December 2013 - Warm Water Remains in Eastern Gulf of Mexico

December 2013 – Warm Water Remains in Eastern Gulf of Mexico

ROFFER’S OCEAN FISHING FORECASTING SERVICE, INC.
TOLL FREE 800 677-7633 & (321) 723-5759 // WWW.ROFFS.COM
ROFFS™ SPECIAL FISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS (LAT./LONG.)
FOR THE EASTERN GULF OFFSHORE
UPDATED ON TUES. 17 DECEMBER 2013 FOR TUES. P.M. & WEDS. FISHING ONLY

This is a special analysis to showcase some unusual ocean conditions that are occurring in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. Overall, the Loop Current has shed filaments of blended blue and blue 74.0°F-79.0°F water that are pushing northward from Naples to the Florida Panhandle, before turning westward and moving offshore. This influx of blended blue and blue water suggests favorable, inshore conditions for a combination of tuna, wahoo, dolphin, sailfish and swordfish action. East of Tampa Bay, blended blue filaments extend into 30 fathom depths, and continue northward into 20 fathom depths over the Florida Middle Grounds. South of the Florida Panhandle, similar blended blue and blue filaments push inshore over 20 fathom depths, suggesting good chances for tuna, wahoo, dolphin, sailfish and swordfish action along the blue green to blended blue water mass boundaries.

It is very important to use your sea surface temperature (SST) gauge to locate the boundaries of the water masses, which are outlined in black. Please keep in mind that we use a combination of NOAA buoys to calibrate our daily SST each morning. Therefore, rather than trying to find water based on the absolute temperature values shown on the map, search for the relative change in SST where the water mass boundaries occur. Arrows indicate the main current direction. Noon to afternoon SST may be 1°F or more WARMER than the morning calibrated SST shown on the analysis charts.

FULL MOON WARNING: Many times the tuna fishing action slows during the daytime during a full moon as the fish are feeding at night. Experience suggests that the better fishing action with tuna during the full moon is at first light and last light of the day. Thus, be sure to get to the fish before first light so that you can start trolling early. The fish will bite before the human eye senses the light.

ROFFS™ winter hours: Mon.-Fri. 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday CLOSED. Have a happy holiday season, and a healthy and successful New Year. ROFFS™ will be closed December 25, 2013 and January 01, 2014. Remember you can order and/or purchase your fishing analyses from our website (https://roffs.com/ and click on Order Analyses button) or by email.