From Capt. Charlie @ Fishing Center - Ft Pierce

2018 has started off with winter moving in and cooling things down quite a bit. Wind, rain and cold have made the first part of January a real challenge to get out and enjoy the fishing. Water temperatures have dipped into the fifties and it will take a few sunny days to warm things up a bit. You can expect lots of wind this month along with the normal weekly cold front moving through the Treasure Coast. Watch the weather and plan your adventures carefully.

               Sheepshead is always the best bite in this kind of weather. They don't mind the colder water and there are lots of them in the river to keep anglers busy. Bridges, docks and channel edges are favorite areas to fish for sheepshead, drum, and snapper. The nighttime snook bite has been good around the bridges and jetties. Look for the Spanish mackerel and pompano bite to improve around the area. Trout, snook and redfish will be on the grass flats when the sun is high to warm up. Black drum and croakers should be moving into the river now that things are cooled down. January is always a good month to enjoy the fishing!

Winter weather is a good time to work on reels, tackle and boats. We get a lot of windy days and this is the perfect time to get your equipment in good working order for the coming spring fishing. It's an important part of fishing and boating. Dress in layers this time of year. Temperature swings can be go from the fifties into the eighties in a few hours and layering can keep you comfortable out there. Have fun and stay safe!