The Mix …………….The Perfect Day!
We fished the southern end of the Big Bend Region Friday and Saturday of this week.
THE MIX
Friday we took the airboat and fished the “skinny water’ around Lowes Bay and the Withalacoochee Reefs area off the Levy County coast.
Started out about 9 a.m. and immediately spotted a school of huge Black Drum (30-50 lbs.) around a submerged oyster bar.? We threw everything in the bait well at them, cut mullet and live shrimp, but only managed to? land one.? We pushed further outside and fished the last of a strong incoming tide around the outer most oyster bars in the area.
By noon time, high tide, we had managed a mixed bag including Black Drum, Red Fish, Flounder, Spotted Sea Trout, a couple of huge Jack Cravelles, and yes, even a few of those fishes with whiskers, “Meow”.
SATURDAY THE PERFECT DAY
Saturday we departed from the Yankeetown Public Boat Ramp and we headed off the Citrus County coast, about 18 miles, to an old shipwreck.? Arrived there about 10 a.m..
Right off the bat, a school of Cobia showed up and it was “Off to the races”!
“No better fish in the world to sight cast to.
Within 5 minutes of dropping anchor,
we have 2 grown men performing a Chinese Fire Drill on a 20′ Boat!
What a sight.
By days end we had caught 2 Cobia, 20 Gag Grouper, 6 Keywest (Pinkmouth) Grunts, 2 Mangrove (Gray) Snapper, a Spanish Mackerel, a Nurse Shark (about 200 lbs.), and one close encounter with a huge Goliath Grouper.
It was one of those beautiful “Chamber of Commerce” days.
On the ride in, I just looked up at the sky and said “Thank you”.
Crystal River, Yankeetown &?Waccasassa?Florida Fishing Reports from Captain Nick
Steinhatchee: It’s work off-shore, inshore are bringing in limits
Christie at the Sea Hag said fishing is definitely picking up.
Although the weather has hampered fishing off shore for the last week all inshore charters have been coming back with their limits for Reds and Trout.
The Gulp New Penny is doing well as is the Perl White. Also the Skitter Walk is bringing in good fish.
This fishing report for Steinhatchee and the Horseshoe Beach Florida area is from the Sea Hag in Steinhatchee, Florida
Cedar Key, Florida Fishing Report, “Things Are a Changin”!
Don at Cedar Key Marina says the water is cooling down and fishing is good.
The Trout are spotty but big, 20 inches and over are common when they do bite.
The Reds are biting all over and are moving on the bars and big schools of Red Fish are being seen.
The Grouper are moving in closer and are in 40-45 feet of water.
Its good fishing for Cobia is good too. One guy from Nashville came into Cedar Key Marina telling Don that the Cobia were biting like crazy.?Don thought he was full of BS (Bull Shipments) until he opened his cooler and showed Don three Cobia .
Don says all in all fishing is good and boat traffic is light but it should pick up now as that the bite has increased.
Don says “Ya’ll Come on Down to Cedar Key and Stop By His Marina and Go Fishing”.
Yankeetown, Florida A Plan A and B that Work!
Finally found the time to get out on the Gulf this week,Thursday, 9/18, if only for a couple of hours.
Along with Dan and Doug, two close friends, we struck out for the Spoil Islands just south of the Florida Barge Canal Channel. We arrived just in time to catch the last hour of a strong incoming tide, about 4 P.M..
Right off the bat, we noticed the bait getting slammed everywhere. Good sign. On their first casts, both of my partners were hooked up. Even better sign!
Dan reeled in a nice Flounder, about 3 lbs, while Doug fought what turned out to be a huge Stingray for about 5 minutes. In the meantime the sea’s had started to pick up, and within 30 minutes or so, we noticed white caps everywhere. By this time the bait had disappeared, and so had the incoming tide and the bite.
Time for Plan B.
With a 15 knot headwind we made our way into the Barge Canal in time to fish the first of the falling tide. Doug got a Snook on the first cast, and I redeemed myself by catching 3 slot sized Reds in about 5 minutes.
By days end, 2 hours of fishing, we had managed to catch 3 Redfish, 1 Snook, 1 Grouper, 1 Flounder, several Ladyfish, a couple Catfish, and 1 huge Stingray. Not bad for Plan B
A Yankeetown, Florida fishing report from Captain Nick
The “Catching” has picked up for Trout in Steinhatchee!
Catching picked up the last few days for Trout. Saturday’s trip produced 13 Trout and 3 reds.
Fishing in 3 foot of water or less with white or new penney Gulp under Assassin cork rigs. Floating grass was heavy, so the cork rigs work well, as opposed to straight jig.
All the storms and resulting high water gets that loose grass floating. Redfish are still scattered for the most part. We caught our 3 reds in 3 different places. I talked to one Captain that told me they lucked up and drifted into a school and caught their 4 reds on 1 drift all at the same time, over and done in 5 minutes. So things are changing, it’s always a great time of year in Steinhatchee.
We will continue to pray for the people impacted by IKE.
A Steinhatchee, Florida fishing report from Captain STEVE
James 1:2-3 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
