by Capt. Matt Mitchell
With the lowest temperatures in 16 years forecast, anglers are worried about what will happen to our snook. Snook are more susceptible to the cold water temperatures than any other fish in our waters. In 2010, we had a prolonged period of extreme cold, resulting in many dead snook and a significant hit to the fishery that took years to recover. With our snook fishery now in such good shape, our fingers are crossed for a fairly quick rebound in temperatures so they make it. Snook can withstand brief extreme cold, but more than a few days of crazy cold water could be tragic, and this fishery could take a big hit.
The only upside of this extreme Florida cold is that sheepshead fishing is wide open and will only improve over the next month. Catching dozens of these fish all over the sound is about as good as it gets. More and more big spawning female fish are in the mix every day. Areas in and around the passes with sand/shell bottom are where u can find these fish in huge spawning groups, though almost any dock or mangrove creek will have them too.
Although sheepshead are very plentiful right now, only take what u plan on eating. The FWC 8 fish limit per angler, to me, is simply too many. Releasing most of these fish will ensure there will be plenty more fish in the years to come. When we do best on these fish, they are pre-spawn and at the most important part of their life cycle.
Sheepshead are what I consider an underrated game fish and often overlooked for another, more flashy species. On light tackle, I find these fish a challenge to catch; anything over 20 inches is a big fish. Of all the fish I teach clients to catch, they are by far the toughest as they simply never swallow a bait and hook themselves. Learning when to set the hook takes practice and can be frustrating at first. Once hooked, it’s important to keep consistent pressure on, as they can often just let go.
During our winter months, I have many clients who prefer to fish for sheepshead over any other species. Going home with a fresh fish dinner this time of year is all part of the experience, and as far as table fare, these crustacean-eating fish are hard to beat.
Capt. Matt Mitchell moved to Sanibel in 1980 and has lived in St. James City since 2000, when he started his fishing charter business. He spends over 300 days a year “living the dream” fishing. For questions and info: bookings@captmattmitchell.com.
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