January 2024 - Florida Inshore Xtream Fishing Report

Captains Jesse and Kelly McDowall

Inshore

It’s been a cold and windy winter so far for our Boca Grande fishing friends. Cold front after cold front has kept many fisherman off the water. High winds plus negative low tides made it hard for many to venture into the backcountry to experience the true excitement of winter fishing. Those with shallow running boats have been able to scoot on past the bay boats and get back to holes holding snook, redfish, and trout. For the folks unable to get deep into the backcountry, the sheepshead bite has been stellar, the trout bite around the deeper parts of the bay has been good, and there’s still snook and redfish that can be found around the bars and deeper holes and cuts of the bays and passes as well.

Shrimp has been the go to bait for catching everything. Shrimp under a popping cork has been working well for trout, pompano, ladyfish and jacks. We’ve been using a 1/4oz jighead tipped with a shrimp when targeting snook and redfish. Shrimp around the docks, bridges, and passes have been producing sheepshead, snapper, and occasional black drum. We are seeing live bait around but with the cool water temperatures the fish just aren’t ready to do much chasing yet.

Nearshore

Nearshore and offshore has been good for those able to get out between the breaks in wind. The nearshore reefs and hardbottom have been producing good numbers of sheepshead. Further out, keeper red grouper and large mangrove snapper are coming in from 25+ miles out.