Nature Coast, William Toney

With the afternoon thunder storms it’s best to get your fishing business done by noon or wait till late evening when the rain cooled waters can trigger a good trout bite. As of now the redfish bite has improved to normal standards, I can’t say my clients have been breaking record catches but I can say they’re doing good. Along with the redfish those pesky snook keep taking the bait meant for red’s but it’s all good. I just don’t want to train them to much before September. I told my dad the other day it’s hot out there and his reply was “ it’s summer , happens every year”.

The best way to catch some redfish is to use a stealthy approach during the incoming tide to a western facing point or shoreline with jumping mullet. Live pinfish is the best bait, unless your sight casting a shrimp. A shrimp will only last about 30 seconds because of the robust pinfish population.. Patience is key and if you see a redfish or two that’s all the better.  The best place to cast spoons like the Eppinger Rex or jigs like the MirrOlure LiL Johns in watermelon red flake for redfish is to head south into the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge. For some reason this area and the hundreds of keys in it are usually floating grass free from it’s sister keys to the north. The outside keys from Chassahowitzka Point south will have some grass but venture into the backcountry to find good artificial lure friendly water.

The trout bite is very hit and miss. Close inshore around the river and creek mouth’s first light in the morning use a D. O. A.  305 3” glow shrimp or 5.5 “ jerk bait. Moving water is best. If it is over cast or there is rained cooled water the area around Bird Island is producing some respectable trout for this time of year. Try the bars that run north and south for the best bite. The near shore rocks are still producing grunts and grey snapper perfect for the scallop and fish fry . Incoming tide will be mid day this weekend.