From Capt. Charlie @Fishing Center-Fort Pierce

The holidays are over and 2019 is upon us already. Winter arrived a little early this year and the cold fronts have cooled the water down quite a bit already. January is traditionally a cold month for the Treasure Coast and the weekly fronts will bring a few days of cooling things down for us to deal with. Wearing layers is essential to cope with the temperature swings that can be as much as 40 degrees or more. Plan your fishing according to the weather forecasts and enjoy the fishing.

Lots of species are in the river this month. Pompano, sheepshead, drum and Spanish mackerel are all winter fish that arrive here as the water temps drop. It’s an awesome time of year! Fishing channel edges can find these fish lurking for an easy meal. I like jigs in these places for our best results. Bridges and docks will also be great places to target drum, sheepshead and redfish. Try a DOA shrimp or live bait when fishing these areas. Don’t forget mangroves for redfish and snook as well. Spanish mackerel will generally come in with the tides and can be found around the inlet areas. Small shiny lures work best on them.

Water temperatures can determine where you fish and how your fish. Winds will give you another factor to adjust to. As temps drop, move to deeper water areas for your best opportunities for catching fish. Channel edges are particularly productive in winter. Fish the grass flats for redfish and trout as the sun gets higher in the mornings. DOA Deadly Combos are excellent tools for searching out trout and reds.

January is typically a windy month and it will continue the tradition if recent weather gives you an insight to the coming month. You might enjoy one or two days a week that is calmer but expect it to be windy most days. Using the right ramps can make your day a little easier in dealing with the weather. There are many ramps around the area that allow you to launch depending on wind direction. The river can be rough some days, but you can still fish most days if you plan your trips carefully. It is a great month to fish despite weather conditions that might not be to your liking. 2018 was an outstanding year for us and I expect this year to be even better!