January Fishing Report

Creek fishing for Seatrout is about as sure as it gets this time of year in St. Augustine and Palm Coast, jigging for Trout in creek holes with a ¼ ounce Slayer Jig and Fish Bites Extreme paddle tail will get the attention of every schoolie in the hole. Most Trout will be on the small side but if numbers is your game, creek hole fishing is the place. Small Reds also occupy the same creek holes and can be caught with live shrimp; small split shot and a Daiichi 82Z 1/0 circle hook. Red fishing on the flats isn't an early morning ritual like in the summer; waiting for the sun to rise and warm the waters is your best bet. A low mid morning incoming tide is a perfect scenario as the sun heats the oyster beds and once the tide floods schools of Redfish will sit on these hot spots for warmer water. Approach the school with stealth as not to alert the school of your presence before getting into casting distance. Small soft plastics baits or flies are the best fish catching methods, as a quiet entry is a must. Fly fisherman get good chances on landing the elusive Sheaphead on fly this month. Sheapheads can be found on the most oyster-laden flats during low incoming tides, these striped bandits will be foraging for oyster crabs so a crab pattern is the best fly for the job. If fly fishing isn't your thing, live bait fishing with fiddler crabs and a fish finder rig vertically fished around bridges, docks and rocks will put the bend in the rod.