were still feeding aggressively on natural ledges, and hogfish continued to be a favorite catch for those targeting nearshore reefs.

🔹 Best Bait: Shrimp and fiddler crabs for sheepshead; cut crab for black drum; live pinfish for amberjack

🔹 Hot Spots: Manatee River for black drum; Sarasota Bay grass flats for trout; deep wrecks for amberjack