Fort Myers to Boca Grande fishing report for late January 2012

The spring like weather continues and the fish are starting to think its spring as well. I actually don't like warm weather in the winter. I have been patterning redfish and speckled trout during the winter months for a long time and I have figured out how to catch them under almost any weather condition. When it is unseasonably warm during the winter months the fish start to think its spring and the fish fall out of those patterns and we have to adjust to the warmer conditions. The fishing for redfish is still the best thing going on the flats. I spent a few days on the north side of Charlotte Harbor and we caught lots of 3-4 pound redfish using live shrimp and weedless soft plastic lures. Pine Island also is still producing good redfish action with a few 10-12 pounders mixed in with the smaller redfish. The warm winter has probably affected to speckled trout fishing the most. I have been able to catch limits of good sized trout any time that i want but I'm having to work a little harder than normal because the fish are on the move due to the 71 degree water temps. We don't usually see 70 degree water temps until mid to late March. On the bright side, keeper trout can be found almost anywhere there is grass and clean water. Flounder fishing has also suffered from the warmer than normal water temps. When its warm the flounder push out into the deeper water of the harbor. After a strong cold front they will seek the warmth of the shallows. I'm still catching a few per day but they are much smaller than earlier in the season.