Navarre Fishing Report 2-19-24
The time is almost here. Spring is right around the corner!
Everyone is very excited to finally get out of the house and enjoy some warmer weather and tight lines! We are at an awkward stage that's a bit of a transitional period where it is not quite spring yet but it’s not quite winter.
Temps are mid 40’s through the night, with mid 60’s throughout the day, with occasional low 70’s some days.
Water temps are staying upper 50’s to low 60’s but is slowly rising day by day.
Inshore
Inshore bite is starting to ramp up!
You can still find fish up in the mouths of the rivers in the deeper pockets, finding big gator trout and redfish. As that sun gets high in the sky the fish are starting to trickle on to the flats to bake in that sweet sun. When the reds and trout are in the flats this time of year with that colder water they are going to be a bit skittish so slow your retrieve and decrease the size of your lure to help entice a bite.
Sheepshead bite has still been on fire! Bridges are still your best bet in to catching this species.
When it comes to choosing your bait this time of year, for live bait you can use live shrimp or live finger mullet either on popping cork or free line to give a more natural presentation. Using fiddler crabs, ghost shrimp, live shrimp, or oysters is going to be the most effective way to catch sheepshead on the bridges, with ghost shrimp being your best bet.
When it comes to artificial lures, 3in paddle tails, Mirrodines, shrimp imitations, jerk style baits. And remember if the fish are being finnicky, slow your retrieve and decrease the size of your lure.
Surf
The surf fishing bite has been pretty lack luster with a few resident pompanos being caught.
Bull reds and big ugly black drum are running the beach however. Wait till that sun gets high in the sky and walk along the beach to sight cast for reds and black drum swimming along the shoreline.
For bait you can use ghost shrimp, sand fleas, fresh dead shrimp, and Fishgum or FishBites. With the ghost shrimp wrap them on the hook using thread to secure them for a long cast.
Offshore
The offshore fishing bite has been slow with mingos and snapper being caught in 30-100ft of water.
Nearshore trolling is slow with the colder water you might get the chance of catching a blackfin tuna or bonito.
The vertical jigging bite has been producing with amberjack and snapper.
In conclusion, the bite has been slow this winter but is ramping up to be a great spring, so enjoy the warm weather coming up and tight lines!
Have you been out recently? Send us in your report and pictures! You can send them to our email at [email protected], or come stop in the store and tell us all about it.
