The wind did not remain out of the north and, while it died at sunup, for most of the weekend a gale blew from the east. This delighted kingfish and mackerel anglers who found these gamefish up tight on the Gulf beaches. However, winds gusting near 30 mph limited most activities.
If there is a blessing to such winds it was the terrific Spanish mackerel and kingfish action that anglers found within 100 yards of the beaches. This was a weekend for fishing lee shores, and the Gulf seldom qualifies for that. But it does when the wind howls from the east. This allows toothy gamefish like kings and mackerel to drive bait up against the shore, and fishing can be spectacular. But if you didn’t find those fish along the beach, the Gulf became a wash. Next to shore it was like a swimming pool; a mile out it was dangerous.
It was such a strange weekend that even a hurricane appeared in the Gulf of Mexico. Once it moved north from the Caribbean, Ida ran into cool water and a descending cold front. But you wouldn’t have known it from the weekend weather. It didn’t exactly cool down as predicted. On Sunday, the Gulf Coast was again flirting with record high temperatures. That, coupled with the wind, meant poor conditions for all.
It didn’t cool off enough to concentrate snook in the bayous and creeks. Yet the high winds kept the water dirty enough inshore to prevent most gamefish from cooperating. Even if you found a lee shore, with clear water, that strong wind held the tide up (or pushed it out). Neither of those factors made for good inshore fishing.
n The wind and unexpected hot weather hurt the first muzzleloader hunt at Duette Park, according to Steve Marshall. Steve still managed to bag an eight-point buck deer but said the wind made things difficult. Duette Park Ranger Marcus Campion said 12 deer, including a nine-point buck and five does, were taken along with several feral hogs. The hurricane, merging with a cold front, will bring some needed rain and cooler air in midweek. That should improve conditions for the next hunt on Dec. 5-6. There are still permits available for that muzzleloader hunt and the second general gun hunt.
n James Followell of the south Sunshine Skyway Bridge fishing pier reports few anglers braved the wind. But one 20-pound kingfish was caught along with sporadic Spanish mackerel.
n Dave Sork of the Anna Maria City Pier reported lots of big flounder are still biting there. A keeper grouper and snook came in. But the wind slowed the mackerel action.
n From Dry Dock in New Pass, Capt. Johnnie Walker has been catching kings and mackerel on the beach. The high winds have created such dirty water that fishing has been poor in Sarasota Bay.
The wind pretty much tells the tale. It’s been great fishing along the beach but nearly nonexistent inshore. The terrific flounder fishing is the best news from inside.
G.B. Knowles, outdoors writer, can be reached at (941) 730-3234.
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