January 2026

Winter Surf Fishing in Perdido Key: Snowbird Guide to Gear, Bait, and Tactics

January 1st, 2025

If you’re spending the winter in Perdido Key, you are not in a bad spot. While a lot of people think surf fishing is only a spring and summer game, the Gulf doesn’t shut off in the winter—it just changes.

Winter is one of the best times for snowbirds to learn the surf, dial in their gear, and enjoy quiet beaches with fish still cruising the troughs. In this guide, we’ll walk through:

*The best winter species

*Rigs and gear that actually work here

*Bait choices for cold-water fish

*How to think about time of day, tide, and wind

*And how Panhandle Salt can help you fast-track the learning curve with lessons, rig-tying classes, and a fully stocked surf shop right at the entrance to Johnson Beach

What’s Biting in Winter?

You won’t see the same chaos as a spring pompano run, but winter has its own lineup of reliable surf species:

*Whiting (Gulf kingfish) – The winter MVP. These fish love the cooler water and are perfect table fare.

*Redfish – Slot and over-slot reds still cruise the surf, especially around structure and deeper cuts.

*Black drum – Often mixed in with reds, especially near deeper holes and around inshore structure.

*Sheepshead – Around jetties, rock, and structure, but you’ll see them near the passes and bridges too.

*Pompano (on warmer breaks) – Not as thick as spring, but you can still catch them on those warmer, stable-weather stretches.

*Bluefish & ladyfish – More hit-or-miss, but they’ll show when the bait pushes in.

The key in winter is not expecting a wide-open bite all day. It’s about timing and presentation.

Winter Rigs That Work on Perdido Key Beaches

You don’t need anything crazy. In fact, winter is a great time to simplify and tighten up your rigging.

1. Standard Two-Drop Surf RigYour bread-and-butter winter setup:

*Main line: 15–20 lb braid

*Leader: 15-20 lb mono or fluorocarbon

*Hooks: Size 1/0-2/0 circle or kahle hooks for whiting, pompano, and drum

*Sinker: 2–3 oz pyramid or sputnik, depending on current and wind

This rig will catch:

*Whiting

*Pompano

*Smaller drum and reds

*Random “bonus” fish

2. Bigger Bait Rig for Reds & DrumWhen you’re specifically targeting redfish and black drum:

*Leader: 20-30 lb mono

*Hook: 2/0–3/0 circle hook

*Sinker: 3–5 oz, depending on surf

*Bait: Larger peeled shrimp, fresh cut bait, or crab chunks when available

Fish this closer to cuts, deeper troughs, or near any structure you can reach from the sand.If all of this sounds like a foreign language, that’s exactly what we cover in our surf fishing lessons and rig-tying classes all winter long.

Top winter baits:

*Fresh shrimp – Peeled or cut into small chunks for whiting, pompano, and drum.

*Fish Gum / artificial strips – Great for back-up and scent attractant.

*Sand fleas (mole crabs) – If you can find them, pompano and whiting will still eat them.

*Blue Crab or Fiddler Crabs– When you’re targeting drum or sheepshead around structure.

Winter tip: Downsize your bait. Smaller pieces in colder water often out-fish big chunks.

SHOP FISH GUM

Time of Day: When Should Snowbirds Hit the Beach?

In the heat of summer, a lot of anglers love dawn and dusk. In winter, that changes a bit.

*Mid-morning to early afternoon can be the sweet spot.

*The sun has had time to warm the shallows just a few degrees.

*Fish that were sluggish at first light often start sliding into the troughs to feed.

If you’re a snowbird, this is good news: You don’t have to be on the beach at 5:00 a.m. to have a good day.

Reading Tide & Water Movement in Winter

You don’t need a fancy tide theory degree. Just remember:

*Moving water = life.

*Aim to fish the two hours before and after a tide change.

*Incoming tide often brings cleaner, slightly warmer water into the surf.

*Watch for visible cuts and deeper darker water between sandbars—that’s where your rigs should land.

If you’ve ever stared at the Gulf and thought, “I have no idea where to cast,” that’s one of the main things we break down in our lessons on the beach.

Learn Faster: Winter Surf Fishing Lessons & Rig-Tying Classes

If you’re a snowbird here for a month—or the whole season—winter is the perfect time to get some focused instruction before spring crowds and spring fish show up.

At Panhandle Salt Surf Fishing, we offer Surf Fishing Lessons (All Winter Long)

*One-on-one sessions or couples

*Held right on the beach

We cover:

*Reading the surf

*Where and how to set your rods

*Casting longer surf rods correctly

*Matching rigs and bait to our local conditions and much more

Rig-Tying Classes

*Learn to tie your own pompano and whiting rigs

*Understand hook sizes, leader choices, and sinkers

*Save money long term and trust your own gear

Fully Stocked Surf Shop at Johnson Beach

We also run a fully stocked surf fishing shop right at the entrance to Johnson Beach on Perdido Key. You’ll find:

*Surf rods and reels suited for our Gulf conditions

*Pre-tied rigs and leader material

*Sinkers, Fish Gum, terminal tackle

*Bait options and local advice you’re not getting from a big-box store

You can step out of the shop, look at the water, and we’ll talk you through exactly how we’d fish it that day.

LEARN FASTER

Ready to Make the Most of Your Winter?

If you’re down here escaping the snow and looking at that blue water thinking, “I’d love to learn this,” winter is your window.

*Quiet beaches

*Cooperative winter species

*Time to learn without pressure

Book a surf fishing lesson, sit in on a rig-tying class, or stop by the shop at the entrance of Johnson Beach and let’s get you dialed in.By the time March rolls around and the pompano run fires up, you won’t be starting from scratch—you’ll be ready to put fish in the cooler.

BOOK