SUWANNEE

Sofar, March is living up to its reputation as one of the windiest months of the year! On the days you can get to them, you will find sheepshead on the artificial reefs off Suwannee and Horseshoe Beach. The waters are unseasonably warm and there were schools of Spanish Mackerel on the spotty bottom and adjacent rock piles the first week of March.

What should we expect for the month of April? Well of course, the number and intensity of the cold fronts will be the deciding factor for that!

I am anticipating a slow increase in water temps for the next few weeks, with water temps staying in the upper 60s to low 70s. The sheephead should be in full spawn on the full moon April 6th, and it's looking like that will be the peak here in my area. Currently, the larger fish, in greater numbers, are on the offshore "pods" in 35 to 40 feet of water. The sheepshead are also schooling on the nearshore spots closer to the river. This will continue as long as the river doesn't rise too much. Problem is, that the last frontal system dumped a bunch of rain in the upper Suwannee Basin, and that will impact our waters in about three weeks!

Best bait for the sheepshead, will be live or fresh shrimp, fished on a 1/0 bait keeper hook or circle hook. I like to use a simple 40 lb. test knocker rig, 24 to 36 inches long, with a split shot or swivel at the top. Then, just enough weight to get it to the bottom quickly and not drift with the current.

The redfish are still in the creeks and around the mouth of the Lower Suwannee River. Most of these fish have been here for awhile, but at any time, we should see a migration of fish from the offshore waters into the Lower Suwannee River Estuary and adjacent Creeks. As the waters warm, I will be switching more and more to artificial baits when red fishing.

We have a lot of luck with FishBites Fight Club 5-inch Brawler Jerkbait in Counter Punch, White Knuckle and Haymaker. I like to rig them on an ⅛ or ¼ ounce jig head or weighted hook, fished around the oyster bars and grassy points with current, This is a deadly combination! Be sure you are prepared for the snook that are in our area and frequent the same ambush locations as the redfish!

The speckled trout fishing will continue to get better in the month of April. The trout will be schooling and feeding heavily, as they prepare for the upcoming spawning season, that begins in May. Look for the trout on the outside grass flats and reefs. A simple rule is, cleaner water and more grass equals more speckled trout! Until next time, be safe, Tightlines and Catchemup!

Captain Tony Johns | 352-221-2510 www.lowersuwanneriverfishing.com

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