WINTER INSHORE FISHING: How To Catch Inshore Slams Right Now
- By: Wyatt Parcel
- on
Winter can be one of the trickiest seasons to catch fish.
It’s not that they get “lockjaw,” like many people think, but it’s because the weather changes drastically every few days.
One day a cold front is blowing in and it’s freezing out…
Then a few days later the afternoons are sunny and warm!
This causes the fish to move around a lot, and if you’re not dialed in on where they’re moving to, then you’ll probably get skunked.
But in this video, Tony and I are going to share where and how to catch fish before, during, and after a cold front in the winter.
You’ll learn:
- The best spots to find fish at each of these times (no matter where you live)
- The best baits and lures to use to persuade picky fish to eat
- Tony’s best secrets for catching 30-pound black drum
- And much more
You can watch the video version of this podcast below, listen to the audio version by clicking the play button underneath it, or listen to it on iTunes, Stitcher, or Spotify.
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Winter Inshore Fishing [VIDEO]
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Winter Inshore Fishing [PODCAST]
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Related Podcasts:
- IS YOUR SPINNING REEL REALLY MADE FOR SALTWATER? FIND OUT…
- BEST WINTER LURES (FOR REDFISH, SPECKLED TROUT, SNOOK, & FLOUNDER)
Here’s a timestamped table of contents from our conversation about winter inshore fishing:
0:36 – The best type of spot to fish in the winter (in each state)
7:45 – How to catch fish before a cold front
12:15 – How to catch fish during a cold front
15:20 – What to do if fish just don’t seem to be eating
16:36 – How to catch fish after a cold front
24:53 – How to catch big black drum on the flats
Conclusion
When you’re inshore fishing in the winter, the number one thing you need to look for is depth changes in wind-protected areas.
Take into consideration what the weather currently is and what it’s been these past few days, and go in with a plan to target spots fish are likely to be.
Have any questions about fishing in the winter?
Let us know down in the comments.
And if you know someone who wants to catch more fish right now, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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What is a headger jayhead? He stated for murkier waters tying on a headger jayhead to feel the depth. What the heck is that???
How do you find /know where depth changes ,google maps?
We have a whole course on how to read satellite imagery! If you’d like to check it out, visit the link below:
Spots Mastery
If you see dolphins ,,should I fish where dolphins are?
stink bomb
I would make note of the area and at what point in the tide they were feeding there, but it can be tough to get fish to bite when dolphins are in the area… they lock down and go into preservation mode…
That being said, I have caught fish near dolphins but I can’t say I’ve ever slayed them while doing it.
Saltstrong has a good duo with Tony and Wyatt!
Thank you for the kind words Tom!!
Excellent job Wyatt and Tony. I picked up some really good information from you guys.
My primary fishing is around Corpus Christi, Port Aransas, the upper Laguna Madre and the Aransas Pass and Rockport areas along the Texas Coastal Bend coastline.
Thank you Mel!! Glad you found this one helpful!!
Hi,
I am curious about where the shrimps , the small crabs and the bait fish were going in the winter. Don’t they move out to the deep water like the big fish and move to the shallow water when the temperature is up after cold fronts i I see pod of mullets swimming on the flat during this warm period during the day, but I am not sure the shrimps and the small crabs s are coming up to the shallow and back to the deep water during the winter. Why is that? Are they stay in the deep water and migrate back to the shallow flats until
spring time?
Most of the smaller baitfish and shrimp actually will stay shallow, if the tide allows it, regardless of season, because that is where it is safest for them. Their small bodies aren’t as affected by the cold as the larger fish are either.
As far as the types of bait you’re seeing, typically crustaceans like shrimp and crabs are the most plentiful in the wintertime for predators, as small baitfish have either migrated or were eaten during the fall runs. This is the time of year (right before the baitfish spawn) that their numbers are at the lowest of the low.
I’ll be down from Tennessee fishing for a couple of weeks in Florida on the Atlantic side. From recent evidence would I be better to concentrate on Mosquito Lagoon or farther south?
Mosquito Lagoon could be a good choice! Be sure to check out Tony’s mini-course on fishing the area:
https://www.saltstrong.com/spotsmosquitolagoon/slam-spot-dissections/overview-map/
I’m fishing Estero Bay 2-4 days a week. I’m catching trout 95% of the time. I’m using paddle tails primarily. The water temp is mid 70s. Question: why am I only catching trout. I’m fishing current, depth, mangroves, grass, oysters, and other multiple structure? Should I be moving to a spring pattern?
Florida appears to be moving into a warming pattern right now, so fishing slightly shallower (close to those depth changes, within 100-200 yards) should be a good bet!
I have good luck in Estero bay on snook and reds. I use gold spoons most of the time. I look for moving water near mangrove islands. I find the reds and snook tight to the shore. The trout are usually a little deeper