Warm Weather Means Hot Fishing

Posted Nov 26, 2006 by Scott Brown

Updated Nov 26, 2006 at 08:22 PM

By MARK COOK

After a windy cold Thanksgiving weekend, the freshwater fishing outlook for the upcoming week has locals excited. A rapid warm-up with temperatures in the low 80s is expected until the next front arrives late Thursday and fishing should really take off.

It was a tough week for most anglers, with the wind and cold being the biggest factor in low catch rates. One way to combat this is to fish slower and throw smaller baits. Instead of a 10-inch plastic worm for bass, use a tube bait or jig. When bass fishing early in the morning during cold months, work the northeast sides of the lake as it receives the first sun as it rises. Water temperatures may be 5 degrees warmer and this time of the year that can make a huge difference. Speckled perch are the exception to the cold weather rule. Although they may not bite any better they will school up in tighter bunches and usually if you catch one there are more waiting.

Friday I took a trip over to the east coast for some saltwater fishing with Johnny Myers on the Banana River. With the winds coming out of the north at 20 mph we stayed on the residential canals throwing everything in the tackle box for four hours with little cooperation from the fish. My 6-year-old son fished with us and trolled a small jig behind the boat. At the end of the day he had caught two trout while the adults were skunked. A Zebco 33 reel with a small speck rig out-fished the G. Loomis rods, Shimano reels, and $6 bag baits.

For more information, contact Mark Cook at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).