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Kingfish
Posts: 1201
 
Location: Tampa Bay | Cold-Water Tactics Catch Fish
By RAY MARKHAM
Posted November 18, 2008 by The Tampa Tribune
A strong blast of northerly cold air moving down the west coast Tuesday and Wednesday will push the air and water temperatures to an uncomfortable low point. These harsh fronts can often shut down fishing for a couple of days or so after their passage.
The resulting cooler temperatures prompt me to use some baits that I can work very slowly to cover an area thoroughly, while keeping the baits in strike zones longer. Fish will be slow to eat, and the baits I am using look natural doing what they do best… S-L-O-W-L-Y.
I make tandem rigs with either Love’s Lures or CAL Jigs. I like CAL’s 1/16-ounce jig heads with stout, sharp hooks. I pinch the barbs on the hooks and add curly tails. Using a variety of colors in pairs for the tails, we can see if fish have a preference for light or dark colors or for flashy colors with a lot of glitter. Night-glow tails with chartreuse or red heads still produce consistently for us. The lightweight jig heads and curly tails that flutter in the lightest current or with the slightest movement are excellent for snook, trout, redfish and flounder. I tie the rigs on 25-pound test monofilament or fluorocarbon leader material, using a tiny black stainless barrel swivel. The rigs end up being about 24 inches long when complete.
The other bait of choice for me when it’s cold is the DOA 1/4-ounce Glow Shrimp. I’ll use 20- to 25-pound leader on 10-pound Power Pro braid.
Deep holes, residential canals that are out of the wind and channels will be good bets to be holding fish on these cold days.
Ray Markham co-hosts “Florida Sportsman Magazine Radio Live,” Saturdays from 8-9 a.m. on 820 AM, and may be reached for charter at (941) 723-2655.
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Cold Water Tactics - Ray Markham | TBO
