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Cold Weather, Hot Bite: Your Guide to December Saltwater Fishing
December 17, 2025

Cold Weather, Hot Bite: Your Guide to December Saltwater Fishing

While freshwater fishing slows down in many parts of the country, the saltwater bite is just getting started. Cold fronts push bait into tighter groups, water temperatures stabilize, and fish settle into predictable winter patterns. Offshore, pelagic species follow current lines and feed aggressively. Inshore, redfish, trout, flounder, sheepshead, drum, and striped bass stack up in areas that hold warmth and food.

The result is consistent fishing from the Keys to the Gulf Coast and up through the Carolinas. With the right lures and approach, December can deliver some of the most reliable action of the year. 

Fast-Moving Plugs

Fast-moving plugs shine in December because baitfish are often pushed into defined lanes by wind, tide, and current. When predators are keyed in on speed, these lures trigger reaction strikes that slower presentations can’t.

Offshore, fast plugs are most often trolled. This is especially effective along current edges, color changes, and temperature breaks where sailfish, kingfish, and blackfin tuna patrol. Trolling lets you cover water efficiently and keep your lure moving at the pace these fish expect. Running a spread of diving plugs at staggered distances helps you find the depth and speed the fish want on any given day.

In some situations, these same plugs can also be cast. When fish are busting bait on the surface or holding along reefs, inlets, or nearshore structure, casting a fast-moving hard bait and retrieving it steadily can be just as effective.

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Vertical Jigs

As water temperatures cool, bait often drops deeper in the water column. That’s where vertical jigs come into play. These lures are designed to fish straight up and down, making them ideal when fish are holding deeper or tighter to structure.

The effectiveness of this technique comes from its efficiency. A jig can be worked through multiple depths on a single drop, letting you quickly find where fish are holding. Lift-and-drop motions mimic wounded bait falling through the water, which is hard for predators to ignore.

This approach works well in deeper water, around structure, or anytime conditions make it difficult to keep lighter baits in the strike zone.

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Soft Plastics

Soft plastics are the backbone of winter saltwater fishing. When fish slow down, they want an easy meal, and soft plastics excel at imitating natural prey without too much movement.

Paddle tails and straight-tail plastics can be worked slowly along the bottom or swum just off it, keeping the lure in the strike zone longer. This is especially important in December, when fish often sit in deeper holes, along drop-offs, or near drains and channels.

Shrimp-style and crustacean-style plastics shine around structure where fish feed close to the bottom. A slow, controlled presentation allows the bait to look natural and gives fish time to commit. Adding scent can make a difference when fish are less aggressive or heavily pressured.

One of the biggest advantages of soft plastics is versatility. The same bait can be fished shallow or deep, fast or slow, light or heavy, depending on conditions. That adaptability makes them a go-to option throughout the winter.

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Suspending/Slow Sink Hard Baits

Suspending hard baits are especially effective in December because they stay in the strike zone. When water cools, fish often wait for food to come to them rather than chasing it down.

These baits are designed to pause in place, mimicking a wounded or struggling baitfish. Often, the strike comes during the pause, not the movement. A simple twitch-and-wait retrieve allows the lure to hang long enough for a fish to decide it’s worth eating.

This technique is ideal for calm conditions, clear water, or areas where fish see a lot of pressure. Slowing down and letting the bait sit can turn a slow day into a productive one.

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Jig Heads

In December, conditions aren’t always calm. Wind, tide, and current can make lighter rigs tough to control, especially in open water or deeper areas. That’s where jig heads and other weighted presentations become essential.

Jig heads allow soft plastics to cast farther, sink faster, and stay in the strike zone longer. They cut through wind and moving water while maintaining a natural presentation near the bottom, where many fish spend more time in colder months. By adjusting weight, you can fine-tune your approach to match depth, current, and retrieve speed.

Heavier jig heads are especially useful after cold fronts, when fish hold deeper and won’t move far to eat. The added weight keeps your bait stable and lets you fish efficiently without losing contact. Whether you’re hopping a lure along the bottom or swimming it slowly through a channel, jig heads give you control when conditions are less than perfect.

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Why December Works

Winter fishing is all about predictability. Bait concentrates. Fish settle into consistent patterns. Instead of chasing scattered bites, you focus on depth, structure, and movement.

You don’t need an overloaded tackle box to be successful. A small selection of proven winter lures, fished with intention and patience, can cover nearly every scenario along the coast. Slow down when needed, speed up when fish are feeding, and let conditions guide your choices. And when you’re ready to gear up, you can find everything you need for winter saltwater fishing and a whole lot more at www.discounttackle.com.

December isn’t the offseason. It’s one of the best times to fish saltwater.

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