No more cold fronts — please

Water temps are on the rise once again, and, once again, the bite is improving.

Last week’s water temps fell into the mid 60s after the cold front, which kind of put a damper on the bite — especially the snook bite.

But, don’t fret, water temps in the mid 70s are here, and the snook bite is here, too. Rallies of 20-30 or even 40 snook in a day are not unheard of. Make sure to have an ample supple of white bait and you’re in business. Expect to catch numerous snook 20-26 inches. Bigger fish, slot-size fish, are mixed in but require a little more dedication before they’ll bite. If you’re into “camping on the fish” you might find success.

Spotted seatrout are showing in better numbers every day. They’re beginning their spawn, so catching large trout can be more common than normal. Remember, handle with care, since these big trout are full of roe. Live shiners and pinfish are top producers as bait. Topwater plugs such as MirrOlure’s 84 MR will attract curiosity from large trout.

Finally, Spanish mackerel, kingfish, jack crevalle and shark are being found around structure in the Gulf of Mexico. Depths of 20-50 feet are a good place to start looking. Bait schools showering the surface are a good indicator there are predators in the area. Pull up quietly and cast baits to the edges of the schools to hook up. For the sharks, a fresh-cut chunk or jack crevalle or mackerel will get attention in no time at all. Combine this bait with a circle hook and a wire leader and hang on tight.