Adapt: Fish tend to use water depth to their advantage during the winter. Deeper water holds a more consistent temperature than shallower water that fluctuates quickly. Locate the deeper holes off grass flat edges or deeper canals. Fish will hold close to the bottom. Dark mud holds heat better than hard sand. Areas with little or no tidal flow and warmed by the sun will stay warmer longer. During the warmest part of the day the fish will move out from the holes to nearby warm, shallow water. They won't go far because they will want to return to their comfort zone when the temperature drops again.
Targets: Trout, redfish and sheepshead are most often willing. Fish live shrimp directly on the bottom and artificial lures should be crawled slowly.
Brent Gaskill runs Summer Vacation Charters out of the St. Petersburg area and can be reached at captbrent@summer vacation charters.com and (727) 510-1009.