If you love boating and fishing, winter can be a tough time to try to enjoy a day on the water. The right equipment and clothing can help, but no matter how high quality your gear is, being bundled up just makes everything tougher. As late fall creeps slowly towards the dead of winter, gray skies and harsh winds can make even the most resolute boater choose to battle cabin fever over a brutal expedition on the water. 

Let’s face it, boating is better in shorts and sunshine. Even if you are a die hard “fish-bite-better-when-it’s-nasty” angler, by mid-February most of us start dreaming of warmer climates and brighter days. If you are east of the Mississippi but north enough to have to bundle up in October, a trip down to sunny warm Florida might just fit the bill. If you are thinking about such a trip, there are some things to keep in mind that can make your trip to the Sunshine State a roaring success.

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Consider All the Options

Florida has a lot to offer boaters and fishermen who are looking for a respite from Old Man Winter. That long, southern-jutting peninsula provides a wide variety of climates and opportunities that go well beyond the generic postcard images of swaying coconut palms and leaping sailfish, and it doesn’t require a haul all the way down to Miami or the Keys to be able to spend a February day on the boat in your bathing suit.

There are plenty of “winter” days in central and even northern Florida that can be even more pleasant than south Florida for thick-blooded folks who want to limit their drive time. The key is to do a little research and to consider some of the off-the-beaten-path opportunities that the Sunshine State has to offer. Consider these unique options:

Springs:

While most people imagine beaches, inshore, and offshore waters when they think of Florida, some of the most spectacular beauty that the state has to offer is well inland. Florida has over a thousand springs, 30 of which are particularly well known.

These crystal clear springs offer first-rate snorkeling and diving experiences that will leave lasting memories, and a number of them are accessible by boat. Best of all, they are open year-round, accessible when offshore diving opportunities wouldn’t be, and the water remains a balmy 72 degrees all year. 

Rivers: 

Florida’s river systems offer unique fishing and boating opportunities, and often provide shelter from the windy cold fronts that can make offshore or inshore fishing difficult.

In the winter, these rivers hold many of the same fish you might find on the flats during other times of the year, and scenery that gives you a true “old Florida” experience.

Lakes: 

While many people think about tarpon, snook, redfish, and trout, Florida also offers world-class largemouth bass fishing. Lake Okeechobee is famous for its bass fishery, but it’s one of many great freshwater lakes in the state.

In the southern part of the state, you can experience more exotic freshwater species such as peacock bass and clown knifefish. Whether a trip targeting these fish is the main event or a backup option for tough weather days, Florida’s freshwater offerings can be a great way to spend time on the water.

Inshore:

Even when it’s too rough to get offshore, Florida’s inshore canals, grass flats, bays, lagoons, and estuaries are a great bet for winter trips.

Depending on where you visit in the state, tarpon, snook, redfish, trophy speckled trout and even grouper often hunker down in the relatively warm inshore waters. Investing in a good guide can help unlock opportunities that you can take advantage of for the rest of your trip.

Offshore:

Wintertime is prime time for offshore fishing in Florida, but it is also most susceptible to weather events. Many of the most desired food species, like grouper, move closer to shore, making for shorter runs and easier days.

On the east coast of Florida, sailfish, kingfish, cobia, and permit are more abundant in the winter months. A little research, planning, and good weather can open the door to some truly world-class opportunities. 

Plan a Backup Option

With so many great opportunities and a little extra research, you can virtually guarantee that your trip is a success. Just keep in mind that even in Florida, winter weather can be unpredictable. While you can’t control Mother Nature, you can adjust for whatever she throws at you by making sure your trip has options.

For example, if your goal is to experience the best of Florida’s offshore or nearshore winter fishing, map out your plans accordingly, but explore some inshore or even inland fishing in the event that the winds don’t cooperate.

Don’t forget about the beaches and passes as well. While the family soaks up sunshine, those same beaches can offer fantastic winter fishing opportunities. Because winter is Florida’s dry season, you generally won’t find yourself stuck with multiple days of rain. Having wind-proof alternatives can ensure your trip is enjoyable, regardless of what Mother Nature brings!

Get Local Expertise

If your trip involves bringing your own boat and you are going to an area of Florida you aren’t familiar with, you might consider hiring a guide at the beginning of your trip. A good guide can show you the area and orient you to the local patterns, lures, and areas to target.

A day or two with a guide is an investment that can pay big dividends for the rest of the trip, reducing stress, uncertainty, and the costly mistakes that can happen in unknown waters. Even if you aren’t an avid fisherman, a local guide can orient you to the local scene and help you enjoy the best of what the area has to offer.

Boater Beware

Finally, it’s important to understand that there are vast differences in Florida waters depending on where you go. For example, the Nature Coast area on the northern Gulf Coast of Florida is extremely shallow and rocky. If you enjoy quiet, private, and uncrowded fishing, Homosassa, Crystal River, Steinhatchee, and Cedar Key have a lot to offer, but you need to go with someone who knows the waters. 

Boating in Homosassa Springs Florida

 It isn’t hard to end up aground when crossing what appears to be deep water.

The wandering channels can be confusing and even the locals have lost lower units to the rocky outcroppings and shallow oyster beds. On the East Coast of Florida, you can enjoy some fantastic offshore fishing, but the inlets can be treacherous when wind and tide are going in opposite directions. Picking the right day and right time for departure and return is critical.

