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Merry Christmas; everyone must be shopping to help Santa. Local waters are loaded with baitfish and few fishermen. We have gotten out some recently and I can not believe how many millions of baitfish are schooled up in near shore Gulf waters. Huge balls of minnows from top to bottom for a hundred or more yards. The weird thing is we had striking fish all over Monday and Tuesday then they disappeared? Today the bait was all over but nothing eating them? I never get over just how unpredictable fish can be. <br />
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We found several bunches of snook around the passes; not a Winter hang out. Some fish are still on the beaches. We found them looking for pompano. The golden nuggets continue to tease us with one here and there. Trout are closed so we try to stay away from them as they are to delicate for catch and release. Reds are around but challenging in the clear winter water. If you’re willing to put in some time and a skilled caster, reds can usually be caught. On calm days it’s almost like bone fishing. Fun if you’re up for the challenge. They do make more mistakes on windy days. We have more Sheepshead every week. They will continue to improve for the next few months. These fish are fun, abundant, and fine table fair. You’ll need to be alert to feel their delicate nibble. <br />
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We have fish and the least boats you’ll encounter in good weather. I can not predict how long our weather will be this beautiful; right now they say we are good for most of next week. Have a safe and very Merry Christmas. Let’s Go Fishin’ now! Captain Van Hubbard <br />