With the push of cool air from the far north, Florida will receive its first front of this year. I enjoy that first morning when I see smoke on my breath and think that this cold air has traveled all the way across America for me to breathe! How awesome is that. Cool weather makes people, animals and fish get frisky after a long hot summer. The transition of saltwater fish will move as fast as the cold fronts come down, sometimes fast or sometimes a gradual slope into a mild winter.
Trout are still on the coastal flats with hard bottom covered rock grass. I’ve had good luck around the river and creek mouths useing MirrOlure LiL Johns under a popping cork with a chartreuse jig head. The best colors has been glow and watermelon redflake. If the tide is extra low switch to a D.O.A. 5.5 glow jerk bait with a 3/0 Owner hook through the nose of the bait. For redfish, target the first line of keys on the outside edge during the highest part of the incoming tide. Live shrimp under a cork has been the best bait.
The near shore rocks are producing spanish mackerel and gag grouper. Free lined live shrimp on a long shank hook over the sandy bottom near a rock will get the bite. Shallow running plugs will catch the grouper. The river fishing has picked up a little with mangrove snapper, black drum and sheepshead. Try fishing with shrimp near the rocky points that are close to a channel marker. High incoming tide will be in the morning this weekend.
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.
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