PORT CANAVERAL FORECAST

FEBRUARY FORECAST

Ughhh February! This is lining up to be one of those Februaries where cold fronts stack perfectly and keep everyone from venturing out past the shoal most of the month.

If it was totally up to me, I wouldn’t venture more than a few hundred yards off the beach until we see a solid 3 days of calm seas in a row. Sleep in and stay warm. Fish late morning or early afternoon along the beach for sharks and red drum. Get back to why you started fishing in the first place or take this opportunity to start fishing. This is easy fishing and you don’t have to go far or get beat up by rough seas. Enjoy just being on the water, fighting fish, hanging with friends and family. Take the kids, grandkids out for a quick trip and introduce them to fishing. Catching croakers, weak fish, blue fish, and whiting one after another while waiting for a big fight from a shark or red drum is a absolute blast for beginners and for those who truly love to fish. Pound for pound nothing fights better than a nice black tip shark. They also taste great! Please look into what all the world has tried to force feed you over the last couple years. They have done the same thing to you with sharks. Sharks caught in state waters off the East Coast of Florida are sustainable and they taste great. Don’t let propaganda discourage you from taking one home for a phenomenal dinner. Stay on the beach or leave the boat tied up is my recommendation.

For those that are stubborn ????. When we are lucky enough to get a calm day in between fronts, the prevailing ground swell will have the water trashed. The only option will be to go deep for amberjack and vermillion snapper or to go really deep and do a little deep drop, electric reel fishing for golden tilefish and yellow edge grouper. It is possible to find a hard edge of clean water if the Gulf Stream pushes in closer on any given day. If this happens you might be able to put a decent day of trolling together for mahi, blackfin tuna, sailfish and the occasional wahoo. It most likely wont be fast and furious but you can end up with a slow pick. Be prepared for a edge but don’t expect it.

February is my least favorite month but with the right mind set and expectations it can have some really fun options. Do short trips and stay close but if you are someone who suffers from faritis (someone who feels they have to go out far to have great fishing) then you absolutely need to commit to a full day of fishing.