With the warm weather and good fishing, I will say this is the last report I am writing this year! As of now if you have a boat chances are gag grouper are in your reach in depths as shallow as 6 to 8 feet. The down fall is most of the shallow rocks have been hit, so good numbers will make or break you. I would say by the time this report makes it to you, the last cold front of the year will blow most of us off the water except for the die hard last of the grouper diggers. Shallow running plugs and threadfin herring are the best baits.

The trout bit is consistent in the inland bays all the way up the deep creeks and even in the last part of the main river. Shallow water I have used the D.O.A. 5.5 glow jerk baits, in deeper water MirrOlure Lil’ Johns and MirrOdines are getting the fish.  I have found that some areas will have nothing but under size trout and after catching a dozen that are short it is best to move on to keep from killing our future stock but usually not far from the small ones a few keepers can be caught.

Red fishing has tapered off with the low winter tides and I have found myself relying more on sight casting then setting up on a good spot. With low water look for redfish to be near where you would catch them in summer months but about 100 yards away from the nearest key. If the tide makes good water  ( up to the green on a mangrove ) then expect the redfish to be by the rocky points, if not read the water and look for a push or tailing fish. Live shrimp have worked best for me. Incoming high tide will mid afternoon this weekend. See ya next year! 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.

 

William Toney
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