February Expectations
One of the things I’ve always enjoyed about winter fishing here in Galveston Bay is its predictability. I just love it when I know that, when I drop the boat into the water, there’s a very high likelihood my game plan for the day will produce positive results. The main reason for this is because our trout have already moved into their winter areas, and they’re not leaving until seasonal changes force them to relocate. February is pretty much the last month we can enjoy this winter consistency before March brings seasonal shifts in the patterns. It reminds me of the “snowbirds” from New England who move to Florida every winter, then return to their primary residences in March or April.
Assuming salinity levels remain constant, we’ll continue to focus on fishing areas with mud and shell, especially during early February. Areas along drop-offs, such as reefs near the Intracoastal Waterway, will continue to produce—especially when targeting the small breaks in the reefs where current velocity is typically stronger. These little “Venturi” areas are mini highways for bait, and the swift current can also create muddy streaks, which gives us yet another bullseye to throw at. These stretches of shallow oyster reef are typically characterized by jagged clusters of live oysters, often making it difficult to throw a soft plastic rigged on a jighead without getting hung up. Twitchbaits such as Texas Custom Lures Double Ds, Borboletta LeLes, and MirrOlure MirrOdines not only help prevent getting snagged, but are usually more attractive to the trout anyway given the bottom landscape and conditions this time of year.
Despite the location’s overall predictability, this doesn’t mean there won’t still be a few curveballs thrown our way. Fluctuations during pre-front and post-front conditions will temporarily result in feeding habit changes and even minor relocations within the areas our trout are living. In other words, they won’t go too far. There are some very simple keys to remember:
Pre-front – Water is warmer, barometric pressure is lower, fish are typically shallower and can be somewhat spread out. Good baits include topwaters and soft plastics. If it’s calm, I like MirrOlure’s new Gunn Dog. It profiles well as a shad or pinfish and has a very subtle rattle. If it’s choppy, I’ll switch to a Top Dog or even a She Dog. One of the things I’ve always loved about MirrOlure is that they have a lure for every possible condition. And—you can never go wrong with soft plastics, especially during winter warm-up periods when our fish tend to spread out. We can always cover more water in less time chunking tails. The Flamingo Flash Saltwater Assassin rigged on a 1/8-ounce Pro Elite jighead has been deadly this winter, fishing in this “clearer than normal” water.
Post-front – Cooler water, barometric pressure is higher, fish typically get closer to deep water (or near the bottom in deep water during extreme cold events) and tend to become more bunched in tighter schools. While the fact that they may be more concentrated makes them easier to target, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be easier to catch. Pre-front feeding frenzies, high barometric pressure, lower water temperatures, and reduced metabolism can give us a headache when trying to figure out ways to trick our little freckled friends. Sinking twitchbaits such as MirrOlure’s Paul Brown Corkys and sluggish wintertime trout are a match made in heaven. I once asked, “Mr. Brown, why will trout eat a Corky when often times they won’t even touch another bait?” He smiled and said, “Well Steve, I guess it’s kind of like someone who’s on a diet but sees that Snickers bar on their desk they’ve been looking at all day. Sooner or later, they’re gonna eat that candy bar.” I’ll never forget when Mr. Brown told me that. Sometimes the only shot we have at tricking an appetite-suppressed post-front trout is to put a small-profile bait such as a MirrOlure Lil John or Saltwater Assassin P&V right in their face. These baits have saved my bacon on what would have otherwise been extremely tough catching days. The hot one for me right now is the Watermelon/Red Glitter P&V.
Typically, later in February we’ll experience more frequent warming trends. We’ll see more days with higher tide levels caused by easterly winds and lower barometric pressure. Water temperatures will obviously fluctuate as cold fronts push through the area, but they should remain warmer overall than earlier in the month. Tiny forage species such as minnows, shad, and worms will become noticeable as we reel in our lures. I often see tiny minnows sprinkle out of the water around my soft plastic. I’m never sure what species they are—just like I’m not 100 percent sure what those little pink worms are that I see every year around this time. I’ve been told they are polychaete worms, or cinder worms, but I’m not sure. Regardless, higher tides, warmer water, and tiny forage will trigger the beginning of a seasonal pattern shift in our trout.
While we’ll continue to catch fish over mud and shell bottoms near deeper water—such as guts, bayous, and various types of ledges—many of our fish (especially trout) will begin to frequent new areas because of the changes mentioned above. We’ll tend to focus more effort on shoreline marsh drains that dump into the bay, especially those with oyster reefs and/or bottom grass present. Our feet will spend lots of time walking coves with soft-bottomed bowl areas as we wade for above-average-sized trout. Speaking of wading, for years I struggled to find boots that provided any real level of comfort, but now I’m absolutely ecstatic to say I’ve hit the jackpot. My new Southerly wading boots are not only the most comfortable I’ve ever used (and it’s not even close), but they’re also lightweight and exceptionally easy to slip on and off over my Southerly waders. They’re also extremely durable. I deal with plantar fasciitis and wear custom orthotics, so if they’re that comfortable for me, that’s really saying something. The waders, undergarments, and jacket all fit the bill for premium quality, comfort, and durability.
As far as lure choices for late February, I’ll be chunking a lot of Saltwater Assassins rigged on lighter jigheads such as 1/16-ounce and Pro Elite 1/8-ounce heads. We’ll incorporate more full-sized (5-inch) rat-tail worms into our repertoire when using Assassins, and more Lil John XLs and Provokers when chunking MirrOlure soft plastics. We’ll still have days when downsizing to smaller Sea Shads (paddletails) is necessary, but our bigger-bait days will become more frequent based on historical patterns. Topwaters and twitchbaits will have their moments to shine as well.
As I reflect on this winter’s fishing, I can honestly say it’s been both fun and productive. We’ve fished in extremely different conditions, with water temperatures ranging from the low-40s to the mid-70s, yet our catching stayed consistent because we made the proper adjustments. We’ve caught fish on just about every lure imaginable—even old Rebel Broken Backs and spoons. I’m still in awe of how many incredible options we have as anglers for nearly every scenario.
As consistent as this winter’s fishing has been, new patterns will emerge in the weeks to come. My advice to all fellow anglers is to be ready and know how to react when the time comes. Lord knows we have all the lure choices on the planet, along with the best electronics, gear, and resources. The rest is between our ears.
