Some of the best winter fishing is in deep holes that line the edges of grass flats and deeper canals leading into mangroves. Spots such as these are usually tightly kept secrets, but if you spend a little time on the Internet you can find some of the areas that might hold fish.
Go to terraserver.microsoft.com. There you will find a map of the United States. Click on Florida, then click on Tampa Bay to bring up satellite photos of the area. Keep clicking on an area to zoom in, and look for potholes and deep cuts. Shallow areas will be light in color, and deeper spots are dark.
Look for dark holes surrounded by shallow water. These pockets hold fish when the water is cold and during low tides. The most productive spots are surrounded by water too shallow to reach by boat. Wade these during low tide for snook, redfish and trout.
Other areas to scout are canals that lead to the back of a mangrove estuary. Look for deep holes next to the mangroves. Using the canal to navigate, you'll be able to fish these spots from a boat.
Not only is this a great site for studying the contours of our local waters, it's fun to zoom in around the state and look at fishing areas you've only heard about.
- Doug Hemmer charters out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 347-1389.
