Some of the best mangrove snapper fishing that I can remember is happening on our nearshore rocks. Live shrimp on a 1/8th oz. jighead is the best bait. I always tell my anglers to let the bait fall naturally, if you don’t and it’s suspended then the snapper will not bite it. Another way to keep them biting is to keep the baits coming, don’t take a break or stop to take a picture because the the bite can stop just as soon as it starts. I believe this keeps the snapper competitive and they let their guard down. The trout bite has picked up with the cooler water temperatures. Cork rigs with a MirrOlure watermelon redflake LiL’ Jon is been the best bait. I look for a flat with broken yellow bottom. The yellow bottom is live reef with rock grass growing on it. This past week I drifted a “yellow patch” that was about 2 acres and we caught a limit of ten trout on that one patch. Remember to motor a wide berth around the area to set up your next drift. I’ve watched many anglers motor right through the area that there catching fish on and that is a sure way to shut down a bite. Spanish mackerel are showing up around the ten foot depths and biting on live shrimp free lined on a 2/0 Eagle Claw long shank hook. The long shank hook takes the place of a steel leader that mackerel will shy away from. Sometimes you will get cut off but you will catch more fish with the long shank hook. The Spoil Banks in Crystal River is a good area to catch them. High incoming tide will be in the afternoon this weekend.
- Nature Coast - March 23, 2024
- William Toney - February 29, 2024
- Nature Coast - February 14, 2024
