I can’t recall in recent memory an east wind lasting this long. It has made setting up for redfish challenging but drifting for trout pretty easy. To set up for good trout fishing look for open bay’s with good rock grass and aim your drift toward open water so not to be caught up against a rocky shoreline. A hard wind will beat your trolling motor in shallow water or make it nearly impossible to pole away from some bottom gouging rocks. Studying the wind and drift will make for a happy trout fishing experience. Using a popping cork with a dark colored soft plastic these are the area’s that I have had the best luck. South of Chassahowitzka Point and north of North West key head east in the big bay and fish the rock grass until even with a line between the two points or just south of North West key and parallel the boundary poles. Out of Homosassa line up Mason Creek or Long Point and do a drift out toward the pole line. North try inside of Mangrove Point or Trout Key Bay and drift toward Rock Island Channel. To slow your drift try using a five gallon bucket tied off to the front cleat of your boat.
The redfish bite has been good on the last hour of the incoming tide. Many of the western facing points that I fish I have to approach from the east, with the wind. It is easier to cast with the wind then to try to anchor and cast into it. I instruct my clients to mend their lines by slowly reeling it as their bait travels back to the boat with the incoming tide. Look for jumping mullet and shrimp or cut pinfish is the best bait.
The inshore grouper bite is on and with very little floating grass a shallow running plug is a fun way to catch them. A few keeper mangrove snapper are showing up in the river and in Blue Waters. This weekend there will be a high outgoing tide first thing in the morning and low the rest of the day because of Daylight Saving time. W
Capt. William Toney is a full time 4th generation fishing guide from Homosassa. Experience some of Florida’s best inshore fishing and beautiful unspoiled backcountry. His boat is a custom built 23 foot Tremblay and uses G-Loomis rods with Shimano reels. Trout, redfish and shore lunch are Capt. Williams specialty’s but many other species are caught or targeted.
- Nature Coast - March 23, 2024
- William Toney - February 29, 2024
- Nature Coast - February 14, 2024