Much of the central and southern west coast of Florida offers sandy bottoms and shallow grass flats, but again, it isn’t hard to end up aground when crossing what appears to be deep water, and there can be fines for damaging seagrass beds with your prop scars. Seasonal manatee zones are also areas you need to be aware of in the winter.

Whatever your plans, Florida offers boaters and fishermen a great respite from cabin fever and the winter blues. Properly planned, a trip to the sunshine state can help you make it to spring and send you back home with a solid dose of sun-infused vitamin D and memories to last a lifetime. Do your research and don’t be afraid to get off the beaten path to experience the best of what Florida has to offer.

Preparation Makes for a Great Trip

Here are some specific things to do to ensure a smooth Florida road trip:

Check Your Trailer

Getting stuck on the side of the road is bad enough, but with a boat behind you it’s even worse. Check these things before you go and address them before you hit the road: 

  • Tires: Check for dry rot, inflation, and wear, and consider radials if you don’t have them.
  • Spare tire(s): Check inflation and condition, and consider two for longer trips.
Center Console boat getting towed behind a pickup truck
  • Bearings: Check wheels for “wobble” which indicates bad bearings. Pack bearings with grease and consider Bearing Buddies if you don’t have them. Consider bringing a spare hub and bearing assembly. Make sure your lug nuts aren’t frozen and are torqued properly.
  • Lights: Check your brake, running, and signal functions. Check and repair side marker lights. Check your license plate to ensure it is secure and up to date.
  • Brakes: Make sure brakes are functioning properly and comply with Florida law, which requires brakes on all axles for trailers over 3,000 lbs.

Learn The Area

Do your research on the area, the fish, and local tides and weather patterns. Google Earth can give you the big picture, and Youtube can be a great source of “on the ground” information. Calling local guides, tackle shops, and marinas can give you critical information that will make for a better trip.

Pack Critical Spares

Take a minute to consider those show-stopping components of your boat and trailer — things that, if they break, will ruin your plans. Make a checklist of things to bring and pack spares. It’s easier to find these at home before you leave than in a town you are less familiar with.

Consider bringing a few basic tools (including wiring components), a spare trailer hub assembly, and essential boat components such as a spare propeller, bilge and bait pumps and fuses. And don’t forget your boat keys and trailer locks!

Inventory Your Boat Accessories

Preparing for a trip is a great time to make sure your boat is in compliance with local regulations — life jackets, throw cushions, air horn or whistle, up-to-date flares and fire extinguisher, etc.

Also make sure you have all the necessary docking equipment — lines, fenders, etc. — especially if you will be keeping your boat in the water. A long extension cord can come in handy for charging trolling motor batteries away from home.

5 Great Under-the-Radar Winter Destinations in Florida

The Keys, Southwest Florida and Tampa Bay get most of the attention as destinations for winter fishing/boating road trips, but Florida has dozens of other great places for boaters and anglers from chillier climes to settle in for a few weeks:

1. Sebastian Inlet — Park an RV or pitch a tent at one of two campgrounds near the inlet itself, or rent a place in the town of Sebastian for easy access to miles and miles of protected inshore fishing and boating in the Indian River Lagoon, as well as the inlet itself, which is famous for snook, bull redfish, and flounder.

For those with offshore-capable boats, the Gulf Stream is typically about 25 miles out. Keep in mind, though, that Sebastian Inlet can be very dangerous with an outgoing tide and an onshore wind.

2. St. Johns River from Astor to Palatka — This portion of the St. Johns River is largely wild, bordered by towering cypress swamps, and includes Lake George, Florida’s second largest after Okeechobee. The bass fishing is world-class, the scenery is amazing, and a pair of crystal clear freshwater springs — Silver Glen and Salt — are accessible by powerboat.

This isn’t a tourist destination, but you’ll find a number of fish camps and RV parks along the river as well as near Salt Springs.

3. Citrus County — Swarmed by scallopers from July through September, this portion of the Nature Coast, including Homosassa and Crystal River, is somewhat quieter in the cooler months, although there are still plenty of visitors in town to see and swim with the manatees that crowd the area’s freshwater springs in winter.

The endless grass flats, oyster bars, mangrove shorelines and offshore rockpiles are relatively deserted though and loaded with redfish, trout, sheepshead and grouper.

4. Volusia County — Like Sebastian Inlet, the area around Ponce Inlet in Volusia County offers extensive inshore boating and fishing in virtually any weather as well as inlet and offshore fishing on calmer days. The closest good bottom fishing is 6 to 10 miles out, though, so you’ll need a capable boat.

The main attractions in winter are redfish, trout, drum, snapper and sheepshead, plus Disappearing Island, one of Florida’s best sandbars. Accommodations range from tent camping to five star resorts.

5. St. Joseph Bay — Although it’s chillier than most of peninsular Florida, the Panhandle still offers lots of mild days, clear water, white sand beaches, and biting fish. It can also save you a day or two of driving round trip, and the eastern portion, the so-called Forgotten Coast, is far less populated than most of the rest of the state.

In particular, St. Joseph Bay is a big expanse of shallow water nearly encircled by Cape San Blas with its miles of deserted beaches. Inshore fishing for redfish, trout, flounder and sheepshead is good all winter. Quaint Port St. Joe has several resorts and RV parks, or look for beachfront vacation rentals on Cape San Blas.