The signs of spring are in the air, even though the official start of the season is a month away. I heard the first whippoorwill this past week and bait is starting to school in Sarasota Bay, welcome signs to winter weary anglers.
This doesn’t mean that there won’t be another cold snap, and if the calendar says spring isn’t here yet, we know it’s just around the corner. Experience tells the savvy angler that fish have their own special calendar, one that consists of the angle of the sun, temperature of the water and the length of the days. When water temperatures rise into the 70s, fish come out of their winter haunts, even if it’s winter one day and spring the next.
It’s a time to keep an eye on the Gulf, looking for the first snook in the surf and for wheeling, diving seabirds as they forage on schools of baitfish that will begin to gather off the beaches in a seasonal primal ritual.
Anglers know from experience that schools of little tunny, Spanish mackerel, cobia and kingfish won’t be far behind. It could be just a matter of days before they will be swarming the bait schools, wrecks, reefs and hard bottom just off the beaches.
In the bay, trout, redfish and snook will also be roaming the flats in search of pilchards, shrimp and glass minnows to replenish themselves from their winter fast. Spring is the time when local anglers have a host of piscatorial choices and some of the best conditions to pursue them. Of course, it can all seem like just an illusion as another front riles the Gulf, sending chill winds and muddy water into the bay, and forcing anglers to put on a sweatshirt. It’s the kind of weather that plays with the emotions of fishers. But hope springs eternal, and we know from experience that it won’t be long before the run is on. That’s why it’s time to be prepared, flies tied and tackle ready for that day when it’s no longer a question of when it will happen, but what species we’ll fish for!
I like this time of year even if it can be exasperating. One day the flats and Gulf can be barren and the next the action red hot. That’s why it is so important to be ready for just about anything. Having rigs on board that can handle a big cobia and wire leaders in case kings make an appearance can make the difference between frustration and success. Anglers who are vigilant, prepared and persistent will be rewarded. Whatever your fishing style or whether you like fishing the Gulf of Mexico or local bays, take advantage of this swing time and you’ll be rewarded.
