Hello AU members,

As promised, here is my first post to educate members about the science behind fishing. Feel free to ask any questions!

Fishery Science Content - Sea Lice

During winter, fish decrease their activity as the water temperature drops, making them vulnerable to ectoparasites. Common parasitic copepods such as Caligus spp., commonly known as sea lice, are often observed by anglers on spotted seatrout, red drum, black drum, and southern flounder. As the fish rest on the bottom, these parasites attach themselves to their abdomen to feed on their blood and mucus, causing skin lesions (red sores) that increase the risk of infection.  

As anglers, these observations highlight the diminished activity levels of fish when water temperatures are cold. By working lures slowly on the bottom, you improve your chance of catching fish by giving them the opportunity to get a quick meal without having to expend a lot of energy.

Baffin Bay: January 25 - 26 

Here’s my report after running trips in Baffin Bay this past weekend. To start, the good news is that I didn’t see any dead fish following water temperatures in the 40s.

On Saturday, my clients and I were greeted to 47 degree water temperatures. Our strategy was to wade in waist- to belly-deep water with scattered seagrass beds and rock formations. Initially, we observed little to no bait activity until the major feed began. As the south winds picked up and the water warmed slightly, we finally spotted a couple of mullet jumping along a color change. It was a slow day, but we managed to catch five trout (the largest weighing 4.5 pounds), a black drum, and two redfish, including one undersized fish that weighed four pounds.

Sunday proved to be much more productive, with the water warming up to 52 degrees. We noticed multiple slicks and more mullet within just 30 minutes compared to the previous day. Although we initially tried to find fish in shallower water without success, we reverted to the same strategy as the day before. This approach paid off, resulting in over 20 trout caught, though surprisingly only three were keepers. In my opinion, it seems the larger fish had not moved up shallow just yet. As with Saturday, the best bite occurred during the major feeding time and quickly tapered off afterward. All our fish were caught using either a Ball Tail Shad or a Wig-A-Lo Jr., worked slowly along the bottom.

Hi everyone,

In addition to being a guide, I am the Angler Engagement Coordinator for the Sportfish Center at the Harte Research Institute. I plan to periodically share fishery science content that I believe will help members improve their knowledge. Here's an example for those concerned about how fish will react to cold temperatures. Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

This table shows the lethal water temperatures for selected bay species. Although water temperatures dropped from 70°F to 46°F since Sunday, the decrease was gradual compared to the rapid drop we experienced during the freeze in 2021. This gradual change allowed fish more time to acclimate to the changing conditions. While many species should be fine, subtropical species like snook and tarpon may perish, as they are not adapted to handle such low temperatures.

In the worst-case scenario, if air temperatures remain around or below 32°F for three consecutive days, it can lead to fish kills, with various species affected differently. Thankfully, this did not happen, and I hope it won’t for a long time.

*NOTE: These are only estimates. Factors such as fish size, water depth, bottom composition, rate of temperature change, duration of exposure, and many other variables can affect temperature-related mortality in fish species.