Fishingcast: Conditions for Marco Island, Dec. 29-Jan. 4
BACKWATER
Lukewarm a.m. air temps; hot p.m. keeps water temp well above normal. Mimics last year; affects inshore migration cold water species. Tides off full moon; strong a.m. incoming; docile p.m. ebb. Winds placid except late week afternoons. Water temp 73. Snook stay active; most all juvenile; late morning incoming current points -- Rookery Bay; Johnson Bay with pilchards. Sheepshead action most all small in warmth, occasional keeper on shrimp; cut crab with best chance deep water holes ICW, Marco River on either tide. Some action on fall species (i.e. black drum, mutton snapper, spec trout working shrimp); cut bait into structure Addison Bay, Hurricane Pass with best this week hour either side of slack tidal water.
NEARSHORE
Flat conditions until late week. Reports bigger sheepshead holding deeper first, second reef structure working shrimp, cut crab on soft lift technique. Mangrove; lane snapper action Walton Reef early incoming with weighted jigs worked under chum.
OFFSHORE
Conditions good until p.m. late week. Need minimum 65’ hard bottom for red grouper action. Work west with live pinfish, cut ladyfish right into outcroppings. Good to very good tripletail action on crab pot markers. Set lookout, double back, cut power; work small dark color jig tight to pot near surface. Great fight.
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