This is just that time of the year, when you wish that with a blink of an eye you could escape the winter blues and be some where nice and warm where the fish are biting.

I did just that and took off to the Florida Keys. What a great place to hang during the winter months with summer-like temperatures during January and February.

Just last week my good friend Bill Lee and his son, Jordan, came down for a few days of fishing and diving. With temperatures in the high 70’s to low 80’s it didn’t seem quite right, in the same state back home, it was a chilly 49 degrees.

We took the Big Zulu out to the reef for some Yellowtail Snapper fishing. They started out a little slow due to lack of current but as the day went on and current picked up, so did the bite. We came home with our limit of 10 each and a couple of nice Black Groupers.

The next day the winds were calm and the visibility was awesome. We gathered up our dive gear and took off. In water less than 10 feet and no deeper than 20 feet you can see just about anything that lives in the ocean. The plant and coral life is so magnificent, along with the many different species of fish.

Bill Lee, Capt. Jerry Andrews and Jordan Lee show off a catch of Hogfish. Submitted photo We had a little spear fishing contest and I think youth had a little to do with winning. Yes, Jordan shot the most fish. We were targeting Hog fish and nearly got a limit.

These are without a doubt the best eating fish that swims. The bad thing is they are only found in tropical waters and do not exist up here in the panhandle.

For those of you who have never had the chance to dive or snorkel, I strongly recommend a trip to the Keys. Everything is close to shore, shallow water, and very colorful. Whether an expert or a novice you will have a great time.

Back home, the offshore bottom fishing has been good as well. This past weekend end, both Capt. Sean Kelly and Capt. Kruger Hines took out a charter and came back with some impressive fish. They both had a really nice catch of trigger fish, some in the 7- to 8-pound class. They also had there limits of Greater Amberjack. They were in the 20- to 30-pound class. These are the strongest fighting fish around here and will take you to your knees if you’re not careful.

Back in the bays and inland bayous the Speckle Trout fishing is starting to heat up. You will need live shrimp to get there attention. Along the Pensacola Bay Bridge the White Trout have been on fire. They generally will eat any kind of cut bait on the bottom. Most folks prefer a two drop rig with a 7/0 hook and a 2- to 4-ounce weight.

Also around the bridges and the jetties in the pass, the Sheephead have been biting well too. They do prefer live bait, such as live shrimp or fiddler crabs, if you can find them.

Just about a month from now, they will be spawning in and around the Pensacola Pass and the bite will be on fire.

For your next fishing adventure, give us a call or check us out on the web at www.entertainercharter.com. We can accommodate any size group and can pair you up with someone else if you are by yourself. We also offer cruises around the bay if your group is not into fishing.

As we always say aboard the Entertainer “May the Good Fishing be Yours!”