You might think the only fishing you can do in the winter is on the ice but think again. Just like the birds, you could head south somewhere like the Gulf of Mexico, which is also known as “the Mediterranean of the Americas.” Below are some of the best spots to drop a line this winter.
Where: Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama
Sugar-white sand, mild temps, and Southern charm make the 32-mile stretch of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach a prime winter destination. You can fish on the seawall boardwalk for no charge or head over to the Gulf State Park Pier, which extends a quarter-mile into the Gulf, for a $9.00 day pass. Whether you’re looking for inshore, beachside, or offshore fishing, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have it all.
Winter Catch: Black Drum, Sheepshead, Grouper
- Black drum:
- Taste: similar to Red Snapper (mild, sweet flavor, large moist flakes)
- Size: 20-25 pounds
- Bait: quartered blue crabs, hermit crabs or bucktails
- Best place and time to catch: running tides in late afternoon and evening
- Sheepshead:
- Taste: sweet, shellfish flavor, firm, moist flesh
- Size: 1-8 pounds (Sheepshead smaller than 12 inches are required to be released)
- Bait: live shrimp, hermit, fiddler crabs
- Best place and time to catch: Found where saltwater meets freshwater and in winter found near piers and jetties
- Grouper:
- Taste: light, sweet and large, chunky, firm flakes similar to lobster or crab
- Size: some varieties of grouper can grow up to seven-and-a-half feet long and weigh more than 440 pounds
- Bait: squid, whole cigar minnows, live pinfish, white snapper, vermillion snapper (think big and bulky)
- Best place to catch: deep water on natural rocks and live bottom reefs
Where: South Padre Island, Texas
Crystal-blue waters, white sand beaches, air and water temps in the 70s, and laid-back vibes give South Padre Island, Texas, it’s winter appeal. It’s also the longest barrier island in the world at 113 miles.
Winter Catch: Bull redfish, pompano, whiting/jacks
- Bull redfish:
- Taste: mild, sweet flavor and moist white meat
- Size: 20-40 inches
- Bait: fresh bunker or blue crab
- Best place to catch: Lower Laguna
- Pompano:
- Taste: similar to mahi-mahi, mullet, and snapper (“fishy”)
- Size: 2-5 pounds
- Bait: Shrimp or small, live bait
- Best place to catch: Surf and coastal bays on warmer days
- Whiting/jacks:
- Taste: similar to cod, light, firm, lean, sweet
- Size: 1-2 pounds
- Bait: Live sand fleas or shrimp
- Best place to catch: surf zone along the coast, just behind breaking waves
Where: Perdido Key, Florida
Spanish for “Lost Island,” Perdido Key sits near the border of Florida and Alabama on a narrow strip of land with the Emerald Coast to the south and lush wetlands and estuaries to the north. It’s a place fit for wildlife lovers and explorers. Possible sightings include loggerhead sea turtles, Perdido Key beach mouse, osprey, or blue heron.
Winter Catch: Speckled Sea Trout
- Taste: Similar to California White Bass, light, white flesh, flaky, moist
- Size: Around 10 pounds
- Bait: Live shrimp, croaker, and mullet
- Best place to catch: Perdido Bay and especially the heads of estuaries, rivers, and creeks
No matter where you boat or what you fish this winter, safely navigate the Gulf Coast with these NOAA charts.
Posted by Ron Walz 
oceangrafixblog.wordpress.com 