For guys like Steve Marusak, Everett Antrim, and Rick Filepass, cold fronts are but minor inconveniences.

On just about any day of the year this trio is likely to be found somewhere on the water between Tarpon Springs and Crystal River putting trout, redfish, and other fish into an ice chest.

One reason for their consistent success is an ability to alter tactics and locales during seasonal changes. In the warmer summer and fall months, they'll drift grass flats in 12 to 16 feet of open Gulf water casting fast-sinking lures and jigs, while on cold days, usually from January through March, they'll work grass flats in depths ranging from 3 to 5 feet. Feeder creeks, rivers, bayous, and the warm-water run-off areas near the Tarpon Springs or Crystal River Power Plant also get their undivided attention.

"Actually," said Marusak, "I prefer it when water temperatures dip into the 60s because the fish are concentrated."

Marusak, president of the Cotee Industries, considers the stilt house area and surrounding grass flats near the mouth of the Pithlachascotee River as prime winter hotspots. There are about 15 of these colorful dwellings in waters ranging from five to eight feet that are owned by fishermen eager to get away from everything and everybody on weekends. Except for the pilings they resemble backwoods hunting camps.

Trout, redfish, and small grouper to seven and eight pounds move in here from deeper waters where they gang up near the pilings and ambush baitfish on high incoming or outgoing tides. The fish can also be located by drifting nearby grass flats both north and south of the main channel leading to the Gulf of Mexico, particularly on nice days when the sun rapidly warms the shallow water.

Shrimp, plus sardine and greenback minnows, are copious live bait choices. Those heaving artificials usually do quite well with 14-ounce Cotee Jigs, the Double Trouble, Love Lures, MirrOlures, and Bagley Bangolures.

On a recent January morning we pulled away from Korman's Landing in New Port Richey to test the stilt house neighborhood in Antrim's 23 footer, aptly named Mr. Trout. Everett, who played guard for three seasons with the Indiana Pacers before multi-knee operations short-circuited a promising hoop career, was optimistic.

"We did real well yesterday," he said, zipping up his insulated jacket. "I expect we'll do even better today."

Filepass, a school teacher in nearby Clearwater, Marusak, and the writer were bundled up to ward off chilly winds as we negotiated a winding channel to the stilt house area. We were already rigged when Everett cut his 150-hp Evinrude five minutes later and began casting to the pilings.

Marusak immediately connected with a four-pound black (gag) grouper as his weedless jig with a pink plastic tail hit the water. On light tackle a grouper this size puts up an impressive scrap. Even before Marusak could bring his fish in, Rick and Everett were battling trout, each of which weighed about two pounds. I was last in the water and hooked a dandy silver trout on a shallow-running Bangolure that scaled nearly two pounds.

Normally, you understand, I don't like to catch a fish on my first cast because it seemingly jinxes the trip. Fortunately, this day was an exception.

"A great way to start out the new year," I said, hooking up with another fish, this one a small school-sized red, on my second cast.

We had timed this aqua safari to coincide with the last hour of an incoming tide. We planned to continue fishing for two hours into the falling tide. At no time during the nearly four hours did activity completely slack off. When it slowed down around one stilt house we simply cranked up and moved to another where action resumed with machine-gun-like rapidity.

Most of the day's catch consisted of keeper spotted trout, unusually large silver trout to three pounds each, and grouper to five pounds.

A dozen other varieties also got into the act including pinfish, grunts, sea bass, porgies, ladyfish, jack crevalle to eight pounds, snakefish, flounder, lizardfish, bluefish, redfish, and two species of catfish.

Without exaggeration, each of us bagged a fish of some species and gender on every third or fourth cast. Although most of our trout were of keeper size (14 inches), we released all that didn't weigh at least two pounds. We also turned back everything else, excepting the grouper which were destined for our respective dinner tables.

I'll admit this early January trip was exceptional. On most outings we don't get that many. But, on some, we don't miss the mark by all that far either. You can bet the egg money that Steve, Everett, Rick, and I will be found near the stilt houses next January too. While we may be fighting off brisk, chilly winds, we'll also be doing battle with ample numbers of cooperative fish.

Although I probably love balmy Florida weather more than most, I must confess to eagerly looking forward to January, February, and March when action often picks up just a stone's throw from shore.

And, while I never thought I'd ever be saying this, "Let the cold winds blow and the good times roll."