Late Winter Coastal Patterns

Late Winter Coastal Patterns

Story and photography by Danno Wise

Due to the oft-changing weather and fish behavior the next few weeks, anglers can and will need to utilize a wide range of fishing techniques.

February represents the final few weeks of winter. However, most years, it also sees some of the most brutal weather of the season along the Texas coast. While the hope is there won’t be another killer freeze over the next 28 days, there will almost certainly be at least a few more windy, cold, blustery and/or rainy days before spring sets in. That is because although anglers can see spring on the horizon this time of year, winter typically tightens its grip before it releases.

However, neither the weather nor the angling outlook will be all gloom and doom during February. In fact, for those hearty enough to brave the conditions, even those miserable weather days can provide some good angling opportunities.

Between those days when the weather seems more suitable for duck hunting – or locking yourself inside – there will be some sunny and potentially warm days mixed in. These weather conditions can oscillate between spring and winter in a matter of days or even hours.

Fishing patterns can and do change just as frequently during February. This is partly a result of the wildly swinging weather pendulum and partially due to the impending spring spawn for many species. Regardless of the reasons for the oft-changing fish behavior, over the next few weeks, fishermen can and will often need to utilize a wide range of fishing techniques. In fact, while it is the shortest month of the year, February may be the time when fishermen need to use more different tactics for specks, reds and flounder than any other time of year.

To add another twist to the Rubric’s cube of February fishing variables, tidal fluctuation can be exceedingly wild. Following a hard front, bays up and down the Texas coast can appear nearly empty.

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