Q: What’s been the most consistent inshore bite this week?
Redfish.
Real catches came from anglers working mangrove edges, wind-protected shorelines, and docks during the afternoon warm-ups. Most were slot-size, but a few overslot reds were posted around Terra Ceia and Miguel Bay. Shrimp, cut pinfish, and small crabs all produced.
Q: Are snook still chewing in December?
Yes — as long as the water stays above the mid-60s, snook feed every time we get a warm afternoon. Reports show snook hitting free-lined live shrimp and smaller pinfish in the afternoons on the flats, and around structure during outgoing tide. The cold snaps slowed them down early mornings, but the afternoon bite fired back up quickly.
Q: Any trout activity on the grass flats?
Yes — trout reports picked up this past week with several solid 18–22″ fish caught on deeper grass edges. MirrOlures, soft plastics, and live shrimp all worked. The clearer water on the lower tides is helping the bite.
Q: What about sheepshead?
The early winter sheepshead push is starting. Anglers around docks and bridges posted multiple catches using shrimp and fiddler crabs. Not full peak season yet, but it’s building.
Q: Any mangrove snapper still being caught inshore?
A few. The water is cooling, so the bite isn’t wide open, but real catches were posted this week from deeper residential canals and around rocky edges. Shrimp was the top bait.
Q: Anything unusual this week?
A handful of black drum posts came in from the flats and around bridge pilings — most small, with a couple in the mid-20s. Live shrimp on the bottom did the work.
Q: What should anglers bring out this week?
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Live shrimp (this is the dominant winter bait across the whole region)
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Pinfish for snook and reds
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Soft plastics (paddle tails on 1/8–1/4 oz jigheads)
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MirrOlure suspending baits for trout
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Leaders in the 20–30 lb range depending on structure
Q: How’s the overall pattern looking?
Stable weather + warming afternoons = better action.
Colder mornings = slower and deeper.
As temps drop, expect sheepshead to keep climbing and snook to gradually shift deeper.
With search traffic sky-high for “bait shop near me,” “fishing bait shop near me,” and “live bait near me,” this is the time people stop for shrimp.
Live shrimp, pinfish, frozen bait boxes, and rigs.