Florida mixed-fish action in windy weather.

Posted on January 2nd, 2014

Most of the channels that connect Florida's inter-coastal with the Gulf of Mexico produce excellent mixed-saltwater action all season long. — Most of the channels that connect Florida’s inter-coastal with the Gulf of Mexico produce excellent mixed-saltwater action all season long.

I had the privilege today to fish with our good friend Jamie Burns and his guests, Michael McSweeney and his sons Ben & Conner. We headed out at 8:30am and checked out the Gulf Coast, but quickly realize the 20 mph winds made for unfishable Gulf conditions.

Ben holds up one of the many "Pass" Spanish Mackerel that can be caught all winter long. — Ben holds up one of the many “Pass” Spanish Mackerel that can be caught all winter long.

Our first stop was Gasparilla Pass where we controlled drifted with the use of our Minn Kota 80 lb Rip Tide thrust electric and concentrated on fishing a 30′ deep hole which we easily tracked with out Humminbird 800 series sonar.

Conner holds up one of the biggest Bluefish of the day that hit a fresh shrimp fished on a drop-shot rig.

We kept the Yamaha 115 hp, 4-stroke engine running the whole time to enable us to quickly head back-up into the tidal current make our drifts.

Eating size snapper school up in the deeper holes of most Gulf of Mexico passes and feed heavily once the tide starts flooding.

We all fished the Rapala rods and Rapala reels loaded with Sufix 832 braid, Sufix Fluorocarbon leaders and size #4 Gamakatsu Circle hooks.

Ben & Conner hold up a nice catch of Spanish Mackerel they caught trolling spoons over a shallow reef.

We caught some nice Bluefish, Mackerel and Mangrove Snapper in the cut. From there we headed to a shallow-water reef and battled waves to troll for Bluefish and Mackerel. We made it back just before a major rain storm with enough fish to feed two families!

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