Nature Coast: William Toney

After last week’s high winds, the nearshore rocks are immersed in pea soup.  If you have accurate GPS numbers, starting at 10 feet there has been some keeper gag grouper coming to the dock with shallow running casting plugs. My favorite colors are fire tiger and clown (orange yellow). Around the rocks are also some spanish mackerel and grunts use live shrimp. I would expect the water to start to clear up as it get cooler later this week. 

 The trout bite has been better north of the river. Depending on the depth and speed of your vessels drift will determine the best bait to use. On a breezy day in 3 to 4 feet of water I use a popping cork and jig with a MirrOlure water melon red flake Lil John or Provoker. If it’s a calm day with a slow drift I use a D.O.A. 5.5 glow jerk bait. Broken bottom with a mix of sponges, hard corals and rock grass will hold the larger trout. 

 To find the redfish as I always preach look for points with jumping mullet to find them. Incoming tide is always best but If there is a high outgoing tide will work but you have a shorter window to find them. Live shrimp and cut pinfish is the best bait. Snook are still on some of the outside points but deeper creeks with drop offs on rocky points are the best spots to catch them now. The are moving east. High incoming tide will be in the morning this weekend.