Nature Coast, William Toney 9/21/2016

With the passing of the full moon the redfish bite has been phenomenal. On one particular school we caught and released over 40 fish and kept 4. I was thinking if the limit had not been changed, that day there would have been 8 fish harvested. Then I thought over the 12 days straight charters I had that number could have been way up there. That’s just my boat, not counting every other guide or angler out this past week. With the limit at one, our area will continue to produce excellent red fishing and I would rather cherry pick one then struggle to find two to put in the box. The keys on the outside from Ozello to Chassahowitzka will produce redfish on the incoming high tide. The best baits have been live shrimp, cut pinfish or 1/8 oz. jigs and 1/4 oz. spoons.

  The trout bite has been very good also. The coves or bays seem to be the best. Homosassa Bay had a decent bite in it, even with all the scallop boats leaving out of the channel. The best rig is a popping cork with a new penny, water melon red flake or bourbon soft plastic tail on a 1/8 oz. red jig head. The near shore rock are producing spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper and big grunts. Live shrimp is the best bait. High incoming tide will be either at daylight or dusk this coming weekend. Capt. William Toney