Nature Coast, Capt William Toney 8/10/2016

This report will be more like a August fishing forecast. Since Saturday I have only been in my boat one time ( today is Tuesday ) because of foul weather. This time last year the Nature Coast experienced the exact same rain event. After the rain this is what happen from my notes last year. The scalloping went down hill for a week because of the cloudy water from wind and rain but came back very strong near the end of the month. Some of the largest scallops of the season were harvested the last part of August. At this time from talking with some folks who have went out in the weather the best water clarity is south off Chassahowitzka and they are getting scallops. The only down fall is that the water is deep – six to eight feet.

The rain cooled water from my notes last year had a upside to it. The trout bite turned on tremendously. I was doing very good south of Chassahowitzka Point, the yellow bottom west of St. Martins Keys and near Gomez Rock/Mangrove Point. The trout were in 3 to 5 feet of water. The best baits were a dark colored tail with a red jig head when its calm and if there is a slight chop use the same bait under a popping cork. Red fishing just kept getting better with schools of fish showing up west of Ozello. The whole month of August through the beginning October Citrus County had excellent red fishing. In august the cut bait, live shrimp and pinfish is king for bait but if the floating grass is not around switch to a jig, twitch bait or top water plug to get the bite without having to keep putting bait on the hook.

The near shore rocks will be loaded with nice keeper mangrove snapper. Live shrimp is the best bait. This weekend look for better weather and incoming tide in the morning. W