This week, Captain Chris tells us what’s biting in the cooler weather of January near the Melbourne, Cocoa Beach, Satellite Beach areas of the IRl and the BRl.

This time of year Sheepshead and Mangrove Snapper are the primary catches with a mix of Speckled trout, white trout and Redfish is mostly what you will find biting in the cooler winter months.

We always can catch fish on Florida’s Coast, because they’re always biting somewhere. You just have to know where and when. Right now in winter the water temp is dropping pretty fast on the IRL and BRL is receiving plenty of muddy water from the creeks and rivers, because the area has been getting plenty of rainfall. However, the Sheepshead are really showing-up on the docks, bridges and rocks in the lagoons look for deeper docks 6 ft or more.

We’re catching sheepshead that will weigh 2-8 pounds on live and dead shrimp I like to use a a 1/0 mustad and an 1/8- ¼ oz splitshot. And 10lb mono for best results. The speckled trout and the redfish are starting to show in the mouths of the rivers, and the most consistent place to catch them right now is in the warmer shallow water. Use the same tackle for trout and you could add a popping cork for a little more attention. Good luck and Tight lines.