Well it’s winter!!! At least it feels like winter!! We have had our first real cool snap and should have the second by the time you read this. The water temperature has already dropped and will be dropping further. The fish have not yet fallen into there wintertime patterns, but they will very soon.

Notwithstanding the few bitter cold days, the fishing has been quite good. The days when it gets really cold can make fishing really hard, however. The wind is very brisk and crisp and the surface water is cold. At least in my boat, on those days with 20+ knot winds, spray blows over the gunnels if I run in a bad direction. It is on these near frosting days when I “have to” fish that I feel like I am being punished! If I am the unfortunate one on the boat to catch the spray, it is punishment … but, I am very sensitive (actually scared to death) of hyperthermia. After all, anything below 60 degrees is “unfit for human habitation!!”

As their guide into the Park, my angler’s safety is paramount. I must show them a great time, catch some fish and bring them back unscathed. On these 40/40/80 days (40 degrees; 40 mph; 80% humidity), I must be particular careful of their safety. You never know who will surrender to the elements. It is on these days that I must be particularly alert for signs of the dreaded condition known as H.I.I. -- Hyperthermia Induced Insanity.

It is on these 40/40/80 days that I hear the hyperthermia related comments … “It is not this cold in Indy!”; “I have never been so cold in my life!!”; “Stop!! Let’s fish here. Right here!. Early on-set H.I.I. can be difficult to detect, but a good indicator is the steam coming off the coffee cups in everyone’s had. If there is steam on your coffee, you could have H.I.I.. After all, don’t you have to be crazy to climb on an open boat when is that cold?

Fortunately, the light cases of Hyperthermia Induced Insanity are treatable with a good dose of sunshine, a calm bay and fish pulling on your string! Recovery is almost instant and the only long term affects seems to be an addiction to do it again next winter!

The real problems are the advanced cases of H.I.I. These are untreatable, except by professionals, the calm bay and sunshine treatment does not seem to help at all … sometimes it may even aggravate the condition. These anglers are simply too far gone for anything but serious professional help. I can do very little but try to make them comfortable.

Luckily, these poor souls and their condition are actually very easy to spot. They are the ones who show up on these cold mornings very early for the charter, without a warming cup of coffee wearing only SHORTS!! When you see this, you know they have it bad.

When I hear the one defining comment of H.I.I, (which I am never quite sure that I hear correctly through my rabbit fur lined, full faced, strapped on head gear), I know an advanced case is on board. When I hear, “This weather is great!!! This is nothing! It is like an a fall evening up home!!!” I know what I must do for his comfort and that of the rest of his party. He must be seated in front of the console, in front of his family and friends and, most important, in front of me! He must be the human splash shield!! Only with a full bodied 40/40/80 experience can he understand. Only when he understands can he be cured!

Good catches of trout, mackerel, and bluefish can be had over the flats. (Though I had an angler catch a bluefish near Sweetwater last week … that fish was lost). The trout have to be released this month but they are still a blast. I usually use a swimming shad tail jig that mimics a pilchard for the trout. However, when it is cold, I will sometimes switch to a twister tail run slowly along the grass to entice the bite.

The sheep head have arrived and can be caught with shrimp most anywhere there are barnacles. For those brave enough, the kings have been offshore (at least before this last front) and the cobia are where you would expect them. Look in the bights and bays for the reds.

We have been doing very well with the snook, with most parties boating 12-14 fish per trip. Vickie (my wife) and I slipped out for a few hours together last week to her favorite snook spot. She boated 18 snook and one small Goliath grouper in just a couple of hours fishing. I do not expect this trend to last long, however. The snook seem to be in small tight, hard to find schools. Unlike a month ago they are not “everywhere”. When you do find fish, I would stay with them. They appear to be starting their wintertime schooling patterns already.