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A cold fact: dead fishBy STEVE BOWLER © St. Petersburg Times, published January 13, 2001 The extended cold has put fishing in the deep freeze. For the past 20 or so days, the average temperature has been less than 45 degrees. This is the longest cold snap we have had for over 10 years, and we have not had a significant fish kill like this in that span. We have been lucky. Guides up and down the west coast have found numbers of snook, jacks and lady fish floating dead in area canals, rivers and bays because of the cold weather. Although the numbers of dead snook seem to be low, there is no doubt this has hurt the population. Keep this in mind as you may see a dead or floundering snook. It is illegal to possess one if the season is closed. The closed time period is Dec.15 through Jan.31. NO EXCEPTIONS! Some warm weather needs to stick around for a while in order for the fishing to pick up. The water temperature is in the mid to upper 50s, and that makes for some frustrating trips. Keep an eye on the water temperature if you want to have better luck in the next couple of weeks. The temperature will rise with an increase in air temperature, and so will good fishing. When the water gets in the mid 60s, things really will start to heat up on the flats and offshore. For now, though, the Anclote Power Plant is one of the places to start. Many anglers have been flocking to the plant in the past weeks. Sometimes the action is hot and sometimes it's not. That has a lot to do with whether or not the plant is pumping out hot water. Some of the species you can expect to catch there are trout, jacks, ladyfish, permit and pompano. The best baits are jigs tipped with shrimp. You can try using live shrimp if you can find someone who has them. At times, the boat traffic can be thicker than the fish. Last week, I counted 30 boats in that small canal. That is just a little too crowded for me and many other anglers. Something to think about when you are approaching the plant: Slow your boat to an idle because of the manatees. This time of year, there are great numbers of manatees in the power plant canals and area rivers trying to stay warm. The cold has affected the manatees so much that they don't move fast -- if at all. The Anclote and the Cotee rivers have been giving up some trout and redfish, but you have to find warm water. A spring or a deep drop off usually will hold some fish. You also can give the spoil islands around gulf harbors a try. But I would not make an attempt real early in the morning. I would let the sun warm them up for a while. The fishing is hit and miss in the cold situations that we have had, but don't stop scouting for new spots. When the water starts to warm, lookout! Things will get crazy. If you have a question or comment, call Fish Tales Guide Svc Inc. Capt. Steve Bowler at (727) 861-FISH.
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