Our waters have experienced a pretty cool temperature drop over the past week. Fortunately for us the forecast calls for warming weather and it will most likely hold off the next cold front.

What does this mean for the fishing? It means that all the fish that ran for deeper waters to get away from the shock of changing water temperatures will finally start coming back.

Late February can be a turning point for our fishing here in the Lower Keys. The flats may even get warm enough with a few consecutive warmer days to bring the tarpon in. This is what we look forward to is a little taste of tarpon season before the migration that usually commences around April.

I managed to wrestle with a nice 140 pound tarpon a couple weeks ago. The weather had been warm and mild enough to push a few schools through the lower Keys and it made for a sensational day and a half of fishing until the cold weather moved through again.

Look for more permit on the flats now through the end of March. Permit are one of the most difficult species to catch on a fly. They can range from 5 pounds up to 40 pounds and their wide body makes them a great fighting fish on both light tackle and a flyrod.

Bonefishing in the lower Keys will remain kind of dormant until the temperatures warm up. There are a few bonefish around but they may be skiddish and in very shallow water trying to stay warm.